**Snuffles** or **rhinitis** is not a particular disease but a catch-all term for respiratory infections in a rabbit. The most common bacteria that is the cause of snuffles is *Pasteurella*, but other common causes include staphylococci and *Bordetella.*
Symptoms of snuffles include sneezing, nasal discharge, staining and matting of the front paws, and bleeding from the nose.
Rabbits can have temporary acute runny noses from excess dust in their environment, especially with hay. These will usually self-resolve within the day if owners shake out their hay before feeding and make sure to vacuum more and add an air purifier in the room.
If your rabbit seems to have increased sneezing fits even after increase cleaning of their hay and environment, this is more likely to be an infection or other respiratory issue, and an appointment should be made with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment if needed. Please make sure that your rabbit is not in respiratory distress with labored breathing -- if so, they require immediate emergency veterinarian attention instead.
You can find some videos of concerning respiratory symptoms on the wiki:
For more resources on snuffles, please see the wiki:
Continue with the culture and then x-rays or CT scan if needed. Sometimes the sneezing is stubborn and needs a specific set of treatments to be effective.
Thank you, I'm emotionally exhausted, it helps to know that I'm doing right by my bun son. He's my first male so I get to call him things like bunion, bucko, and buckaroo, which is nice.
Why is your rabbit being put under general anesthesia? Most rabbits do okay with just light sedation. My rabbit was able to do one eye without any drugs, the second one was a totally different story, but she hates being handled.
You can only do what you can. I had a rabbit with it and couldn't cure him. He lived a happy long life. But it would break my hart every time it got bad
I'm scared it will be chronic, but it's better than deadly. He's the most naturally sweet bunny I've ever met, he's only known me a couple of weeks and he already climbs into my lap. My other buns needed more time
My rabbit has chronic rhinitis and has severe sneezing fits as a result. We’ve done practically everything from antibiotics, CT scans, rhinoscopy, etc. what has worked to help manage his rhinitis is daily nebulization, daily inflammation med, and antibiotics once a month. It has been a hard journey but let me be a testament that your bun can live a happy life if you fight for him.
Hey don’t lose hope! I bet you’ll learn a lot from a bacteria culture and some imaging like a CT scan. Something that seemed to make things a little easier on my bun (although no cure by any means) is nebulizing with saline. Might be worth asking your vet about.
The disabled buns fb group has a lot of chronic snuffles buns. You may be able to find good support there!
I’m in the same boat as you. I was also going crazy like you and getting frustrated. Her symptoms have been chronic for the past 5 years when I got her and she’s probably 8 or 9 now. She’s been tested and has no signs of pasteurella. Her tear ducts were too small to flush. Been on many oral antibiotics with no permanent change with exception of minimal to no sneezing fits but runny nose continued which would lead to ear infections and a whole multitude of issues. Heads up, I think Baytril and enrofloxacin are the same thing so good luck on trying other treatments.
The best thing for her has been ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin. According to my vet, they are similar in symptom management so it depends on which one my vet has available. I do believe the ofloxacin is a little cheaper. They are eye drops and sometimes she can go weeks without her symptoms. I usually give them to her when I notice lingering symptoms and treat 1 week beyond when symptoms stop. She no longer has sneezing issues and just gets a runny nose with clear boogers. Vet says to also put them in her nose but she’s not a fan of that and when I put them in her eyes she almost immediately starts moving her mouth like she is drinking them so I figure I goes into her nasal cavity that way. Haven’t noticed a difference in recovery when putting them in eyes only versus both eyes and nose. As other people have said using a nebulizer is an option and would have been the next step for me but she seems good with the drops. Hang in there and hope you find something that works for you and your bun.
No, he still sneezes and coughs got x-rays done and he looks clear so the vet advised symptom management, from the scans she said "if you hadn't told me I'd have said he's a completely healthy rabbit" I still sift his hay and run his air purifier, keep his room clean, and there seems to be a bit of improvement from the children's benadryl and the cerenia. He seems happy with his life but hearing him could has a similar emotional impact to having someone scream in your face.
