# bunny has snuffles- to live or put to sleep?



## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

help my little bunny has the 'snuffles'
i noticed it on sunday as he was coughing and had a snotty nose, 3 days prior to this my hubby and kids feed him and didn't notice anything wrong. i took him to the vet on monday morning and they kept him in till lunchtime and gave him antibiotics, and a pain killer with inflammatory.
when i picked him up he seemed brighter, so i was glad i just spent £80+ to make him better.vet gave me .5ml baytril twice a day to take home and probiotic sachets, 1 a day.
he has not eaten a thing since sunday, (could of been before then as he had lost weight) i have juiced carrots for him and given him the probiotic sachets in water, he will lick from the syringe and occasional take from a full bowl but he wont feed from water bottle . since yesterday he doesn't hold his head up, which might be a sign he has now got the infection in his ears.
he doesn't move much just sits on the hot water bottle.
i have read on the net that they do get over this but it can take 2 weeks.
i'm not sure whether i'm doing the right thing or not, i was going to take him to the vet today to put him to sleep as his head was down, but the vets were full .the snotty nose doesn't seem to be getting better, however i am surprised he is still alive with no food and that he willingly accepts water and juice. he did have on sunday and monday clear jelly like stools and on tuesday there was normal but verysoft feaces, since tueday there's been nothing, not even a lot of wee, i'm answering my own questions, i think he should be put to sleep, but i was wondering if anyone else had a bunny that had this bacterial infection and bounced back?


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## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

if he is not weeing he is dehydrated, get him back to the vets and get their opinion and get him re-hydrated...


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

You need to get an appointment at the vet- if they are full try to find another vet or insist that it is an emergency. You can't let your rabbit suffer when he clearly needs to get to a vet asap


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## Jay-Nitro (Jan 22, 2010)

YOU think he should be pts...does a vet think that? from the sound of it you should do the decent thing and take him to a rescue because you dont sound to interested in the poor little fella 


excuse me if im wrong like, just going from what youve said


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## BattleKat (Oct 26, 2009)

Jay-Nitro said:


> YOU think he should be pts...does a vet think that? from the sound of it you should do the decent thing and take him to a rescue because you dont sound to interested in the poor little fella
> 
> excuse me if im wrong like, just going from what youve said


bit harsh don't you think? She's taken him to the vet, followed their advice, paid for the medicine which many people wouldn't and is now seeking advice on a forum. Hardly sounds like someone who doesn't care!

What I got from the post was that she thinks he should be PTS because she thinks he's dying a slow and painful death....but she's seeking further advice in the hope that he has a chance of getting better before making the decision.

OP, get him back to a vet and describe what's gone on. If you're not happy with the care he's getting then ask to be referred to a specialist.


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## tyrole (May 5, 2009)

BattleKat said:


> bit harsh don't you think? She's taken him to the vet, followed their advice, paid for the medicine which many people wouldn't and is now seeking advice on a forum. Hardly sounds like someone who doesn't care!
> 
> What I got from the post was that she thinks he should be PTS because she thinks he's dying a slow and painful death....but she's seeking further advice in the hope that he has a chance of getting better before making the decision.
> 
> OP, get him back to a vet and describe what's gone on. If you're not happy with the care he's getting then ask to be referred to a specialist.


You are spot on. I advised the op to post on this forum, she is a regular on another forum that I moderate. The op is really concerned and was asking if anyone else had been in this situation.
On her behalf I appreciate your support.


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## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

Are you 100% it is snuffles?? has he had his myxi jabs??


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

if hes still full of life then keep going, but he needs fluids daily they are so important and often overlooked at the vets


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

try tempting him with a little fresh pineapple juice


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

Jay-Nitro said:


> YOU think he should be pts...does a vet think that? from the sound of it you should do the decent thing and take him to a rescue because you dont sound to interested in the poor little fella
> 
> excuse me if im wrong like, just going from what youve said


yep i dont give a stuff about him, i spent a month of my wages on trying to get him better and endless hours on the internet researching the symptoms ect. and have just spent another hour and a half at the vets today and more money.
Get a life.


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

thanks for your replies apart from one MSE'er.
i got him an appointment today, the vet seeked advice from a bunny specialist and they have given him different antibiotics. his nose seems clearer already after 6 hours and so he was able to take more hydration water and juice/pulp.
i still didn't get a definitive answer to whether not eating for a few days has done damage that he may not get over or not. the vet said to see how he goes over the weekend and then go from there.


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## helebelina (Nov 11, 2009)

Glad to hear he's on the mend. :thumbup: Fingers crossed for him :001_cool:


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Has your vet not supplied you with some liquid feed?

Your bun really should be being syringe fed every few hours. If the gut stops functioning, its extremely difficult (impossible in some cases) to get it working again.

