Ways That Your Vet Will Help A Rabbit's Snuffles
Posted on: 2 August 2021
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When your pet rabbit sneezes, it's easy to think that this sound is cute. However, if the sneezing persists, it may be an indicator of a serious health issue. Frequent sneezing is one of the symptoms of snuffles, which is an ailment that can affect a lot of pet rabbits. This condition results from a bacterial infection and has numerous side effects, including sneezing and runny eyes. If you suspect that your pet rabbit has snuffles, you should promptly visit your local veterinarian, as this condition can worsen and become grave without intervention. The vet may use these treatment methods to address this issue.
Antibiotics
In order to eliminate the bacterial infection that is causing your rabbit to suffer from snuffles and help to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms, your local veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics for a specific period of time. You'll likely have to administer doses of this medication at home, so you can expect that your vet will demonstrate how to do so. It can sometimes be challenging to give medication to a pet rabbit, especially if it's skittish, but your vet will give you a tutorial on how to complete this task and ensure that the medication gets into your pet's mouth.
Tear Duct Flushing
A rabbit that is suffering from snuffles will typically have blocked tear ducts. This can lead to runny eyes and inflammation around the eyes. While antibiotics will help, your vet may also need to flush the tear ducts. This is a procedure that involves giving the animal anesthetic and then treating the affected area with saline. You'll want to monitor the condition around the rabbit's eyes in the days that follow your veterinary clinic visit. Ideally, the eyes will quickly start to look better, but a follow-up visit for another tear duct flushing could be necessary.
Environmental Discussion
The environment in which a rabbit lives may affect the likelihood of it developing snuffles. Your vet will ask you to describe your rabbit's living space, as this will help the vet to assess where any changes might be necessary. For example, your vet may recommend that you clean the rabbit's space more often, as this will reduce the bacteria in their environment. They may also advocate allowing more fresh air into the pet's living space. Depending on the part of your home in which the rabbit resides, keeping a window partially open can be useful.
Contact a veterinary service near you to learn more.