Sneezing Rabbit

Sneezing can occur in rabbits, either as primary or secondary respiratory disease

Primary

  • Rhinitis/Sinusitis
  • Infection
  • Inflammation
  • Allergies
  • Irritants
  • Neoplasia
  • Foreign bodies

Secondary

  • Dental disease and abscesses

Luckily, if nasal discharge occurs – this can indicate what is causing the sneezing:

Discharge Types

  • Serous – inflammation, irritation, allergies
  • Mucoid – allergies, irritation, acute inflammation or infection
  • Purulent – infection, foreign bodies
  • Serosanguinous – destruction

So how do we diagnose the cause of sneezing and nasal discharge?Clinical signs, respiratory sounds and nasal swabs/biopsies are all useful tools to investigate nasal disease and infection. Scopes or further imaging with xrays or CT may be useful for your investigation to rule of nasal foreign bodies and massesYou can rule out dental disease with a thorough oral examination with a towel and an otoscope, and imaging with xray or CT.

Your Xray positions include

  • Left and right Laterals
  • Ventrodorsal skull
  • Lateral oblique views to visualise all teeth

Treatment includes

  • Appropriate diet
  • High hay, greens diet. Not high carb high fat
  • Surgery or dental potentially required
  • Antibiotics (if appropriate)
  • Penicillin SC
  • TMS PO
  • Enrofloxacin PO/SC
  • And anti-inflammatories – > Meloxicam
  • Check out doses here

References:

  • Oglesbee, BL. Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult: Small Mammal. Wiley-Blackwell. 2nd ed. 2011