Well Snuffles is not anything anyway – it’s just some catch all term for upper respiratory infection.

Are you looking for a vet where you are now? Otherwise I’m not real sure what you are asking :~)

Well, if it were me, I would continue my search for a good vet – perhaps you can call those vets to see if they know anyone who does see rabbits that they can refer you to.

If there’s no discharge from her eyes or nose (and her behavior/appetite is normal) then it may just be the norm for her. Some buns are going to be more sensitive to dust than others. If she’s on timothy hay, have you tried something that might be a little less dusty like orchard? You can also make sure to shake it out really good (probably outside) to get the loose bits out and just leave the longer strands. A high quality hay should have less dust anyways, but there will always be some as the product settles.

Even tho she’s a rex and shouldn’t shed a lot, brushing her often (couple times a week) will help to get the loose fur off of her.

Most rabbit safe litters are not going to be dusty, but you may also want to stay away from anything that has a very strong scent. Some of the litters are not scented with lavender to cover odor. Of course, you don’t want to use any corn cob, clumping or clay cat litters, and no wood shavings.

Definitely start calling around to the local vets and see who they recommend who sees rabbits.  If you are consistently getting the same name over and over again, I’d start there and call them and see how they are and what the credentials are for the practice.  You an also try exotic vets in the phonebook…

Well you need to realize that just because there is no discharge doesn’t mean that there is not an upper respiratory problem.

Certainly try all those suggestions that Beka suggested but it’s really best not to assume that there is not a medical problem that needs to be addressed by a vet.

My guy does this as well, he is going about his business and then just sits up and sneezes two or three times and then keeps going, I have had the vet look at him twice and both times they say it is nothing so maybe your little one is like mine just a sneezy one.

i just wanted to tell you that my bunny started sneezing soon after we got him. i took him to 2 different vets (that claimed to see rabbits) and both said he was fine. he didnt have a discharge, he played happily, eats food, poops and pees normally. when i found a vet that specialized rabbits she did xrays on him and we found that he had fluid in his chest and that his lungs and bronchial tubes were very inflamed and irritated. all the while you would never think he is sick. maybe your bunny isnt sick, but i would take it in to a rabbit vet to be sure. i think a sneeze here or there might be ok but i wouldnt chance it. rabbits try to hide that they are sick. i wish you and your bunny the best.

kim

It’s important to establish yourself with a local vet you trust, and this is a good opportunity to meet one or more of these new vets and see how you like them. He should be looked at for sneezing this frequently, since the causes of sneezes can vary quite a bit. Rosalie’s story is a perfect example of needing to find the right vet for a bunny. Don’t be too discouraged by the outside appearance of some of the vets you see. If the insides are clean, they may just not make much money, or be there for years, but are knowledgeable about exotics. Check the yellow pages and see who turns up. But he does need to be seen to be properly diagnosed and treated.

I have a Holland minilop who has been sneezing for a year. We are still trying to determine the cause, but in his case it may be a congenital condition, allergies or a virus called branhamella that he tested positive for. He doesn’t always look sick, so when he displays symptoms, I try to have him seen by his doctor.
Any change in health in a bunny should be looked at by a vet who is rabbit savvy, as the others have already stated. There is a way to search for a vet nearby you who has experience with exotics, here’s the link:
http://www.rabbit.org/vets

My Rucy used to go into sneezing fits, many times it was when she was munching on things like hay too, but Rucy had ongoing teeth issues which actually contributed to some of this. She would get tooth infections/root infection and it would drain and so she had some chronic symptoms of either runny eyes or light upper respiratory issues. (nothing that got serious as we kept on top of the source of her problem)

So as you can see the chronic sneezing could be anything from allergies to illness and so I double-triple ditto seeking out a rabbit-savvy vet so you can get this figured out.

Keep us updated.

Ditto, ditto & ditto. If you’re happy to post the general area where you now live, some members may be able to recommend a vet. In the meantime, you can assess her environment to see it she’s triggered by anything. What type of litter does she have? Do you use bedding in her cage? Type of hay? Some can be really dusty, so she may get it in her coat and when grooming it sets her off.
But as Kim mentioned – rabbits do try to hide when there sick so getting her checked out is important.