Sick buns need around the clock nursing, and some vets dont seem to make this clear to owners.

If he has a pellet mix, try soaking some and making a paste thin enough to syringe into his mouth. Personally id do this every two hours, even if its only a ml or so.


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## tyrole (May 5, 2009)

99redballs said:


> thanks for your replies apart from one MSE'er.
> i got him an appointment today, the vet seeked advice from a bunny specialist and they have given him different antibiotics. his nose seems clearer already after 6 hours and so he was able to take more hydration water and juice/pulp.
> i still didn't get a definitive answer to whether not eating for a few days has done damage that he may not get over or not. the vet said to see how he goes over the weekend and then go from there.


Fingers crossed he gets well soon
xx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

As Nonnie said try to get some liquid food into him if he's not eating his normal food. I find with mine veggie baby food (stage one with no milk or meat in) goes down really well. Make some porrige with water not milk to see if he'll take that. When I was nursing one of mine through gut stasis my vet told me that I needed to make sure she got 100ml of water per kg of weight a day. This is from food as well as pure water so go with that as a guide for your little bun. If they stop eating and drinking the body still absorbs the water from the intestines so the poo gets really stodgy and makes the blockage worse. 

Don't give up on him yet, my Rosie was close to death with gut stasis a while ago. It was at the point I took a day off work to rush her to the vets as she was practically collapsed and the vet said if I hadn't got her there and had waited till after work I'd have found her dead when I got home. They put her on fluids and warned me of the worst, she was kept in for two nights on a drip. When I got her home I had to give her as much water as she would take every two hours along with some liquid food. She had lactulose to make her guts move, zantac to help hydrate her guts again and baytril to stop any infection she might have. It took about two weeks but she recovered from it with constant care, I even took her to work with me so I could carry on with the feeding (luckily I worked in a pet shop so they understood). A lovely friend of mine who runs a rabbit rescue made me up a first aid kit for bunnies consisting of metacam, baytril, zantac and lactulose with lots of different size syringes. She said those are the essential drugs for any rabbit that goes into gut stasis and every rabbit owner should keep some handy in case of emergency. 

The sooner you get the guts working properly the better. Ask your vet about those drugs for your bun and try getting some food and water into him.


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

Nonnie said:


> Has your vet not supplied you with some liquid feed?
> 
> Your bun really should be being syringe fed every few hours. If the gut stops functioning, its extremely difficult (impossible in some cases) to get it working again.
> 
> ...


hi yes vet did give me some prebiotic lapis sachets, however they have ran out of this and have given me another liquid/paste.
this was my main concern about his gut not feeding and then not being able to function afterwards. i have been feeding him every 3-4 hours and he's been taking 10mls. water and juice on top.
one member mentioned giving pineapple juice. i would never think of giving him that as i presume it's quite acidic? i don't think they ever touched it when i gave them the outer skins.


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

Kammie said:


> As Nonnie said try to get some liquid food into him if he's not eating his normal food. I find with mine veggie baby food (stage one with no milk or meat in) goes down really well. Make some porrige with water not milk to see if he'll take that. When I was nursing one of mine through gut stasis my vet told me that I needed to make sure she got 100ml of water per kg of weight a day. This is from food as well as pure water so go with that as a guide for your little bun. If they stop eating and drinking the body still absorbs the water from the intestines so the poo gets really stodgy and makes the blockage worse.
> 
> Don't give up on him yet, my Rosie was close to death with gut stasis a while ago. It was at the point I took a day off work to rush her to the vets as she was practically collapsed and the vet said if I hadn't got her there and had waited till after work I'd have found her dead when I got home. They put her on fluids and warned me of the worst, she was kept in for two nights on a drip. When I got her home I had to give her as much water as she would take every two hours along with some liquid food. She had lactulose to make her guts move, zantac to help hydrate her guts again and baytril to stop any infection she might have. It took about two weeks but she recovered from it with constant care, I even took her to work with me so I could carry on with the feeding (luckily I worked in a pet shop so they understood). A lovely friend of mine who runs a rabbit rescue made me up a first aid kit for bunnies consisting of metacam, baytril, zantac and lactulose with lots of different size syringes. She said those are the essential drugs for any rabbit that goes into gut stasis and every rabbit owner should keep some handy in case of emergency.
> 
> The sooner you get the guts working properly the better. Ask your vet about those drugs for your bun and try getting some food and water into him.


thanks very much , this is the much needed advice and experience i very searching for. i shall ring the vet in the morning and ask for the drugs.thanks


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

I think someone may have scanned your original post and assumed the worst! You are a brilliant bunny Mummy and the fact he's picking up means you've probably saved him!

Fingers crossed he pulls through and goes back to being his normal self soon!

