Why does my rabbit have wry neck and nasal discharge after breeding?

Hello! A wet nose in a rabbit usually indicates nasal discharge. Nasal discharge can result from allergy, inflammation, or infection of the nasal passages or even from an infected tooth root. It is very common for rabbits to carry a bacteria called Pasteurella (often referred to as “snuffles”). This bacteria can flare up in times of stress. Most rabbits have at least been exposed to this bacteria, and there are also other bacteria and viruses that could cause similar respiratory illness. The best thing to do for Buddy would be to have him examined by your local vet who can assess the discharge and Buddys breathing and teeth. the vet may recommend blood work, X-rays, or even a CT scan of his head since that will give the best information about the nose and terth. Remember that an oral exam in an awake rabbit is fairly insensitive to disease and any root disease is not visible except with X-rays for a CT scan. Since rabbits can only breath through their nose, it’s important to get this evaluated while Buddy is doing well, since potential profession of disease could be serious. Good luck to you and Buddy!

Separate him for now just in case it is infectious. Snuffles is extremely contagious. Have Ollie examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. A culture of the discharge can be collected and submitted for culture to identify the bacteria responsible for snuffles (Pasteurella spp or Staphylococcus spp). Treatment can be administered as indicated.

Poor Thumper! Head tilts in rabbits are generally medical problems that need to be assessed and treated by a veterinarian. Often they are caused by an infection in the middle or inner ear that almost always require systemic antibiotics. Though here are occasionally other things that can cause these (tumors, abscesses, trauma, etc.) with Thumper being so young and you reporting no history of trauma they are lower on my list of differentials. I would get Thumper to his vet soon because the last thing you want is for him to start feeling badly, stop eating, and go into GI Stasis which can be life threatening. I hope this helps, good luck with your little guy!

Hello, I am very sorry to hear about your rabbit. Rabbits are predisposed to bacterial upper respiratory infections. One of the more common causes is a bacteria called Pasturella, leading to an infection called "Snuffles". If left untreated this bacteria can lead to pneumonia. Rabbits are very sensitive animals and when they become ill they are often predisposed to developing GI problems such as GI stasis. To prevent secondary problems from developing I would recommend having your rabbit evaluated by a veterinarian so that they can perform an examination and evaluate the nasal discharge. Hope this helps, good luck!

You are correct, she is probably suffering from an upper respiratory infection (Snuffles), she will need a course of antibiotic (Baytril) and some antibiotic eye drops for about 3 weeks, you can go to any regular vet, they can prescribe these medications for Berry.

Have her rechecked by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. Her ears should be examined to diagnose infection or tumors/polyps which may cause the head tilt. Cervical xrays may be indicated to diagnose orthopedic injury or deformation.

Thanks for your question about Lola! If the nasal discharge is clear and runny (similar to tears), and does not have any color or thickening to it, it is likely a non-concerning change. It is common for rabbits to have an intermittently wet/runny nose when they are nervous, so it may be corresponding to something stressful in the environment. If there is ever any color or thickening to the fluid, that would be more suggestive of an infection. I would recommend having Lola evaluated once per year for a wellness examination with your veterinarian. Gathering systemic blood work to establish a baseline for Lola would also be advisable, as this will allow your veterinarian to have something to compare to if she ever gets sick. I also noticed that you stated that Lola was not spayed - I would strongly recommend that you have her spayed if she truly is intact, as there is a high prevalence of uterine cancers in rabbits (around 80%). I hope that this helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!