What is wrong with my Angora Rabbit?

[Abi Davies]

I have a Male Angora Rabbit that is about 5 months old.

During the first week of November I noticed Coffee (my rabbit) seemed to be making more ‘noise’ than normal and then he had a bit of a runny nose on the right side.

I took him to the vet Saturday 6, November.

The vet gave me 10ml Enroxina (Baytril) to give to him for a few days and then she gave me Tiforine to give to him instead. [I find it hard to read her handwriting]

After just over a week on medicine (until Monday 15, November) and Coffee seeming to no longer have a runny nose, she recommended waiting a week without medicine to see if he was fine. But by Thursday 18, November he had a snotty/runny nose again.

Since then Coffee has had a sneezy, snotty nose and has been ‘noisier’ than normal (I also have a Female Angora Rabbit that I am basing ‘normal’ off of as I have never had a rabbit before, although I am keeping him out of reach from her so that she doesn’t become ill as well) For the most part the snotty nose has stayed to one side though on the odd occasion the snotty nose is also on the left side (rarely).

But apart from the ‘noise’ and the snotty nose he has been eating well and seems normally active.

There were a few times where he didn’t eat the cecotropes but they were only odd days.



Since he has been on medicine for quite a while I am (and my parents are) a bit concerned about him (not good to be on antibiotics for so long) and was wondering if there was anything else I could do for him, or any food I could give him that would help him get better.

 

[Ducklove74]

Have you researched snuffles in rabbits? There is much information. Did the vet happen to mention this? It's basically what they call runny nose, sneezing etc.. in rabbits and can be anything from mild case and chronic or severe infection from pasteurella or strep bacteria...if this is the case it is contagious and you need to keep your other bun away from him. I would also wash hands and take other precautions after contact with him before going to your other rabbit.

 

[EastNeukRabbits]

Just an idea but could there be a small piece of matter (hay, straw etc) stuck up his nose? Seems unlikely but it does happen and it would explain why 1.The medicine didn’t sort it and 2.It’s mainly affecting one side.

 

[hotzcatz]

Feed him unflavored oatmeal (Quaker Oats works fine) and see if he gets better in a few days. Replace about a third of his pellet intake with rolled oats for four or five days and see if the sniffles go away. Rabbits seem to get runny noses just like humans and there's something in the oatmeal which fixes it right up. I'm not a vet and don't even play one on TV, but it's worked for our rabbits around here.

 

[arachyd]

Is the noise coming from his nose or from lower down like his throat/chest area? If it's his nose then I'd assume something he sniffed got stuck in his sinuses. If it's his throat/chest area he's sick. Since he acts normal I wouldn't panic yet.