Hugs to you both! xx


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

I have nothing to add you have had fantastic advice, i hope the specialist can help, your little bunny sounds like a real fighter so fingers crossed he pulls through this x


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

pineapple juice is great for rabbits, then enzymes help break down any fur that may be causing blockages in the gut. as rabbits cant be sick or cough up fur balls, may vets recommend it during heavy molts or when unwell. I cant imagine the skin would be very tasty tho


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

emzybabe said:


> pineapple juice is great for rabbits, then enzymes help break down any fur that may be causing blockages in the gut. as rabbits cant be sick or cough up fur balls, may vets recommend it during heavy molts or when unwell. I cant imagine the skin would be very tasty tho


Ooh I forgot about that Emzy, I give mine a little bit of pineapple juice as a treat each day when they're moulting.


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## jemma_79 (Nov 1, 2009)

Kammie said:


> Ooh I forgot about that Emzy, I give mine a little bit of pineapple juice as a treat each day when they're moulting.


Really useful to know... thanks x


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Kammie said:


> Ooh I forgot about that Emzy, I give mine a little bit of pineapple juice as a treat each day when they're moulting.


Brilliant advice ta!  Bebe will benefit from this massively! x

PS Kammie! Plz stop giving me good advice! I cant rep you again yet :lol:
Btw is the juice just pineapple juice in a carton from morrys? x


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Paws&Claws said:


> Brilliant advice ta!  Bebe will benefit from this massively! x
> 
> PS Kammie! Plz stop giving me good advice! I cant rep you again yet :lol:
> Btw is the juice just pineapple juice in a carton from morrys? x


Hehe sorry. I use both, when I have pineapple myself I give the buns a little cube of it and keep the juice to dilute and give them as well. I buy the cartons of tropicana tropical juice and give them a bit of that diluted too, they go mad for it and its so cute listening to them drink it from a bowl.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Kammie said:


> Hehe sorry. I use both, when I have pineapple myself I give the buns a little cube of it and keep the juice to dilute and give them as well. I buy the cartons of tropicana tropical juice and give them a bit of that diluted too, they go mad for it and its so cute listening to them drink it from a bowl.


Awesome ill get some today :thumbup: should help my bonded 3 with Bebes fur x


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## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

99redballs said:


> help my little bunny has the 'snuffles'
> i noticed it on sunday as he was coughing and had a snotty nose, 3 days prior to this my hubby and kids feed him and didn't notice anything wrong. i took him to the vet on monday morning and they kept him in till lunchtime and gave him antibiotics, and a pain killer with inflammatory.
> when i picked him up he seemed brighter, so i was glad i just spent £80+ to make him better.vet gave me .5ml baytril twice a day to take home and probiotic sachets, 1 a day.
> he has not eaten a thing since sunday, (could of been before then as he had lost weight) i have juiced carrots for him and given him the probiotic sachets in water, he will lick from the syringe and occasional take from a full bowl but he wont feed from water bottle . since yesterday he doesn't hold his head up, which might be a sign he has now got the infection in his ears.
> ...


How is he??


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

there's not really any change. he's breathing is back to normal and the snuffles has pretty much dried up, but he still won't eat on his own and even worse now he won't even take from the syringe. he's lost loads of weight and he's all skin and bone (even his fur is coming off round his mouth). i've been to the vets 3 times and each time saw a different vet, and we've tried different drugs(btw, baytril didn't work, but an drug not licensed for rabbits worked a treat on bacteria) . i did try ringing the around for a vet specialising in rabbits, but found none.
i hoped that as soon as he could breathe through his nose again that he would start to eat, but it seems not, as he's been like this for nearly a week, i think the kindest action to do now it to put him to sleep, he looks very sorry for himself and very ill.he's not taken anything down from syringe since saturday.
i some what feel i let him suffer, with hindsight i should of put him to sleep from the start, but if i did i would of felt very very guilty for not trying to save him.
he's going to the vet for the last time tomorrow afternoon.
RIP floppy xxxxxx
thanks for the kind replies.


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## 99redballs (Aug 19, 2010)

jemma_79 said:


> Really useful to know... thanks x


he looks like your willow , jemma.
i also used to have a dutch dwarf called bugsy when i was 10. i used to take him for walks down the street, without a lead. he used to follow me every where, and when he was outside running around and i was inside, as soon as someone opened the door he would run in to find me. It was very unusual bunny behaviour , i think he thought he was a dog as he would run to me when called and he even used to bite people if it looked like they hurt me , just like a guard dog!


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## tyrole (May 5, 2009)

So sorry red  you did your best and gave bunny every chance


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## helebelina (Nov 11, 2009)

So so sorry to hear that.  My thoughts are with you.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Am so sorry hun!! xx


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