by Rabbits require constant stable care and proper nutrition. Without this, the immune system is not strong enough to fight bacteria and viruses. Today we will look at why rabbits sneeze, what to do about it and how to treat it.
Why do people sneeze?
The main reason why your pet may sneeze is an infectious disease or a cold.
However, other sources can also cause such a reaction in the body, such as stress or improper conditions, poor nutrition or injuries. Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
Stress
Sometimes sneezing can be a reaction to stress experienced by the animal. Usually, there is no runny nose or any discharge from the eyes.
A rabbit may simply start sneezing for no apparent reason and then stop (when the stress subsides or the irritant disappears).
Observe your pet – if you have changed your place of residence, changed the food, got another pet, and at the same time the rabbit started sneezing, then most likely the reason is stress.
This symptom soon disappears.
Poor living conditions
Such a reaction can be caused by not entirely good conditions of detention.
For example, a dirty or dusty cage, high humidity, a strong foreign smell, dust in the room, litter that has not been changed for a long time, improperly selected food, even too much sun in the rays of which the cage is located – all this can provoke sneezing.
In this case, the pet may have discharge from the nose. Be sure to check the condition of the cage. If there are visible defects, fix them.
If the cause is dust, you can carefully wash the rabbit’s nose with water from a syringe. It is important to remember that poor conditions can cause many serious diseases in the animal in the future.
Dry air
Dry air is one of the most common problems faced by rabbit owners.
Sneezing may be due to the fact that the air is too dry or hot, and the pet’s delicate nose begins to react to this with inflammation.
You need to ventilate the room more often, use humidifiers, and provide your pet with enough water.
You can simply put a cup or plate of water in the room, which will evaporate. Usually the problem is solved quite quickly, and the rabbit stops sneezing.
Wrong diet
Incorrectly selected food can cause not only poisoning or poor health, but also rhinitis.
If the food does not suit your pet, causes irritation, is of poor quality or is incorrectly selected, this may cause illness. Replace the food, consult a veterinarian.
Allergy
Allergies can cause not only rhinitis, but also related problems such as discharge from the eyes, inflammation of the respiratory tract, malaise, and cough.
Rabbits can have allergic reactions to food, selected bedding hay, medications, etc.
Be sure to consult a doctor, as only he can accurately determine the cause of the allergic reaction and prescribe the correct treatment.
Nose injury
A similar symptom may indicate an injury to the nose or respiratory tract. If the pet has difficulty breathing, sneezes, coughs, snorts – it is imperative to show it to the vet, especially if there is discharge mixed with blood.
This may indicate that some foreign object has entered, preventing breathing, or that some serious injury has occurred.
In this case, a doctor’s consultation is mandatory.
Infectious diseases
Sneezing and rhinitis are the most common reactions to the disease caused by the infection. Such symptoms develop over three days.
If there is a tendency for things to get worse, mandatory treatment with medications is required.
A rabbit can become infected from another sick animal, or even from a person, for example, when the person has a runny nose or tonsillitis.
In this case, a visit to the doctor will be necessary. Symptoms and treatment of infectious diseases are described below.
Symptoms
Colds can be infectious or non-infectious.
In this case, there are general symptoms that can be used to identify the problem and take measures for treatment. More information about different forms of colds, pathogens and symptoms is below.
Non-infectious
Often, a rabbit may develop colds that are not infectious.
They are usually associated with the fact that the pet is cold and has caught a cold, was exposed to a draft, or was outside the house in bad and damp weather.
Often, such a problem occurs with sharp temperature changes from high to low and vice versa. In general, a cold is caused by external influences.
Its symptoms will be:
- frequent sneezing of the pet;
- rhinitis and nasal discharge, most often the discharge is clear or whitish;
- a crust forms around the nose;
- sometimes an increase in temperature is observed;
- problems with feeding, appetite, and decreased activity may occur.
Such a cold can be mild, which the pet can cope with on its own in a few days. But if the condition worsens, the rabbit behaves unnaturally and feels worse – it will need treatment.
It is better to consult a doctor.
And it is imperative to monitor the conditions in which the animal is kept – the room temperature, feeding, amount of sun, change the bedding on time and ventilate the room.
It is not recommended to take your pet for a long walk outdoors in rainy or cold weather. This will help to avoid catching a cold.
Infectious
The cause of any infectious disease is most often bacteria or viruses.
The pathogens are usually streptococci, staphylococci, bordetella, pasteurella and others. They are usually carried not only by sick individuals, but also on the fur of animals, on food or hay for bedding, clothing, etc.
The infection is characterized by the following symptoms:
- green or white discharge from the nose;
- lacrimation or inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye;
- swelling of the nose (redness and enlargement) or eyes;
- cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath;
- an increase in temperature, usually sudden and severe;
- lethargy and lack of appetite;
- The pet may also be in a depressed mood.
If a runny nose develops, it can lead to the appearance of purulent discharge. Over time, pieces of dried pus appear on the cheeks.
If the rabbit begins to constantly and intensely scratch its nose, sneezes, loses weight and refuses to eat, then this indicates advanced infectious rhinitis.
What to do?
Treatment of infectious colds requires a competent selection of medications. For example, it is not recommended to treat viral infections with antibiotics, as they can cause more harm than good.
If it is a simple cold, then it is enough to place the animal in a warm room, improve its nutrition, and add nutrients to the food.
If your pet does not get better, medication treatment should be administered.
Below you will find out what medications are needed and what treatment regimen to follow.
