I just thought I would make a quick post about my Pasteurella experience. I bought a new bunny from a well known breeder (in New Zealand) and the bunny arrived and it was making adorable honky squeaky noises whenever it exerted itself- like if it ate or when you picked it up, I didn't think it was sick. 3 days later I noticed it sneezed, like 10 times in a row, and thought it must have snorted up a piece of hay in its nose, checked it out and I didn't see anything so I forgot about it. After that, 3 days later my bunny, now named Daisy, was sneezing again. So I typed "my bunny is sneezing" into google and found all the alarming posts online about Snuffles and Pasteurella, which said basically its not curable, it will spread to all your other rabbits, and they will all die, cull etc... so I was pretty upset. I checked Daisy's nose and there was white snot and fur on inside of paws was caked, so definitely snuffles.
So, I took Daisy to my regular vet who gave me tetracycline, 3 days after the tetracycline Daisy stopped sneezing and seemed to be getting better, so I thought maybe he will be OK— but no, 13 days after the tetracycline Daisy started sneezing again.
So, I went onto a New Zealand rabbit forum and asked the breeders there for the name of a "rabbit savvy" vet- and found a vet that specialized in rabbits. I took Daisy to that Vet and she prescribed Zithromax- Azithromycin. After 4 days on Azithromycin it seemed to clear it up-but continued the treatment for months. I started giving Daisy Azithromycin November 12 and its now January 9 so he has been well for the last 8 weeks and he has been on the Azithromycin the whole time. He comes off the Azithromycin in 3 days. I will post again in a few months and give an update so people can find out if this Azithromycin did the trick.
So, I took Daisy to my regular vet who gave me tetracycline, 3 days after the tetracycline Daisy stopped sneezing and seemed to be getting better, so I thought maybe he will be OK— but no, 13 days after the tetracycline Daisy started sneezing again.
So, I went onto a New Zealand rabbit forum and asked the breeders there for the name of a "rabbit savvy" vet- and found a vet that specialized in rabbits. I took Daisy to that Vet and she prescribed Zithromax- Azithromycin. After 4 days on Azithromycin it seemed to clear it up-but continued the treatment for months. I started giving Daisy Azithromycin November 12 and its now January 9 so he has been well for the last 8 weeks and he has been on the Azithromycin the whole time. He comes off the Azithromycin in 3 days. I will post again in a few months and give an update so people can find out if this Azithromycin did the trick.