Nope – rabbits can’t catch colds from people (I just read an article researching Wally’s condition). But they can act as carriers – so if you are sick and pet the bunny, then another person pets the bunny, that person can get your cold, even though the rabbit won’t be sick.

u gotta sick bun BT? or just curious?

I hear people refer to the word “cold” as a condition all the time at work- “I have to bring my kitten in because she has a “cold” in her eye” or they refer to upper respiratory infections as a “cold”.  But cats, dog, bunnies do not get a cold like humans do (what we commonly refer to as having a cold- congestion, sneezing, fever, etc that just resolves with time and over the counter meds to help feel better).   So they can not catch a cold from us or give a cold to us.

Since pets don’t get “colds” like humans do there is usually an infection in the eye or respiratory tract that antibiotics can resolve.  Parrots can get some illness’s from humans and vice versa- but for your bird to give YOU something it would have to been exposed to it by another family member or someone the bird came into contact with.  And this is not all illness’s just some viruses I believe.  Parrots immune systems are much different that a dog, cat or bunny.

So when cats or dogs come in with a “cold” typically we don’t know exactly what is causing it because to determine if it is bacterial or viral and to do the testing to determine which virus or bacteria would be very costly when they will most likely respond to oral meds which they would need anyway.   Although if they suspect something serious going on with a bunny- they would probably be more inclined to do testing or more aggressive medical treatment right away.

Yeah- now you have me worried!  Are your bunnies OK? 

Oh – sorry I misunderstood your question. I just always think people when I think of colds. But I think Katnip answered your question at least!

Do rabbits actually cough? I’m not saying they don’t, just wondering what that would sound like if they did. Hmm…

Yes (according to my vet), but their cough sounds more like a sneeze. I would have never known bunnies cough because they don’t sound like normal coughs. The ONLY reason I know this is because when I had to take Rucy into the vet, she was making this very “hard sneeze”. Shook her head like a sneeze, blew stuff out of her nose when she sneezed, but my very rabbit-savvy vet said…That was a cough. (It’s really a mix of cough and sneeze) It’s not like bunnies just cough out of their mouth,but it’s more like hard sneeze that has another little noise to it. Very hard to describe, but it sounds like the mixture of a hard sneeze, with a little gruffled squeekish quick noise. Barely audible.

Very interesting! I wonder if Wally is coughing and I just don’t know it! Sometimes people think I’m coughing when I sneeze, so maybe it sounds something like that…only much, much quieter…(I sneeze in threes or more, so sometimes it confuses people who don’t know me well enough to know better!)

BB that makes a lot of sense since they’re obligate nose breathers-they *would have to* cough out of their nose!!!

Odd how bunnies can cough, but not throw up. You would think not having a gag reflex would inhibit coughing somewhat. (I know that even a tickle in my lower throat will set off mine.)
I’m curious, along these lines, do bunnies have a uvula? (that little flap of skin that hangs down in the back of our mouths next to our tonsils)

And now, if bunnies cough, can they cough out something they’ve gotten stuck in their windpipes? I have to admit, when it was brought up recently, I didn’t like the idea of maybe someday having to perform the bunny Heimlich. >.<

I don’t know! I even looked online…not much info I could find under five minutes. I have put it on my list of thiings to ask my vet if someone doesn’t answer it here.