Snuffles?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 18sd replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 6 months ago by HoppyBinkies.

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- 09/01/2009 at 5:05 PM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  On the way home yesterday from me picking up Maddy, she sneezed a few times. By yesterday evening she began sneezing a LOT. By this morning, she was sneezing a lot, and had thick white discharge. I took her to the vet, and the vet said it appeared that she had an upper respiratory infection, or “snuffles”, and gave me 10 days of Baytril antibiotics for her. She’s around 2lbs, and she gets 10mg’s twice a day for 10 days.
  
  So my question is… is this bad? I heard it can be contagious to other rabbits, but she is an only rabbit. She sleeps in my room with me and one of my dogs. Is this contagious to my dog? Is it contagious to me? I’m so bummed out that my new bunny was sick before we even got home.
- 09/01/2009 at 7:17 PM
  MooBunnay
  Participant
  3087 posts
  From reading the bad conditions Maddy was in before you got her, I’m not very surprised that she caught something, bunnies are very sensitive animals. She is very lucky that you got her out of there in time to get her some treatment to make her feel better.
  
  When I first fostered a couple baby bunnies that lived in pretty bad conditions, they also had the same thing and would sneeze and sneeze for a long time. I felt so bad for them They were also put on Baytril and responded very well to it, and actually got 100% better. Is your bunny having trouble getting mucus all stuck around her nose? The rescue I worked with suggested running a wash cloth under hot water and then wringing it out, and holding it a couple inches from the bunny’s nose so that the steam coming off the washcloth could loosen the mucus and make it easier for your bun to groom it off. Also, wipe her nose from time to time to help her clear away all that mucus, just be very gentle, I used Puffs plus extra soft tissues to do that so that I wouldn’t irritate their nose.
  
  I wouldn’t expect her to get better right away, but I do think you’ll see an improvement very soon. As far as I know this wouldn’t be contagious to you or your dog, I don’t think there are many illnesses that can pass from a bunny to a dog or human, but you might want to keep her isolated from your dog until she feels better just in case he makes her nervous.
  
  It is really great that you rescued her because it is very important that this get treated quickly – she is a very lucky bunny!
- 09/01/2009 at 8:52 PM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  Thanks for the reply! She really doesn’t have any stuck around her nose, she’s done a pretty good job of keeping that area clean. I’ll definitely try the wash cloth/steam trick though.
  
  I’m a bit new when it comes to bunnies and respiratory tract problems. The only other experience I had was a rescue bunny that I took in that was suffering from a massive pseudomonas infection. It was in both eyes, his sinuses, and his lungs. He stayed in my room, slept by my bed, and was babied day and night for almost a year before passing away.
  
  Two questions:
  
  First, her Baytril is the 23mg tablets, and she gets a 1/2 tablet twice a day (to make it around 10mg’s). Tonight was her first dose. I tried crushing it and mixing it with her favorite treat — banana — and she refuses to take it, and essentially wasted the pill. Any tips for giving her the meds?
  
  Secondly, whether this URI is caused by a bacteria, pseudomonas, pasturella, or any other problem that causes the snuffles, does her cage need to be disinfected? If so, how often?
- 09/02/2009 at 5:08 AM
  Moonlight_Wolf
  Blocked
  1155 posts
  Aww I hope she gets better, A tip for feeding her the meds would be to put the pill inside a raisin, Ive heard success with that attempt.
- 09/02/2009 at 8:33 AM
  sgregory
  Participant
  203 posts
  what kind of baytril are you using? i heard baytril used to go well with bunnies but they switched the taste to liver. there are cherry flavored ones and those are easier to get them to eat.
- 09/02/2009 at 8:35 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I would ask your vet if they can compound the baytril for you. My vet always does this and it sure makes it easier.
- 09/02/2009 at 8:46 AM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  My vet said he’s not able to compound it. I think the pills she has are liver flavored, they’re the round 23mg chewable tablets. And she gets a 1/2 tablet twice a day. My vet told me I can crush it up and mix it with a little bit of water, and syringe it to her just like you’d do with a liquid medication. Or mix it with a little bit of grape pedialyte and syringe it to her. I mixed it with water this morning, she wasn’t too thrilled about it, but I was able to get it down her slowly. This evening, I’ll try mixing it with the grape pedialyte and see if she’ll take it a bit more willingly.
- 09/02/2009 at 9:24 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Oh yeah, she only has the yucky chewable ones. You know this also comes in an injectable form for shots and you might ask her if she has this form on hand and if you can use it orally (some medications you can) and that can be compounded or just given more easily orally in that form (may not taste any better but might be easier to administer).
- 09/02/2009 at 11:25 AM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  Sarita, my vet’s closed for the day (he closes at noon), but if she has any problems taking it tonight when I mix it with the grape pedialyte, I’ll call him in the morning and talk to him about it.
  
