How long before the onset of snuffles?

[Legacy]

Background: we bought a couple of rabbits a while back from a flea market. One of them developed signs of the snuffles, then the dog wound up killing her. About 6 weeks later one of the does we already had started sneezing and then died after about 2 days. She had 4week old kits at the time. They all seemed fine. I kept them separate for a while and they didn't seem sick so I put them in our regular cages.

I thought that was the end of it. That was 2 months ago. So today when I went out to take care of the rabbits, one of those kits had started showing signs of being sick. The whole route, sneezing, snot all the nose and paws, acting lethargic...

It's pretty obvious that the kit has it but here is the problem, the doe that was in the cage next to that kit was also sneezing. All she is doing is sneezing, no snot, no other symptoms. I have her quarantined. Just in case.

My good breeder buck was in the cage next to that doe. He wasn't next to the kit. I went ahead and separated him out from the herd too. But we really, really like him. We don't want to cull him unless we absolutely have to.

He isn't showing any signs of being sick. The only reason he might be sick is because he was in the cage next to a rabbit that might be sick because she was next one that was sick. Make sense?

So here is my real question: If he was exposed, how long would it take for me to know it? If he doesn't show any symptoms, how long will it be before I'm "in the clear"?

 

[MaggieJ]

Good questions. I don't have the answers, unfortunately, but I'll be waiting to learn about it when some members who have experience with snuffles chime in. I'm sorry you're going through this.

 

[ottersatin]

i WOULD QUARANTINE FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS,
After that keep a close eye for any sign of symptoms
Pasteurella can manifest as: Weepy eye, sore Hocks,
Abscess or any other infection.
That said: Perhaps the rabbit which shows no signs of illness has
an increased immunity/stronger Immune system.
These are the rabbits you want to build your herd with.
With continued diligence and culling in time you will develop
a strong disease resistant herd. As always, JMPO.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[DevonW]

Some rabbits can carry pasturella their entire lives without showing it, but they can give it to rabbits with weaker immune systems.

 

[ladysown]

and some rabbits can be exposed to it and simply don't come down with it. You just can't always tell. That's why breeding for health is so important.

If you cull out sick animals then you build a herd that's more able to withstand what they are exposed to. You can't eliminate everything, but you can certainly build toward having a stronger, healthier herd.

So keep him isolated for a good month, watch him closely, visit at odd times of the day since sneezing could happen when you aren't there. If you startle him sometime and he starts to sneeze be alert to that.

 

[Legacy]

Thanks, that helps a lot. I will keep a careful watch.

I only have one of the kits left from that doe that hasn't shown any signs or symptoms of being sick but she is in the "death row" cage with all my butcher babies because she is as mean as all get-out. She is only about 3 months old and one of the meanest little rabbits I have ever seen. We decided to cull her from the herd because of that.

As a matter of fact, they one that got sick today was also in the death row cage, so I emptied all my cages in that area, culled out the sick one, and quarantined the doe that was next to them, quarantined the buck that I was asking about and quarantined all of the butcher babies in different area. And disinfected all my cages. So now I have 4 different areas that I have rabbits just keep the iffy ones away from the main herd.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

As a matter of fact, they one that got sick today was also in the death row cage, so I emptied all my cages in that area, culled out the sick one, and quarantined the doe that was next to them, quarantined the buck that I was asking about and quarantined all of the butcher babies in different area. And disinfected all my cages. So now I have 4 different areas that I have rabbits just keep the iffy ones away from the main herd.

I hear you, we bought one from the feed store that ended up sick and now one of my does for sure, and maybe a second one , have come down with it. The kits are 3wks now and eating and drinking so I am going to wean them. I started with Amy last night because we went in there to check and as we were looking, she sneezed and a glob of stuff came out her nostril. She wiped it off quick but I checked her paws and there is matting there... I feel really bad because she is a great bun and a great mom. That leaves us only Padme (our third doe). Hubs is really attached to her because she has a great personality. Hard lesson to learn but, like you, I am glad to be learning it now when our herd is small...