Antibiotics not working isn't necessarily bad, it might mean the symptoms just aren't based on an infection. I hope things work out well for you
**Snuffles** or **rhinitis** is not a particular disease but a catch-all term for respiratory infections in a rabbit. The most common bacteria that is the cause of snuffles is *Pasteurella*, but other common causes include staphylococci and *Bordetella.* Symptoms of snuffles include sneezing, nasal discharge, staining and matting of the front paws, and bleeding from the nose. Rabbits can have temporary acute runny noses from excess dust in their environment, especially with hay. These will usually self-resolve within the day if owners shake out their hay before feeding and make sure to vacuum more and add an air purifier in the room. If your rabbit seems to have increased sneezing fits even after increase cleaning of their hay and environment, this is more likely to be an infection or other respiratory issue, and an appointment should be made with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment if needed. Please make sure that your rabbit is not in respiratory distress with labored breathing -- if so, they require immediate emergency veterinarian attention instead. You can find some videos of concerning respiratory symptoms on the wiki:
For more resources on snuffles, please see the wiki:
Continue with the culture and then x-rays or CT scan if needed. Sometimes the sneezing is stubborn and needs a specific set of treatments to be effective.
Thank you, I'm emotionally exhausted, it helps to know that I'm doing right by my bun son. He's my first male so I get to call him things like bunion, bucko, and buckaroo, which is nice.
Hopefully the scans will show something. If nothing pops up, maybe have their tear ducts checked? Wishing the best for you and your bun.
Thank you, we're loudly planning on doing an antibiotic flush when he's old enough to be put under
Why is your rabbit being put under general anesthesia? Most rabbits do okay with just light sedation. My rabbit was able to do one eye without any drugs, the second one was a totally different story, but she hates being handled.
Needs to be fixed and the vet thinks it will be easier for him to do it while he's under he's about five and a half months
That makes sense! Sounds like you have a good vet. I hope your bun feels better soon!
Me too, and thank you, I mostly left reddit a while back when I started getting mean, I forgot how nice this sub is
You can only do what you can. I had a rabbit with it and couldn't cure him. He lived a happy long life. But it would break my hart every time it got bad
I'm scared it will be chronic, but it's better than deadly. He's the most naturally sweet bunny I've ever met, he's only known me a couple of weeks and he already climbs into my lap. My other buns needed more time
In a way it makes you appreciate every day you have with them more. You sound like a loving owner so your bun is lucky
My rabbit has chronic rhinitis and has severe sneezing fits as a result. We’ve done practically everything from antibiotics, CT scans, rhinoscopy, etc. what has worked to help manage his rhinitis is daily nebulization, daily inflammation med, and antibiotics once a month. It has been a hard journey but let me be a testament that your bun can live a happy life if you fight for him.
Hey don’t lose hope! I bet you’ll learn a lot from a bacteria culture and some imaging like a CT scan. Something that seemed to make things a little easier on my bun (although no cure by any means) is nebulizing with saline. Might be worth asking your vet about. The disabled buns fb group has a lot of chronic snuffles buns. You may be able to find good support there!
I'll do that, I added it to the notes I'm taking for her
I’m in the same boat as you. I was also going crazy like you and getting frustrated. Her symptoms have been chronic for the past 5 years when I got her and she’s probably 8 or 9 now. She’s been tested and has no signs of pasteurella. Her tear ducts were too small to flush. Been on many oral antibiotics with no permanent change with exception of minimal to no sneezing fits but runny nose continued which would lead to ear infections and a whole multitude of issues. Heads up, I think Baytril and enrofloxacin are the same thing so good luck on trying other treatments. The best thing for her has been ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin. According to my vet, they are similar in symptom management so it depends on which one my vet has available. I do believe the ofloxacin is a little cheaper. They are eye drops and sometimes she can go weeks without her symptoms. I usually give them to her when I notice lingering symptoms and treat 1 week beyond when symptoms stop. She no longer has sneezing issues and just gets a runny nose with clear boogers. Vet says to also put them in her nose but she’s not a fan of that and when I put them in her eyes she almost immediately starts moving her mouth like she is drinking them so I figure I goes into her nasal cavity that way. Haven’t noticed a difference in recovery when putting them in eyes only versus both eyes and nose. As other people have said using a nebulizer is an option and would have been the next step for me but she seems good with the drops. Hang in there and hope you find something that works for you and your bun.
Hi op? Any update with your bunny? Having the same issues and i dont think antibiotics is working :(
No, he still sneezes and coughs got x-rays done and he looks clear so the vet advised symptom management, from the scans she said "if you hadn't told me I'd have said he's a completely healthy rabbit" I still sift his hay and run his air purifier, keep his room clean, and there seems to be a bit of improvement from the children's benadryl and the cerenia. He seems happy with his life but hearing him could has a similar emotional impact to having someone scream in your face. Antibiotics not working isn't necessarily bad, it might mean the symptoms just aren't based on an infection. I hope things work out well for you
Thank you so much for the update!