  Do you know guys know if her cage needs to be disinfected reguarly while she is sick?
  
  I bought a ton of NIC cubes and dow rods and other supplies, because I am going to build her a huge 3 story cage with an attached run. But I’ve held off on building it for now until she gets better, in case I have to disinfect the cage or anything. Way easier to disinfect a small cage, instead of a huge NIC one, LOL. But I’m not sure if that needs to be done at all, or not.
  
  Anyone know?
- 09/02/2009 at 11:37 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I don’t think that disinfecting it will hurt, but I don’t think it’s an actual necessity. I say just keep it clean as you would anyway – no need to disinfect daily. Alot of the problems she has will decrease now that she has a more stress free environment, better care and diet.
  
  She should not be contagious to you or your dog either. Really you are just treating her for an upper respiratory infection – snuffles isn’t really a condition, it’s just one of those catch all terms.
  
  Obviously if they baytril does not help her then you will want to do a culture and sensitivity test.
- 09/02/2009 at 5:40 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Ick – liver flavoured! Maybe if you can 1/4 the tablet and put each piece into a raisin? There’s lots of information on snuffles and rabbits. I’ve never come across recommendations to decontaminate cages but as Sarita said, a clean wouldn’t hurt. I’m guessing the bacteria responsible does not really live on dry surfaces? There’s a product called Virkon that is broad spectrum. Perhaps a good spray down with something like that and putting her condo out in the sun may help? The sun can be a good sanitiser. I ditto the culture test too – as you are aware, snuffles is not always caused by just one bug. Hopefully this round of baytril will knock out any nasties.
- 09/02/2009 at 6:57 PM
  shlbysmom
  Participant
  193 posts
  thats what my shelby is on for her eye infection and they gave me liquid which is still hard she fights me every time and i think she is mad and stressed about it cause she isnt acting the same or eating as much as normal but she is eating im jsut really worried about her and hoping its just the meds that r maken her so moody good luck with ur rabbit ihope he gets better poor thing
- 09/02/2009 at 9:16 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Ewww-liver flavor!!!
  
  I think the grape pedialyte should make it better. Apple sauce will work too Good stuff you took her to the vet right away
  
  Keep us posted!
- 09/02/2009 at 10:26 PM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  If you cannot get her to take the liver flavored tabs- you should see if your vet has the injectable/liquid that can be mixed with flavoring (sold thru most pharmacies) that is used to make up kids/baby meds.
  
  I think you will have a hard time getting her to eat it in a raisin- since once they get a taste of it- she will most likely not finish it- and bunnies have a good sense of smell, so I am not sure if you will be able to fool her or not.
- 09/03/2009 at 10:55 AM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  Thanks for the tips guys. Luckily, I mixed it with grape pedialyte last night and she took it just fine. I mixed it with the pedialyte this morning again and she actually sucked the syringe! She’s taking it way better with the grape pedialyte, so I’m going to continue that.
  
  She’s on Day 3 of the Baytril, and is already showing improvement. Her nose isn’t running nearly as badly, and her sneezing has decreased dramatically. I think it helps a lot that I caught this so early. She was only showing signs for a day before she was started on antibiotics immediately. So hopefully we can get this knocked out completely, and not have anymore problems.
- 09/03/2009 at 4:19 PM
  bunnytowne
  Participant
  7538 posts
  What I have done with Cotton is crush up the pills real fine there are pill crushers at the pharmacies to purchase. Then I would mix some pear juice from a can (yeah I know it was the only way I could get him to drink it) and he lapped it right up.,\
  
  I put about 2 or 3 tablespoons of juice Try 2 first and if it is still rejected add more til she laps it up.
- 09/05/2009 at 1:59 PM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  Sounds like the pedialyte trick worked. That’s great. Continued healing vibes!
- 09/08/2009 at 3:50 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Poor baby! Keep us posted on how she does. Do you go back to the vet for a follow-up after the meds are done?
- 09/09/2009 at 9:00 AM
  HoppyBinkies
  Participant
  22 posts
  Hey Beka, she’s completely better! The sneezing and runny nose are gone completely. We don’t have to go for a check-up visit, the vet said only come back in she didn’t get better on the Baytril, and he’d do a culture.
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