Newer Bun also has occasional sneezing (udate)

[user 3309]

Got a NZW Doe that's reported to be 8 months from the breeder.
When the breeder presented to with the doe; she appears to a little small closer to a mini rex size..could be the runt of the litter.
Bought the doe home and to an isolation cage for observation.

The doe had a voracious appetite and devoured anything that's edible in her cage or bowl.
Later that day when I went to check up on her, I heard a sneeze and watch her attempt to rub her nose.
The discharge is a clear mucous has strange coloring. Breathing sounds normal and she is pretty energetic in her cage.
Her droppings are formed, appear a little smooth and no signs of diarrhea.

Is this an early sign of the dreaded P-word? I Googled "Rabbit Sneezing" and first result is the Miami's University's page.
So far this is Day 2, preventing or treatment suggestions?

 

[katiebear]

If discharge is thin and clear it could just be an allergy...Maybe dust or mold?is there any matting on her forelegs? was it a lot or just a little?..
I wouldn't freak out over an occasional sneeze. I have had buns born in my rabibitry that would sneeze every once and a while...if there was any smoke in the air it got worse. I processed the sneezer with almost all of his litter mates and no problems on the inside....
Keep her in quarantine for the 30 days and watch....I would still take all the normal precautions though..Feed her last. clean her cage last. Don't let anything she uses come into contact with anybunny.And wash your hands before handling her or anybunny else.

 

[user 3309]

Thanks Katie!
No matting on the forelegs, they appear to be dry and dark from the dirt though.
Managed to snap a couple of pictures when I held her today. All blurry!

 

[Miss M]

Our original doe was a sneezer, and some of her kits and grand-kits have been sneezers. Little to no discharge, no other symptoms. It was nerve-wracking, but I finally came to terms (more or less) with the fact that I had sneezers.

I have a couple of does from that mutt line, but they don't sneeze. Sometimes, some kits will. I have saved the last doe from this line. When these two are gone, that'll be it. I will purchase a replacement (these are the does that produce pretty colors for me).

Watch carefully, and follow good quarantine protocol. If she starts blowing white or green snot, starts rattling as she breathes, or develops matting on the insides of her front legs, you need to cull her. The "matting" is actually just accumulated dried snot. The fur gets spiky looking.

 

[Schipperkesue]

Miss M, My sure sign of trouble is the matting of which you speak. Often I find the rabbits may be secretive with their sneezing and when you have 18 in hutches and one sneezes behind your back it is nearly impossible to say who sneezed. I turn around and they all have this innocent look! That is when I start checking paws.

One kind of sneeze I never worry about is when I am giving fresh water. They dunk their faces in excitedly and come up sneezing out the water!

 

[user 3309]

Bad news...
I should of change the title to Frequent, but she's still bubbly and is constantly sneezing.
Binkys in her cage and uses her corner litter pan too!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Bad news...
I should of change the title to Frequent, but she's still bubbly and is constantly sneezing.
Binkys in her cage and uses her corner litter pan too!

Bubbly meaning snot?

 

[katiebear]

Wabbitjack, I know this sounds kind of gross but can you post pictures? both the bun and the snot.
I don't know if you can get some on your hand or something ..Just so we can judge viscosity and color.
Also the buns face and forelegs would be good.
If she is sneezing alot and blowing snot...you do indeed have a problem..

 

[user 3309]

OneAceFarm, I meant that she's lively and very active. Jumping around her cage and eating, I'll get snap more pictures in the morning Katie.

 

[Schipperkesue]

Looks like only her right side is affected. is there crusting on the inside of the right paw?

 

[user 3309]

Sorry for the late reply, big snowstorm made things a difficult..her right paw has no visible crusting.
For extra precautions, I went ahead of culled her and did not do an autopsy to spread possible infection.

Hoping it's just moisture from the weather or plain mucous.

 

[Zass]

Wabbitjack, culling my first sneezing rabbit was really hard.
I know you also really care about your bunnies, so it couldn't have been easy on you either.

Undoubtedly, without knowing the cause, the choice you made was the safest one for the rest of your herd.
I have been through a scenario where my entire herd became infected before I even know what I was dealing with. It's not something I would wish on anyone.

You can count up all the bunnies you have that didn't get infected as "lives saved".

 

[user 3309]

Thanks Zass, I'll have a more remote location for the isolation period for new bunnies from unknown sellers/breeders. That way I can keep all the water bottles and bowls in that cage without the risk of spreading diseases.

 

[JenerationX]

Sorry about the bun, but better one than all of them for sure.

 

[katiebear]

So sorry that you had to do this But it is better safe than sorry. You made the hard call and we all support you in that.As was stated before you have saved the rest of your heard from possible infection.
And that is what quarantine is for. :encourage: It's funny that we can harvest our buns for the freezer but to cull for any other reason hurts...I guess we are a strange bunch. :bananadance:

 

[user 3309]

I went back to my reputable/usual NZ breeder and brought an extra large 8 month Blue NZ doe and a 4 month normal sized NZW doe. I cleaned the cages where the sickly nzw doe was, used bleached soaked towels and the lysol spray on the cages and crocs.

The blue doe was placed in the cleaned out isolation cage and then put back in the wooden hutch.
No sneezing, eats pretty well, no visible stains on nose.

The NZW doe sneezes once in a blue moon, but I caught her rubbing her nose! Her paw clearing out each nostril but appears normal. Her cage was also used by the previous sickly doe, but I wiped it down with sanitizing wipes and immersed the bottom of the cage with bleach water.

Maybe it's the cage setup? I have the cage right on top of liner with pine pellets and shavings.
My other buns are still in great health. *knocks on wood*

 

[EnglishSpot]

She nose might be irritated from leftover bleach and Lysol fumes since their olfactories are outstanding. Keep an eye peeled on her tho.

 

[user 3309]

Thanks, forgot to mentioned that I washed the cage after the sanitation process too. <br /><br /> -- Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:49 am -- <br /><br /> Update on the new doe, 9 days left of the quarantine and she did not sneeze again.

These pictures were taken right after I noticed the first onset of sneezing, my REW Rex buck does not have wet nose like her.

It looks like she may gotten her nose wet from the water croc or runny nose from the cold weather or irritants.
Her front paws are pretty clean as well and no unusual behaviors or tell-tale signs of sickness.

 

[Susie570]

I hate to say it, but that looks like yellow mucous to me. Nicht gut. I could be wrong, but I would say that breeder has a rampant P infection in his herd. I would match straight back and demand a refund.

Edit: you said those pics were taken right after you got her and she hasn't sneezed since? Is her nose clean now? Get other's opinions in that case because I'm not sure.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I hate to say it, but that looks like yellow mucous to me.

It is.

You could breed her and see what the stress does to her, keeping her and the litter quarantined the entire time... but the only way I would risk doing that is if you have a buck that is considered "disposable". Ideally an older growout that you can butcher right after he breeds her.

Personally- I would cull her. I have too many rabbits that would be at risk.

Sorry about your run of bad luck.