Medicines
Furacilin, Penicillin and antibiotics in combination with probiotics are often used to treat the animal.
Treatment must be carried out in courses and requires careful adherence to instructions.
A mixture of Penicillin and Novocaine
If after three days the rabbit does not stop sneezing, its mucous membrane swells, the runny nose becomes constant, there is an increase in temperature and other symptoms, then you can use a mixture of drugs such as Penicillin and Novocaine.
Penicillin in a ratio of 20 thousand units is diluted in 1 ml of Novocaine 0,25%. The resulting medicine is carefully injected into each nostril with a pipette. The course of treatment is at least two weeks.
In total, you need to drip 10 drops per day, 2-3 times (one or two drops in each nostril, respectively). Such a mixture not only helps to destroy the infection, but also relieve swelling, pain and irritation.
Furacilin
Furacilin has long been used to treat not only humans but also animals. The tablet is thoroughly crushed and diluted in water in a ratio of 1:100 (1 g per 100 ml).
The water must be hot and freshly boiled, mix thoroughly. After the solution has cooled, it is instilled into the nostrils with a pipette.
Use the same system as in the previous case: 10 drops a day for two weeks. The drug helps to disinfect the mucous membranes, removes infection, and relieves irritation. The solution works in 70% of cases.
Antibiotics
In some cases, antibiotics become necessary. The most commonly used are Chloramphenicol, Marbocil 2% and Baytril 2,5% – very strong and effective antibiotics.
Marbocil is administered as injections twice a day at 0,1 mg of the drug per 1 kg of the animal’s weight (it should be administered according to the instructions and only after consulting a doctor, who can adjust or change the dosage).
Baytril is administered according to the same scheme, but at a rate of 0,3 mg per 1 kg of animal weight. It can be given as an injection or added to food. Chloramphenicol is given 30-50 g twice or three times a day, added to food.
Important! Before you start treating your pet, you should consult a veterinarian. He will be able to correctly prescribe the necessary medications and their dosage. If necessary, he will also prescribe tests, since rhinitis can indicate other diseases.
To treat the infection, you can also give 1 mg of Biomycin per day, diluting it in warm water and adding it to food. In case of a serious illness, the dose is increased to 3 mg and given three times a day.
The drug works quickly.
Positive results are usually observed on day 5. After using antibiotics, it is recommended to take a course of probiotics.
They help the body restore its functions, cope with the damage caused to the intestines by the antibiotic, and even prevent the disease from returning.
For this purpose, vitamin B (given once or twice a day at 1 mg), Sulfadimethoxine (100 mg per day, added to food), and Norsulfazole (200–250 g per day) are used.
The course of preventive treatment lasts 5-10 days. Large doses should not be used, it is better to give minimal doses.
Inhalation
A good method of treating rabbits is inhalation using natural herbs or essential oils. Fennel, thyme, sage, eucalyptus and mint are used for them. The proportion should be: 1 drop of oil per 2 liters of water.
This method of treatment helps to clear the nose and has a good effect on the condition of the respiratory tract. Inhalations can be done once or twice a day, but not longer than a week, so as not to dry out the mucous membrane.
The container with the hot solution is placed at a distance from the animal so that it cannot reach it, after which the cage and container are covered with a towel, leaving an open edge for air to enter.
The procedure lasts 10–15 minutes. At this time, the pet freely inhales plant vapors or ether, which help him get rid of cough and runny nose.
Preventive measures
To prevent your pet from getting sick, you should follow these preventive measures:
- inspect the animal regularly, at least once a week;
- Be sure to maintain the necessary comfortable humidity in the room, make sure that there are no too bright or long sunlight rays, drafts;
- avoid sudden temperature changes;
- Maintain hygiene in the cage and in the house, constantly remove dust and keep the bedding clean;
- include nutrients and vitamins in your diet;
- disinfect the cage at least once a week;
- Vaccinate your animal.
If you follow all the rules for caring for a rabbit, stick to proper nutrition and monitor its health, the risk of any diseases is reduced.
What to feed during illness?
There are no special instructions regarding what diet the patient should follow.
There is no need to limit your diet; on the contrary, it is better to add more nutrients, vitamins, and greens.
Fruits and vegetables are also added to the diet.
You also need to make sure that the food is warm. During illness, the rabbit needs increased warmth, so it should be moved to the warmest place in the house and fed there.
Rabbits can also be given herbal teas to drink. Mint, basil, dill or chamomile are used.
They not only warm you up (they are given warm) and quench your thirst, but also support your immune system and allow you to receive an additional portion of nutrients.
It is necessary to ensure that the rabbit eats during illness, as it may refuse food. In case of prolonged refusal, it should be force-fed.
When is surgery necessary?
If a farmer notices that a pet has started sneezing, scratching its nose, or has mucus or pus discharge, and does not take any action, the animal’s condition may worsen and the disease may become advanced.
The infectious type of rhinitis is especially dangerous, but allergies also often become chronic, and the rabbit is doomed to sneeze constantly.
If you do not provide assistance to your pet in time, the airways will begin to swell, the sinuses will become clogged with mucus and pus, it will become more difficult for your long-eared pet to breathe, and his condition will worsen.
In this case, only surgical intervention will help get rid of snot and nasal swelling.
If this is not done in time, the outcome may be fatal: the rabbit will not live longer than 2 months. Therefore, even a harmless runny nose should not be left to its own devices. It is necessary to cure your pet as soon as possible.
