Bunny health care

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Rabbit Talk Forum

Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
C

cookie

Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2015
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Hi

I'm new to bunny pets. My bun is about 11 weeks. He is awesome.

Do bunnies need shots like puppies do?

I'm noticing a little crust on bunny's fur around his nose / nostrils. I can't tell if it's boogies or from his food or something from when he was sniffing around. Should I be concerned?

Thanks!
 
Bunnies do not need annual shots like dogs, at least you don't in the US. But it may be different were other people live though.

Do you have a picture? Discharge from the nose is usually a sign of a sick rabbit.
Are you sure its just not dried water? Is the crust colored? If it is green or yellow I would guess it is mucus.
 
Actually in some countries they do vaccinate rabbits against diseases not commonly found in North America - What country do you live in Cookie?

Respiratory infections ("snuffles", colds, pneumonia) are the number one killer of pet rabbits so you should be concerned

I would stop handling or playing with your rabbit and let him or her have plenty of undisturbed rest to fight off a possible infection

What sort of foods do you feed your rabbit?
 
How can you identify snuffles, Dood? I can't really find a good source on the internet.

If it is snuffles; 1 drop of lavender, lemon, thieves, or purification essential oil given per 1/4 gallon of water for a few weeks to a few months should do the trick to help them get on the road to recovery.
For colds; 1 drop of peppermint essential oil per 1/4 gallon of water should help them get better.
Thieves essential oil also helps strengthen the respiratory system. You can have them inhale it straight from the bottle for a few seconds, or put 1 drop of it per 1/4 gallon of water.

A picture would help a lot :)
I hope you figure out whats wrong!
 
PL you can't cure snuffles; rabbits do not get colds like humans and pasturella is able to be put into remission but never cured along with a bunch of other things unfortunately. There are only 2 I know of that can be cured respiratory illness wise; pneomona and bordetella (and I still question them personally). A nose swab and culture would have to be done to see exactly what dealing with; even though its pretty inexpensive these days most breeders/show people will not take the risk. I hope your bunny cookie has just picked up some dusty from running around or some dusty food and not ill :(

If you look on a lot of rescue/shelter/HRS sites, you will find common complaints of the "snuffles" problem or how to deal with a rabbit that has it. There are some that go so far as to suggest a baby bulb to suction noses to keep clean enough for them to breath...

Should of noted first that snuffles is a catch all term for all respiratory illnesses/sneezing/snotting in rabbits.
 
Rebel.Rose.Rabbitry":1jzaq70w said:
PL you can't cure snuffles; rabbits do not get colds like humans and pasturella is able to be put into remission but never cured along with a bunch of other things unfortunately. There are only 2 I know of that can be cured respiratory illness wise; pneomona and bordetella (and I still question them personally). A nose swab and culture would have to be done to see exactly what dealing with; even though its pretty inexpensive these days most breeders/show people will not take the risk. I hope your bunny cookie has just picked up some dusty from running around or some dusty food and not ill :(

If you look on a lot of rescue/shelter/HRS sites, you will find common complaints of the "snuffles" problem or how to deal with a rabbit that has it. There are some that go so far as to suggest a baby bulb to suction noses to keep clean enough for them to breath...

Should of noted first that snuffles is a catch all term for all respiratory illnesses/sneezing/snotting in rabbits.
Click to expand...
Can't you help it, though?
 
It can be treated to make symptoms go away, but that doesn't cure it. Symptoms can come back and then the problem of keeping it from infecting others. Not all strains are infectious per say but there's always a chance that whatever rabbit A is being treated and symptoms made disappear for a while could give it to rabbit C if a visitor went from one pet to the other and unknowingly carried it over....cloths, shoes, hands can for short periods be ways for it to be carried to another place. Again some of it depends on the strain but most can't survive but a few hours or 24 hours outside of a body, there are exceptions of course...but majority speaking.

I know some of the others know more, I know more from the err caution and what reading/saw.
 
Petlover500":2v32vxtx said:
Can't you help it, though?
Click to expand...

Pasturella terrifies me. I think of it as a wildfire .... If I even think a rabbit sneezed or appears to have mucus .... it goes straight to quarantine.

You might be able to save the individual rabbit but from the point of infection it is a permanent carrier and a threat to any other rabbit it comes in contact with.

It would be highly unethical to transfer (sell/trade/give) a rabbit who you had "cured" (or any rabbits who had been in contact with the infected) for breeding , show or even as a pet as any rabbit it comes into contact with is at a very high risk of infection.

Pasturella can even be transferred by your hands or clothes as it can survive away from the host up to ~24 hours.
If you have a sick rabbit , wash thoroughly , care for all other rabbits first and save that ill one for last ... don't have those contaminated clothes come into contact with the healthy critters.

If I had one rabbit as a pet , I would likely attempt to cure it .... but anyone who has rabbits on a breeding scale has to be prepared for the worst.
 
:yeahthat:

This is one of the reasons why most consider quarantine a must. Wildfire is an apt metaphor- we have members who have lost their entire herd to pasturella.

Cookie, I hope your bun is fine.
 
Thanks for the replies but oh my! I hope it's not boogies. It is dark green and I wonder if it is from his pellets. It is less today that the other day- maybe he cleaned it off? His behavior seems ok; he seems active and Is Eating and drinking. We only have one bunny so I'm not worried about anything spreading.

Here is a pic - had trouble; he didn't want to pose. So it's hard to see
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    174.3 KB · Views: 4,064
Rabbits will wipe their nose with the thumb area of their front paws and if it is snot it tends to mat the fur up, do the insides of his front paws look matted?
 
Hi, paws are not matted. That's good, right? I picked off the crusty stuff and it hasn't come back. Maybe just schmutz? :)
 
That is a good sign :)

It might just be a irritated nose or it might be a very early infection so I would still give him a lot of rest and keep a very close eye on his eyes, nose and front paws for any crusties over the next few weeks
 
Will do! Do you think a vet visit is in order? Baby bunny check up and to make certain he's ok?

Thanks,
Felicia
 
I wouldn't

In my humble opinion it's not necessary as he isn't obviously ill and travelling in a car and going into a hospital full of predatory animals and strange smells and sounds can be extremely stressful on a rabbit
 
I wouldn't take him to the vet either .... Most vets have little clue how to diagnose or treat rabbits , they'll just give you a fat bill.

Make sure he stays well hydrated. Watch carefully for any changes in eating , drinking and activity.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top