Self diagnosing-that it’s not snuffles doesn’t really work unless you went to school to be a vet

If you want to
a) stop the sneezing and
b) have a healthy rabbit

then she needs to see a vet

It is very important to find a rabbit savvy vet though soon so you are not having to pay double by having to get a second opinion if the first vet isn’t as experienced with rabbits and can’t offer the proper treatment. Good Luck and keep us updated.

The fact that your bunny’s paws are matted down with mucus means there is a real problem – it could be even tooth related. Bunnies are not overt at showing major problems until it is too late. I do hope your parents reconsider or this could mean something very serious down the road (not too far since you said that she is slightly more lethargic)

This is very sad, and unfortunately we have seen this a few times where this is not taken seriously enough by the guardians/adults who are ultimat responsible due to the age of their kids….and the rabbit suffers.

Is there ANY way you can “borrow” money and take your bunny to the vet? Or earn it somehow on your own?

I’m not sure what has to happen before your parents or grandfather realize that this could be something serious. By waiting to find out, what are they waiting for? It’s either that nothing happens and all is well, or….the worse happens. Is everyone really prepared for that?

I’m so sorry that you are stuck here, and I hope there will be a way to change it asap.

ETA:  Is your bunny eating and pooping normally? (if you are not sure, pay close attention over the next 2 days and respond) 

Did you put Lily in the cage that the other returned bunny was in?  Was the other bunny ill?

I am not sure if you should contact the breeder or not- it would not hurt to let them know- but then you would also have to tell them that you have not treated her at all and have no diagnosis or possible diagnosis. 

Poor Lily sounds like she really, really needs to see a vet- sneezing mucous, and becoming more lethargic are serious signs- and can be life threatening or fatal.  The sooner you can convince them to take her to the vet- the less serious the problem usually and usually the cheaper it is to treat. 

Lily may have already been ill while she was at the breeder’s. A rabbitry like that is a good place to acquire a sickness. Lily has to see a vet. She won’t get better on her own.

It sounds like you can talk to your grandpa and calmly let him know that you are responsible for a living being, Lily, and you consider her a first priority. I don’t know the financial situation, but you can call a vet to ask if they take payments in installments. Also, if there is something for yourself that they are considering buying for you, or having you do, that you are willing to give up, that would tell them how much it means to you. Often showing how responsible you are and how much you care (without fighting about it or getting too angry) can be effective in getting help.

I am sorry to say this but it can NOT wait six months! Is there ANY way you could find the money to take her? I think this is serious.
~CLb DJ and Jersey

 Oh…this is rough.  I am really torn here because i know this is not your fault. and I know things can happen in life, especially in the last year, that can make families go through real financial struggles.  So though I can say…”Parents, why do you get pets for your kids that you cannot afford to take to the vet!”  at the same time, I also know things change and hardships happen without warning that can put a family in a real bind.   

So what does that mean?  Does that mean that the animal companion just won’t get the vet care it needs?  I know some laws in some states will require vet care as part of of what is needed, but even if the laws don’t enforce that, what is the ethical thing for you and your family?  What are the solutions? 

I think you have enough time before it becomes an emergency to figure out a way to get this bunny to a vet to prevent further problems, but as far as six months…that’s risky.  So here are my suggestions. 

1.  Call your vet and tell them the situation and ask if they would consider a payment plan. IF they will, then talk to your parents about it.   Or ask your grandpa to call the vet  about a payment plan.  (But you might want to try the vet first — that would be one heartless vet to refuse a kid who is asking) 

2.  Why do you feel your  parents won’t allow you to make some money (or is it just about selling stuff – need clarification on that) .   They allow you to do chores and make money?  If they say yes, you can….what do you think you could do?  What is something you are good at? Some sort of crafty thing?  Could you make some $$ of that?  

3. Have your grandpa look into groups that  help people with vet care who are financially struggling..  It does take time filling out forms etc, but better to do that now, then wait until it’s an emergency.  Here are the resource options I have: 

                            Vet Care and Financial trouble?  Resources to help people who are in a bind:

–http://www.imom.org/ - An organization that helps people with vet bills

-Great HSUS tips on how to pay for vet bills when you are having financial troublel

-http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/…bills.htmlASPCA resource

With that said, I have also read back through your other posts, and wonder if some other things might be going.  You had said you mix baking soda with the litter.   (but that your bunny is on a grid, and doesn’t touch the litter? )   Either way though, take out the baking soda and see if that isn’t irritating your bunny.  

