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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Cinnabun has pasteurella. Any advice?

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    • Lucky Star
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        As many of you know, Cinnabun has been dealing with a respiratory infection for several weeks. The tests came back today to confirm that he is positive for pasteurella. I would love any advice from anyone who has had a rabbit with this. I am finding mixed things online. Everything from that it is a death sentence for him to the fact that he will be fine to the fact that he needs meds for life. 

        Here are my main questions:

        1) One website advised putting him down. Is he in pain or really that sick? He seems totally fine and hasn’t even sneezed for the past week. 

        2) Will the meds have to be continued forever? 

        3) How much should I be concerned about George? They are brothers from the same litter and are bonded and always together. Should George be on antibiotics as well?

        4) Will he die from this? Will his life span be significantly shortened? Will I wake up one day and he will just be dead? Or will he be able to live somewhat normally and die around the same time as his brother in another 8-9 years (they are about 1)?

        5) Is there anything else I can do to help him? I mean other than the antibiotics, should I change anything else to help him?

        6) Should he still excersize normally? Or will this cause his lungs to not function as well if he gets excited and runs around?

        Any other pieces of advice are welcomed! I am quite scared right now as I am finding a lot of scary stuff on this online, yet it seems like a common rabbit illness. 

        EDIT-

        7) If I ever decide to get another rabbit, is it a bad idea because it then exposes the new rabbit to pasteurella?


      • Kokaneeandkahlua
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          My caveat is that I’ve not experienced Pasturella (though I’ve had just about all other issues!) but wanted to tell you not to worry to much and don’t worry about scary websites! the internet isn’t always reputable as anyone can post-so don’t allow the website that advised euthanasia to make you feel guilty. Trust me if your vet thought that was what you should do, your vet would have strongly advised it.

          I think you should call your vet (they really don’t mind talking on the phone!) and pose your questions to him or her as well. In addition to any advice you get from others experience here, your vet who knows your rabbit and has prescribed treatment is the best source for all your answers.

          Sending {{healing vibes}}


        • Lucky Star
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            Kokanee- Thanks for the advice! Here is my problem- my main vet couldn’t tell that it was pasteurella and doesn’t seem knowledgeable about it. The vet that diagnosed him is not a nice person or that knowledgeable either (I had a phone conversation with him in which he blamed me for everything he could and then proceeded to yell at me for several minutes for taking my rabbit to the emergency vet after he hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours. He claimed rabbits can go over a week without eating and be completely fine. He also made several other claims that I know to be false and was just generally mean the entire conversation.)

            I am not very eager to take him back to the mean vet, but neither of the two seemed knowledgable. I am wary to try yet another vet, as I have no idea if they will be any better, or possibly even worse. There are only about two others in the area that the House Rabbit Society has on their page.

            After this dose of antibiotics is up, I will probably take him to one of the other vets. However, until this dose is up I would love any more advice, especially since I am now wary of the vets in the area.


          • ilovemybunnies
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              Hi, I’m not sure I have much advice-my mini Rex, Sam who is under 6 months was diagnosed with snuffles. The vet didn’t take a culture test or do any head scans to see if it could possibly be something else. She did give me an antibiotic, Baytril, which is a very common general rabbit antibiotic. Sam takes 1/4 a tablet twice a day, for 14 days. We have 3 days left. She still sneezes, less frequently with an actual fit and no longer has discharge from her nose. My vet told me we would just treat it again if it cropped up. I do not want my rabbit on antibiotics for the rest of her life, so I’m hoping she was either misdiagnosed or it was brought on bc we bought her from the State Fair and she was in a rabbit pen for a week with a ton of other rabbits. Sam doesn’t act sick in the slightest. I’ve been worried to death over her just dying one day, but I feel like as long as I give her the best quality of life I can and treat the snuffles if it comes back, then that’s more than enough, and she will still live a good life. There are no HRS vets near me whatsoever. In the meantime I also got an 8 week old holland lop. Both rabbits live together, share everything. Cat-the lop, has shown zero signs of sneezing or mucousy nose, so in can’t say its a complete given snuffles will show up in another rabbit, but I’m by no means advocating you do get another rabbit with a confirmed pasturella, bc my rabbit was just highly suspected. But they say all rabbits carry it, right?
              I’m sorry about the mean vets. That makes it so much worse. If I were you I would google the other vets in your area, call and speak to the receptionists with your concerns, and pick one. Then I’d want my rabbit on antibiotics, every time you clean the cage is disinfect everything-also if you use a water bottle the valve and tip, and keep her on a healthy diet. Look up bunny vac too. Supposedly it’s a new vaccine for rabbits that treat snuffles, I looked on their website but I haven’t heard anything much about it. Good luck and best wishes.


