my youngest bunny who is 9 months old started sneezing/.....and my oldest bunny who is a few months older than a year started acting just plain out weird and digging but i know thats instinct but im scared that they might have fleas....and what should i do for my youngest bunny whos been sneezing??
2006-06-13 11:28:03 · 7 answers · asked by foodrocks5 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The weather is probably not causing this. To check for fleas, place your bunny on a clean surface and rub the fur backward. You should see fleas "jump" off. You can also blow into the fur and see if you see fleas or "dirt" specks on the skin. The specks are left by the fleas.
Sneezing can be a number of things. If you use wood shavings it can be irritating. It can also be a cold or snuffles. If it persists, you may need to take your bunny to the vet.
2006-06-13 11:32:50 · answer #1 · answered by hhnews 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm impressed by the answer cyphertus gave. It's not often that I find people on here that know a descent amount about rabbits. I totally agree with the answer by cyphertus.
One added note, be careful not to breed rabbits that have a cold. The infection can spread from one rabbit to another when they come in contact and the mother can also give the disease to her babies.
I believe that rabbit colds often start from allergies. We used to have trouble with rabbits having colds on our farm and we would treat the colds accordingly. The problem is that the strains adapt to the medicines and the medicines become less effective the more they are used. We got to the point where the medicines became ineffective, so we had to come up with a solution. That solution was to not keep any rabbits for breeding purposes that had a cold for over a week. Allergies can be passed down genetically from generation to generation. We now have had little to no problems with colds in our rabbitry for almost 10 years.
Make sure to always follow the directions for giving your rabbit medicine. Giving your rabbit more doesn't mean the medicine will work any better, it can also possibly cause damage to the rabbit such as hurting their kidneys. Also, ending the treatment too soon or not giving the medicine in a consistent manner can prevent the medicine from curing the disease and can help the disease to mutate or adapt to the medicine, making the medicine inneffective.
I've been raising and showing rabbits for 24 years.
2006-06-14 12:55:11 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits can suffer from infections of the upper respiratory tract (the sinuses and other parts of the tract that are not actually parts of the lungs), and this is usually manifested as runny nose, runny eyes and sneezing. Unlike a human cold, which is caused by a virus, rabbit upper respiratory infections are caused by bacteria. The condition is commonly called "snuffles."
"Snuffles" is is a non-specific, "catch-all" term used to describe such symptoms without naming the specific cause.. Until fairly recently, many veterinarians believed that "snuffles" was almost always caused by the bacterial pathogen Pasteurella multocida, commonly found in rabbits (though often without causing any problematic symptoms at all). More recent information suggests that many different species of bacteria can cause "snuffles." Some of the bacteria most commonly cultured from rabbit nasal discharge include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Staphylococcus aureus, though there are many others.
Because bacterial species (and their different strains) have characteristic sensitivity and resistance to various antibiotics, it is worth your investment to allow your veterinarian to positively identify the pathogen (i.e., disease-causing agent) your bunny has. The best way is via a CULTURE AND SENSITIVITY test. This laboratory test is the only way to determine (1) the species of bacteria causing the infection and (2) which rabbit-safe antibiotics will be most effective at killing them.
If your rabbit is sneezing and/or shows signs of nasal and/or ocular discharge, especially if such discharge is whitish and thickened, she needs to be seen by a veterinarian and have a sample of nasal discharge taken and sent to a laboratory for culture and sensitivity testing. Once your vet receives the results of the C & S test, s/he will be better able to prescribe the particular antibiotic (or combination of antibiotics) that should be safest and most effective for your rabbit's infection.
Good luck with your bunny!!!
2006-06-13 20:52:44 · answer #3 · answered by cyphertus 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to get that bunny to the vet........it could be the sign of an illness. The vet can tell you if he has fleas or if it is something else. The digging isn't necessarily a big deal...but it depends on what he's digging at.
2006-06-13 18:34:14 · answer #4 · answered by puppyraiser8 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
vet? put them in a climate that they are used to. i personally dont use the vet and all my animals are doing great. i have goats ducks chickens bunnies and a dog. my bunny once staarted sneezing but he got over it pretty quiqk u sometimes sneeze a lot right? it is not abnormal. he will be okay. ur right th other bunnies behavioral problems r instinct!
2006-06-13 19:40:46 · answer #5 · answered by dani k 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remember, pets can also have allergies. You should check with a vet if you are really concerned.
2006-06-13 18:39:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
um... maybe it's mating season....are they both the same gender??
2006-06-13 19:00:42 · answer #7 · answered by ♥wondergirl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