Not sure about vet’s diagnosis

[Emmie]

I took my bun Thane to the vet to ask about his constant sneezing. I figure it’s allergies anyway. Plus his rectum is also sore again. So I take him in, she says he’s not got snuffles thank God. He was given a steroid. But he does have allergies and told me he needs to be an outdoor bun ideally. He’s not had his vaccines so I’m reluctant to do that. His rectum is also apparently an allergic reaction. My usual vet wasn’t available.

No blood tests and no cultures done. Should I be annoyed?

[TH004]

If you are ever unsure, get a second opinion. I had a really sick buns once and 4 docs misdiagnosed her with an eye problem. It turned out (5th doctor) that she was bit by a poisonous spider, right below her eye, which was making her face rot and fall out. (She got better on the meds, and had a cool scar showing how tough she was)

Couldn’t the vet give your buns allergy meds? What about having a small room air purifier near the buns (I have one, because I’m allergic to hay– they are pretty cheap)? If you are in an area where rabbits need vaccines, I can’t imagine taking him outdoors without it. I also can’t imagine a rabbit being healthier outside. There would be so many more things to flare up allergies there.

[Emmie]

Yeah, I’ll certainly try getting an air purifier for him, anything that might help! Just a steroid for him. 50e down the drain! I have to bring him back in two weeks, I’ll ask for my usual vet!

[TH004]

Make sure it has a HEPA air filter– those get more stuff out of the air.

I hate wasting money at the vet too! Hopefully, your usual vet can be more helpful! Good luck!

[Emmie]

Thank you!

[Beka27]

Yeah, that doesn’t sound right to me. Do you go to a vet clinic or something? Why did you see a vet that isn’t your usual vet?

[RabbitPam]

Hi,
I would run, not walk, to a second appointment with your regular vet and get him checked all over again. Unless they are in the same practice, in which case I would find a different vet altogether. I am not trying to be over-dramatic, but a vet that advises that a rabbit is better off outside is shortening his life expectancy right off the bat. If it’s allergens in your house, then you can try to identify them. Snuffles is a catch-all term and not a medical condition at all, and no good vet would call it that. If you need help locating a new vet, go to the top of this page and click the blue type saying VET RESOURCES. You want a specialist in rabbits and they usually call themselves Exotics. If you got him shots, then I assume you’re in another country than the US, so it may be harder to find a rabbit savvy vet. But this is a very odd diagnosis and I think you are not in very good hands. Get another opinion.

[jerseygirl]

I’ve heard of a rabbit being allergic to the carpet before. Does Thane spend any time on carpet?

What about in his habitat? Do you use any wood or paper product for litter or bedding?

I hope you can sort out once and for all what’s going on with him. (((vibes)))

[Sarita]

FIrst of all, giving a rabbit steroids is never ever a good idea as the first defense against anything – they are very sensitive to steroids and it is the last thing a rabbit experienced vet would ever use on a rabbit.

I really cannot imagine a rabbit being allergic to carpet – they can certainly have sensitivities as with any other animal or human. I can imagine they might have seasonal allergies like we do too.

But really how can you be sure it’s allergies? Probably the vet says that because they have no other ideas. As for snuffles, as Rabbitpam mentions that is just a catch all term for an upper respiratory infection and usually refers to pasturella but how can a vet just tell my looking that your rabbit even has pasturella and if they do, it’s very treatable and you would need to do a culture and sensitivity test to determine that and in my experience it’s rarely pasturella anyway.

I would want another opinion as well.

[Beka27]

I took the “allergic to carpet” comment to mean dust mites and the like. Not the carpet itself, but rather allergens that may be present IN the carpet. Lol, although I read it thru quickly, so maybe I misread.

[Emmie]

Thanks guys. Yeah, my usual vet wasn’t free. The usual lady I see is famous in Ireland for being magic with buns. I noticed his sneezing worse with this rug I put down for him, so I’ve removed that to see if it helps. I think I’ve been overfeeding on pellets too, so I’ll cut back and encourage hay. I think he might be sore in the butt area due to lack of hay. He’s got loads available, he just prefers his pellets lol.

Thanks guys, I agree that she didn’t really know. I’m annoyed such a renouned vet office would let me see her instead of the usual bun vets they have there, both of whom have been excellent in the past.

[LBJ10]

I agree with Sarita on the steroids. My vet only gave them as a last resort for Wooly (before offering surgery). His situation was different though. His third eyelid was inflamed and nothing was making the swelling go down. It sounds odd that your vet would give steroids for allergies without exhausting other solutions.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I ditto that snuffles is a catch-all-term. I would have a second vet do a culture. To just say sneezing is allergies with no culture is brushing the problem to the side, IMO.

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