            • jerseygirl
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                The vet that diagnosed him is not a nice person or that knowledgeable either (I had a phone conversation with him in which he blamed me for everything he could and then proceeded to yell at me for several minutes for taking my rabbit to the emergency vet after he hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours. He claimed rabbits can go over a week without eating and be completely fine. He also made several other claims that I know to be false and was just generally mean the entire conversation.)

                What?! Good Lord…

                Definitely look into other vets. I’d even do so for second opinion on the pasteurella diagnosis. Can I ask what antibiotics were prescribed?

                What tests were done? From memory, I think it’s easy to get a false positive? The pasteurella bacteria lives naturally in their system & doesn’t always cause disease..
                I’m sure you’re aware of that anyhow, with all the reading you’ve been doing.

                A BB member I know that had a bunny with pasteurellosis is wendyzski. She treated Pepper for years. Perhaps try PM her? She’s just the first person I think of that has personal experience.


              • jerseygirl
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                  These 2 articles are specific to house rabbits. They may help answer some of your questions.

                  http://www.celebratingrabbits.com/stories/pasteurella.html

                  http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/past.shtml

                  I don’t have personal experience so my answer here are my opinions only from what I’ve learnt from reading and other owners.

                  I don’t even know how to really answer Qu 1. My heart wants to say “Heck no!” As I’m sure does yours!

                  2) Will the meds have to be continued forever?

                  Quite possibly but that’s not to say he’ll need them every single day. From my understanding, there are flare-ups where you’d have to treat for severel weeks and periods in between where the immune system has it under control but never fully eliminated.

                  3) How much should I be concerned about George? They are brothers from the same litter and are bonded and always together. Should George be on antibiotics as well?

                  He’s likely a carrier and possibly as long as Cinnabun has been given they are litter mates. If he’s asymptomatic, he shouldn’t need go on antibiotics. Immune boosting for booth couldn’t hurt.

                  4) Will he die from this? Will his life span be significantly shortened? Will I wake up one day and he will just be dead? Or will he be able to live somewhat normally and die around the same time as his brother in another 8-9 years (they are about 1)?

                  I don’t think there is a definitive answer here. The articles I linked above will probably address this better. It sounds as if the infection is contained to his upper respiratory system. Rhinitis? So getting on top of those flare-ups when they occur means there’s less likely to be complications. He’s in a good position to do well because you’re obviously looking to give him the optimum chance to help fight the infection.

                  5) Is there anything else I can do to help him? I mean other than the antibiotics, should I change anything else to help him?

                  Minimize stress (beneficial for all rabbits of course)
                  Keep their environment temp & humidity fairly consistent. About 18C (64-65F) and 50-70% humidity.
                  Higher temps or big fluctuations in temp will exacerbate his symptoms.
                  Natural immune support like echinacea might be beneficial.
                  When he gets nose gunk, try clear it out for him (use like a baby nasal aspirator) and even pop him in bathroom that’s all steamed up.

                  6) Should he still excersize normally? Or will this cause his lungs to not function as well if he gets excited and runs around?

                  I want to say yes here. Let him carry on as normal. When he’s feeling poorly, he’ll moderate his own activity I imagine. I think not letting him out to run about like normal (if that’s what he’s used to) would cause stress and stress can be a trigger.

                  7) If I ever decide to get another rabbit, is it a bad idea because it then exposes the new rabbit to pasteurella?

                  I don’t see why you couldnt bring a new bun home at some point. Best to quarantine a new rabbit regardless. You could keep it housed separately and just practiced good hygiene between handling your pair and any possible newbie.


                • Lucky Star
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                    Thanks the the advice everyone!

                    Jerseygirl- He is currently on baytril. It seems to have taken care of the problem, but he hates it and has had side effects on it so I would love it if he didn’t have to be on it forever. The vet did some kind of blood test. I think they took it from his ears.

                    And yea, that was my response when I was talking to the vet. He also insisted I take him off all fresh foods (like lettuce) and confine him to his cage without any out of cage playtime. Is there any actual reason for this or was it just more of the vet not being informed?

                    I can tell that the baytril helped because he has stopped snuffling, coughing, and sneezing. He acts fine, which is great except now he has enough strength and health to grab the syringe from me, yank it from my hand, and throw it across the room. And he is a bunny burrito when he does this. It would actually be quite funny if I wasn’t trying to get his medicine into him.

                    Also, Jerseygirl, does this mean that if I get any other rabbit I shouldn’t let them be together? Because I would much rather them be able to all be bonded and playing together, but not if it would make one of them more sick. Of coarse, if the new rabbit also had pasteurella, would that make a difference? This is a years-in-the-future thing, but I would love to know now whether that is a possibility or not, as I am a sucker for rescue rabbits and if I have the money would love to save another fuzzy buddy.

                    Also, I just realized that both times Cinnabun has had “respiratory infections” have been in August/September. Do you think his symptoms could be heat related? (I am in Georgia, so heat and humidity are a huge problem).

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                Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Cinnabun has pasteurella. Any advice?