Also, what kind of litter are you using right now? How often do you change it? I’m not judging — it’s just some bunnies are more sensitive to the urine (high ammonia content) and you may have to change it more often. 

You said in another post that she was a picky eater… do you notice if she has any trouble eating?   How big are her poos?  I am just wondering if what is happening could be tooth related.

I know I have thrown a lot out there at you, but just take your time. 

ETA:  I’m glad she is coming out of her “shy” shell.  She obviously is trusting you.  (how long have you had her?)   Some times it just takes some bunnies longer.   

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

I found a one page article by Dana Krempel, who is highly respected here, that gives a detailed description of nose issues among other things to watch for. While she states a vet is needed most likely to administer anti-biotics, at least it will give you a clear basis of comparison of her symptoms. Also, if you print it out, you can save it in case she gets worse and you need to have your grandfather read it.

You can also call a vet privately yourself, tell them your concern and say that your family is in embarassed financial circumstances, so if they could suggest anyone who could help at a reduced fee, or payments, or even if there’s a local place that does free exams, that would be very helpful. Sometimes local people are the most knowledgeable in their own professional circle.

{{{{{{{{{{{healing vibes}}}}}}}}}

Whiteminirex – I hope your bunny pulls through, it’s hard when you are not the one in control of a situation that you see is bad. Unfortunately, this is a big part of growing up and may wind up a sad lesson for everyone involved.

I don’t know much about rabbits and their health issues, but if there is something I know about, it’s about having kids and a budget. Sacrifices must be made sometimes and priorities need to be upheld.

My rule is this: my kids don’t get pets, the family gets pets. Thankfully, I now have a good job which affords me the ability to get all our fuzzy friends the care they need. This wasn’t always the case and we’ve made some tough decisions in the past. I think we as animal lovers tend to focus on the well being of the animals and forget about family harmony sometimes. This is a luxury that not everyone can afford all the time, however, and let’s all try to keep from judging people who have gotten themselves in a tough situation with what was most likely the best intentions. 

I almost hate to say it, but if I were in this situation, I would look into rehoming your bunny to someone with resources to provide proper care, or surrender her to a rescue. The sneezing may be a minor thing, but the point is: She deserves the chance to be seen by a rabbit vet. It’s not humane to deny her medical attention, especially for something that could possibly be checked out and treated for less than $100. Also… what if something more serious happens? She could go into stasis, break a leg, develop an abscess, tumor, or cancer… if it were something life-threatening would your parents/guardians pay a few hundred dollars to have her humanely euthanized, or would she just be left to suffer until she passed?

I’m not saying that YOU don’t care and YOU don’t love her. What I’m saying is that you do not have the resources to provide her proper care at this point in your life. Please consider doing the right thing for her.

This is hard to think about, but I tend to agree with Beka. It is something between you and your bunny. If you believe that it could only get worse for her, as in a situation Beka described, then she might be better off in a new home where she can get immediate vet care. We can help you do that for her with resources of shelters and vets that might connect you with someone. What concerns me a lot is your grandfather’s increasing annoyance by her. I am afraid he is not treating her in a way that is responsible. Anyone cannot help sneezing, so to poke her to stop is just to poke her into a state of fear. She may be miserable, though she clearly knows you love her.

I don’t mean to upset you, but give it some thought. It may make life easier for you in this situation as well. And it won’t last much longer, so you can plan on getting yourself a bunny when you are in a better setting. If you can find a friend or school mate that you know would provide a good home (no one with a dog, by the way. She needs peace.) you might be able to visit her, too.

{{{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

(P.S. Binky Bunny members don’t have to have a bunny to chat in the forums. Spockie died before I found this website, and it was a lifesaver for me when I was so lonely for him. I got to know their bunnies, saw pictures, and it was almost a year before I finally was in my own home again and got Sammy. We will want you to stay with us no matter what you do!)

