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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Pasteurella

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    • Mari
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      26 posts Send Private Message

        Hello, my female, one year old netherland dwarf has had a wet nose for a few months now. It’s only on the left side of her nose and just clear and wet like water. I honestly ruled out pasteurella as being the cause at first because her previous owner had gotten her the vaccine for it and she hasn’t been sneezing. At first, it wasn’t really bad, not super wet and I thought maybe she would get her nose wet from water or something. I noticed it starting to get worse because the fur around her left side of the nose was hard from the discharge. When I took her to the vet, he didn’t check her teeth or perform a culture. He took a closer look at her nose and said it was the pasteurella flaring up possibly due to stress. He prescribed her baytril for one week, but her nose is still very wet with the clear, watery discharge, but the fur isn’t hardening anymore. I can’t remember when it started, but she also makes a snoring noise? It’s when she’s just laying/sitting around or sleeping. She’s eating, pooping, pretty much doing everything normally. I’m not sure if this is relevant but she is bonded to my neutered male rabbit and has been sharing the same room with him since the day I got her, but he shows no symptoms of pasteurella & has never gotten the vaccine(I didn’t know there were vaccines for rabbits when I got him). Would anyone have any idea if there could be something else wrong and maybe it isn’t pasteurella? I made a similar post before I took her to get her nose checked and it was suggested maybe a blockage or tooth related problems because the discharge is only in one nose. Does anyone know the process of how a vet determines if these are the causes and the possible cost of it? I’m taking her back this week, but I was wanted to get other opinions or thoughts + what I can do for her as of now & to reduce stress. Sorry for such a long post, I’m just really worried for her. 


      • Bam
        Moderator
        16838 posts Send Private Message

          The way to rule out dental involvement would be an x-ray of the jaws. On an x-ray a rabbit vet can see if there is tooth root involvement.

          There are other bacteria than pasteurella that can infect a rabbit and give rise to “snuffles”. Bordetella brochiseptica is one. It’s sensitive to Baytril though, but treatment longer than one week is more often than not needed to clear the infection.

          It’s not known why some rabbits get snuffles from the pasteurella bacteria. These bacteria are present in the rabbit nasal cavity in healthy rabbits as well – although they don’t manage to colonize it completely except in some individuals.


        • Azerane
          Moderator
          4688 posts Send Private Message

            I’m not sure about other issues, but teeth need to be checked under sedation, an x-ray is needed to check root growth and spurs, but an internal examination of the mouth can be done using instruments under sedation or anaesthetic. I’ve no idea of the cost of either of these and imagine they vary quite greatly between clinics.

            I personally find it strange that an illness or allergy may present from one nostril only which is what makes me think teeth. Another option is perhaps some irritation in that nostril, such as a little piece of hay or grass stuck in there that is causing it to run in an attempt to dislodge it. I expect that they could also look up the nasal cavity under sedation also.


          • jerseygirl
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              There certainly could be other bacteria at play but with clear, one-sided discharge, it doesn’t sound like infection, tbh.

              I suppose some imaging (xray or ultrasound) might give more of a clue. I don’t know if they’d do rhinoscopy for a rabbit, but worth asking about.

              I hope you get to the bottom of it!


            • jerseygirl
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                Oops. There were no other replies when I typed mine. So I’ve only just seen the others now. Sorry to get repetitive!


              • Mari
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                26 posts Send Private Message

                  Thank you everyone for all the great answers. Her left eye is starting to be very watery/ has discharge now but the vet is closed today. ):


                • Bam
                  Moderator
                  16838 posts Send Private Message

                    Since it’s clear and watery and not thick, and if she’s eating and drinking and pooping, it’s not such an emergency that you need to go in on a Sunday. Call them tomorrow and make an appointment, many vets charge extra if you say it’s an emergency.

                    An antiinflammatory could perhaps do some good. It’s recommended for humans who have rhinosinusitis-like problems.


                  • jerseygirl
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                      More and more it seems this is a tooth root issue or changes in her facial bone structure.

                      For the eye, you could try a warm compress. Even use a warm chamomile tea bag which has some antibacterial qualities.
                      Most rabbits will enjoy the compress when they’ve got a runny eye.

                      One of my buns had an eye start to tear up on and off and the warm compress over a day or 2 resolve it for him. I did read *somewhere* that they might get a waxy substance build up and plug the duct a little. I suspect that what was happening for him. For really chronic runny eye, it’s more likely due to something more permanent.  ETA: I agree about anti-inflammatory bam suggests. It can help bring down any swelling, both for eye and if there is any in her nose.

                      Have you gone through what is in their environment that she may be particularly sensitive too?
                      Do you notice a batch of hay is dustier then normal at times?
                      Or do you use a wood litter product or anything scented in the room?
                      Are the problems starting at any particular season or when you are using heating more?
                      For an environmental trigger, it would be more likely to see the issue occur for both eyes or nostrils or it swap sides but she could also have an asymmetrical face and one side more prone to issues…

                      That reminds me, one of my past rabbits developed a running eye when he was a year old or perhaps younger. The vet I saw did say it could be due to some asymmetry in the face and that it would likely possible resolve itself. His eye did clear up. I wish that had been the end of his problems, however, there were more to come unfortunately.


                    • Mari
                      Participant
                      26 posts Send Private Message

                        Hi jerseygirl,

                        I haven’t really checked to see if there’s anything she could be sensitive to. She shares the same room as I do and I don’t use anything scented. I use Pinnacle Animal Bedding and Litter which are in the form of wood pellets. She eats Kaytee brand timothy hay and rabbit pellets I get from a nearby feed store. I would love to giver her Oxbow brand hay/pellets(not sure if would make a difference, I just heard this is the better brand), but the cost is a bit pricier than what she gets now. ): My bed is also on a higher bed frame and unfortunately, my buns love to hide under it during the day & I have wood floors. I’m sure it gets pretty dusty under there when I don’t vacuum it, but I try my best to do this every day or every other day because they shed a lot. I honestly can’t remember when her runny nose came up other than that it was a few months ago, pretty much when I first got her, but I never really noticed. Also, now that you say that it seems more like a tooth related issue, I realize that I didn’t ever mention that she did break her two front teeth which happened to also be a few months ago. I have no idea why I didn’t connect the two much earlier, but I never really thought that tooth issues could cause runny noses. When I first got her, her genital area was already infected. I took her to the vet and I was given a cream to apply to the area and during one of days the week that this was to be done, I was setting her down from my lap, much less than a foot off the floor, and she jumped and hit the floor face first, chipping both her teeth, busted the left side of her lip. I feel so terrible to have let it happen and I wish I could’ve been more careful with her. Another vet visit and he said she would be fine since rabbit teeth grow for the rest of their lives and where it broke that there was no nerves so she wasn’t in pain or something along those lines. Her teeth today have grown to be perfect as they were before, same length, pretty much symmetrical. I’m not sure if I just never noticed she had a wet nose in the first place or that it happened after the incident. I’m definitely going to suggest tooth issues to my vet & remind him of the incident when we go again this week. Sorry for such a long response & for not bringing this up earlier. Thank you for all the help!

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                    Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Pasteurella