Kits Keep Dying With Their Nostrils Looking Like This...

[wildeden]

I have a litter of meat rabbits have dropped like flies. Each and everyone has died with dark stuff around their nostrils. Upon closer inspection, it's almost like they've had snot clogging them and it seems like maybe they're suffocating???

Anyone ever see this before? Any ideas as to why?
Last night I took some warm compressing and tried to soften and remove the blockage from a couple of kits but they still died by this morning.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have had kits with crust on their noses similar to that (maybe not quite as dark in color) but it always resolves itself. I assumed it was milk that collected dust and they just weren't good enough at cleaning their faces at that age because as they got older it just went away.

From what I can see of their bodies they look to be of pretty good weight- not too thin, but not fat either. Are there any other signs or symptoms?

The only thing I can think of if their dying is related to the crustiness is that the bedding in the nest is too dusty and they are developing pneumonia as a result. :? Sometimes shavings have a lot of fine particles, and hay may have mold or dust.

Maybe you should switch out their bedding to shredded paper. I prefer brown paper because I think it is softer and more absorbent than bleached paper, but anything will do at this point. I use a document shredder to make mine.

 

[wildeden]

yeah! I've had litters before with some dusting around their noses but it had never been an issue before. I will certainly try replacing the nestbox materials. Thanks for the insight on pneumonia being a possibility. I hadn't thought of that. These guys have all been big and healthy, too. The doe is a very good mother to them.

 

[Dood]

In the photo it looks like the inside of their front legs is discoloured so I suspect they are dying from a respiratory infection like pasturella or bordatella :shrug:

A necropsy and careful inspection of their lungs might help.

 

[Peach]

Last summer was VERY wet and soggy and I literally had to cull 2-3 litter completely because something similar happened. They were healthy the first few days, but then I started noticing, the hay was soaking up ALL the moisture and was molding.... thus getting into their nasal cavity/lungs. I tested another litter without shavings, and they were fine. Cleaned the nesting boxes, rebred the does, and had them born in just shavings and hair...no issues whatsoever.

I think I have a lot of problems come from hay and our climate, so it is something to consider. I just feed it during the winter every now and then. Mostly just for nesting during the cold months.

 

[wildeden]

Last summer was VERY wet and soggy and I literally had to cull 2-3 litter completely because something similar happened. They were healthy the first few days, but then I started noticing, the hay was soaking up ALL the moisture and was molding.... thus getting into their nasal cavity/lungs.

I believe this to be my issue as well! I am planning on removing the offending hay and just rebreed today. I lost some previous litters once they were older as well and I believe it was probably due to mold exposure. My winter litters had been totally fine!

 

[grumpy]

What's their "other" end look like??

Do they feel "gassy", sit around hunched up, fuzzed up. Not wanting to move
very much. Keeping away from the other rabbits.

If you listen carefully, can you hear them grinding their teeth?

grumpy.

 

[wildeden]

What's their "other" end look like??

Do they feel "gassy", sit around hunched up, fuzzed up. Not wanting to move
very much. Keeping away from the other rabbits.

If you listen carefully, can you hear them grinding their teeth?

grumpy.

This time they're not gassy or hunched up. No grinding. They're just wriggling, fully fed, and then dead the next time I see them. Last I saw, gasping for air like a fish. I just checked on my last few tonight and they're not making it

 

[grumpy]

What's their "other" end look like??

Do they feel "gassy", sit around hunched up, fuzzed up. Not wanting to move
very much. Keeping away from the other rabbits.

If you listen carefully, can you hear them grinding their teeth?

grumpy.

This time they're not gassy or hunched up. No grinding. They're just wriggling, fully fed, and then dead the next time I see them. Last I saw, gasping for air like a fish. I just checked on my last few tonight and they're not making it

Do they sit quietly with their head tilted upwards? I had one like that and lost
it yesterday evening.

 

[wildeden]

What's their "other" end look like??

Do they feel "gassy", sit around hunched up, fuzzed up. Not wanting to move
very much. Keeping away from the other rabbits.

If you listen carefully, can you hear them grinding their teeth?

grumpy.

This time they're not gassy or hunched up. No grinding. They're just wriggling, fully fed, and then dead the next time I see them. Last I saw, gasping for air like a fish. I just checked on my last few tonight and they're not making it

Do they sit quietly with their head tilted upwards? I had one like that and lost
it yesterday evening.

A few have like that, yes

 

[Prisma]

For a while I was using fine shavings last time I had babies, lost several and decided to open one up to see if could find any thing even though they were so young. The shavings had literally clogged the nasal and throat Since I used large shavings this time around, no issues. I'm still looking at using some thing else though, as there still quite a bit of small flakes in large flake shavings that worries me.

 

[wildeden]

Follow Up
It seems like I came down to having dusty hay...for me. By the time I changed it for the original litter it was too late. However, my recent litters since then have had no problems like that since I removed the offending hay.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm very sorry that you lost the litter... but at least it was "only" dust that killed them, and not something more sinister.

I think I have a lot of problems come from hay and our climate, so it is something to consider.

Excellent information to have, Peach! Once again, knowing the general location of each of our members will help us all to tailor our advice to their situation.

For a while I was using fine shavings last time I had babies, lost several and decided to open one up to see if could find any thing even though they were so young. The shavings had literally clogged the nasal and throat Since I used large shavings this time around, no issues. I'm still looking at using some thing else though, as there still quite a bit of small flakes in large flake shavings that worries me.

Kudos to you for doing a necropsy on a kit. That couldn't have been an easy thing to do.

I have recently found a source (two, actually) of shavings that are very light and fluffy- I think they must be the "sawdust" from a planer- and they are vacuum cleaned before bagging so not dusty at all. One is a bit nicer than the other, but costs twice as much. However, I think that paying more for a safe nesting material is likely worth it both economically and emotionally in the long run.

 

[Featherhoof]

Looks like a respiratory fungal infection. Moldy hay or shavings can do this. This can happen to people as well. Aspergillus fumigatus is a frequent offender.

 

[ckcs]

Sorry for your loss. Not to rule out respiratory issue or dust but I had a recent litter were the kits noses looked just like that. I used shredded paper for nestbox, they were inside our house and no hay was fed to doe during this time. It cleared itself up and babies all did fine. I even have one that is around 10 weeks old now that we may keep. My daughter may have helped clean it up too as she likes to pick things like that out of the rabbits especially eye buggers as she calls the sleep like stuff that is sometimes in the corner of the adults. We joked that the doe squeezed their noses to get buggers out.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

I know this is a very old post, but is there any remedy if there is mold contamination? Bleach? I have very dusty hay, and have noticed black in the nostrils of the kits. I don't think there is any problem (yet) but I am going out to sift the hay and get rid of the dust right now! - Thanks for any help & info!

 

[ladysown]

not that I know of. can you use anything other than the dusty hay?

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

I have sifted the hay. I don't think it's too bad. It's grass hay I cut myself. How old were the kits when they died, do you know? Mine are 10 days and eyes beginning to open, so I'm thinking they've survived. I have no idea if my other kits have ever had black nostrils because I never disturb them when they are this small. This time, because it's so hot, they are right on top of the hay, which is a lot more fun for me LOL