The thing with money tho, is even if finances are not an issue at this point, for some reason your bunny is not on his list of “priorities” (as you said). A person can be a millionaire, but if they don’t want to spend the money on a rabbit, they’re not going to. Many times frugal people DO have money, they just prefer not to spend it on non-essentials. What we think of as an “essential” may be different that what someone else thinks is important.

Binkybunny and others had good suggestions of different avenues you might explore, but beyond that, there isn’t a lot we can do or recommend. I’m not familiar with the situation, but is it possible for your mom to take the bunny?

I also agree with Beka…AND I know this cannot be easy. You are in a very difficult situation and it can be quite heartbreaking. I do feel for you and I’m sending out “strength and courage” vibes to deal with some tough choices you may find yourself making when trying to do the right thing.

It does sound like a priority issue for your family because as you have described, though there are some financial challenges, it sounds like that there are choices to spend on some non-essential things, yet vet care doesn’t even seem like a priority. So from the way you describe it, Lila’s vet care isn’t a priority or they are not taking her sneezing seriously. It sounds like you even have to hide calling a vet for estimates since you have to “sneak outside with the cellphone” to call.

And were you saying that they wouldn’t allow you to use your allowance? I mean yes it’s their money they are giving to you, but are you not able to save for vet care with it? I am not sure if I am clear on what you meant.

You did say your mom would not allow you to give away the rabbit, but what does she feel about the vet care for the rabbit? If she wants to keep the rabbit, then vet care is part of taking on that responsibility. If she just is in a financial bind right now, like many families are right now, then what? What are the choices for your bunny?

I think Beka’s question is an important one to consider… What would your family do if there was something wrong with your bunny that would cost several hundred dollars—and what would happen to your bunny then? If you know they wouldn’t or couldn’t pay for vet care, then what do you think would be best for your bunny? What solutions can you think of that would be in the best interest of Lily?

In the meantime, while you are working this out, I recommend that you stop using the corn cob litter as that can cause a blockage in your bunny if your bunny digests that litter. If you don’t like the paper smell, what about wood? Though pine shavings are not recommended as those too can be bad for bunnies, pine pellets are good. Feline Pine or even wood stove pellets can work too.

One last thought too – does your bunny sneeze at around the same time. Does anyone smoke in the house? Strong perfume or air spray? Though what your bunny is experiencing could be an increasing infection, I am just double-checking other possibilities as well.

Anyway you can switch litter to something else?  I would recommend wood stove pellets or horse stall pellets and they are very inexpensive.  I am not a fan of using baking soda in the litterbox for rabbits.  Inhaling baking soda would be irritating to her nasal passages and rabbits have furry feet and no paw pads unlike cats.  So a bunny goes into the litterbox if baking soda gets onto their feet they most likely might end up grooming it off and ingesting it and there is no need for that much extra sodium in their intake and the carbonation/possible fizzy effect is not desirable.  Cats got into the litterbox and the litter and baking soda or other additive should mainly fall off their feet since it is mostly the paw pads in contact with the litter.

Corn cob is one of the least absorbant and odor control litters- there are many more effective and the 2 listed above are very, very inexpensive.

How is she doing now?

I second that, how is she doing now?

Stormy broke his nail just as you described when the vet at Banfield was clipping him. They did EXACTLY what you did. No aftercare for me. He’s fine. I wouldn’t worry too much about the nail, so long as it heals properly. If it starts to show any sign of infection, then you should take him in.

Good to hear the sneezing slowed!

Just stop the bleeding with styptic powder, corn starch or flour.  Then do not worry about cleaning the mess of blood and powder off the toe for at least 1/2 hour if it is broken down to the nail bed.  Give it time to clot and stop bleeding before you worry about what the paw looks like (I know that is hard to do).

And keep her litterbox extra clean for the next couple of days to help avoid any infection.

Severe nail breaks like that can look nasty and bleed a lot- but just stay calm and keep packing powder (above listed) on the end of it until it stops bleeding.  I think it might be a bit sore and painful to the bunny for a few days- like if we had torn a nail and made it bleed- but it seems to get “tough” again within a couple of days and less painful.

If you cannot get the bleeding to stop- then you should see a vet.