7 Reasons Why Rabbits Sneeze + 7 Prevention Tips

Humans sneeze as a means to clear their noses from foreign matters such as dirt or pollen. What about our bun friends, why do rabbits sneeze?

Is there any medical condition associated with bunnies sneezing? Is this a normal behavior in rabbits or should you be worried? Are there any specific severe symptoms that you should be on the lookout for?

In this article, we will be covering some of the reasons why rabbits sneeze and ways you can help them cope better.

Continue reading to:

• Get a better understanding why bunnies sneeze
• Causes of sneezing in rabbits
• How to prevent rabbits from sneezing
• And so much more…

Why Do Rabbits Sneeze?

Rabbits will sneeze due to several reasons. A dry sneeze could result from an allergy, a nasal irritant, or a dental problem (overgrown teeth). If it’s a wet sneeze that is accompanied by a runny eye and produces white mucus, that could be due to a respiratory infection (snuffles).

Most of the time the sneezing is caused by an allergic reaction to smoke, dust, or pollen grains. If your bunny experiences frequent freezing it may be time to get him checked to rule out any medical condition.

The environment in which rabbits lives may also contribute to their sneezing. They may develop some sort of allergy based on some environmental factors.

Because they use their nose to perceive everything around them, their noses are very delicate and sensitive. Any small amount of irritation could lead to your rabbit sneezing.

But is it really normal for rabbits to sneeze or should this be an area of concern for you? Let’s find out.

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Is It Normal for a Rabbit to Sneeze?

Sneezing in rabbits is very normal. They use their noses to read and understand the environment they live in.

They, therefore, end up ingesting dust particles and other irritants that they may be allergic to, causing them to sneeze as a means to eject the irritants.

There are, however, certain situations that are not normal when it comes to sneezing in rabbits. A dry sneeze is mostly harmless most of the time but if they sneeze and produce some white discharge, that should be of concern to you.

You should get your pet checked by your local vet as soon as possible in such a case.

Whenever your pet rabbit sneezes with a clear, white discharge (mucus), this could signify a respiratory infection. Other common snuffle symptoms to look out for include:

• Discharge from the nose and the eyes
• Your pet friend tilting her head to one side
• Sores on the skin and bald patches
• Sleeping longer (lethargy)
• Greasy and matted fur due to the rabbit rubbing the mucus and discharge on herself.

Snuffles are highly contagious and could affect even the most healthy rabbits out there. Luckily rabbits can recover from snuffles by themselves, but still, medical help should be sought after.

When To Be Concerned

Certain conditions would make it really concerning for your rabbit due to how severe the situation might turn out to be.

If your rabbit exhibits any of the below symptoms you need to take them to your vet for a checkup.

• Frequent sneezing with any kind of nasal discharge
• Snoring that is associated with recent frequent sneezzing
• Your rabbit sneezing is accompanied by snotting
• Sneezing accompanied by watery eyes
• Lack of appetite
• Breathing difficulties.
• Drooling

These are serious symptoms that your rabbit could be suffering from some severe medical condition and needs medical assistance. These are signs of a respiratory infection that could be leading to your bun friend sneezing.

Also Read: Do Rabbits Go into Heat (7 Key Signs to Look Out For)

Causes of Sneezing in Rabbits

Rabbits have sensitive noses, even the smallest of irritants could trigger them into some sneezing fit. Let’s now look at some of the most common causes of sneezing in rabbits

• Dust: Hay dust may be a common cause of frequent sneezing in rabbits. Dust from their hutch or sleeping environment may also be a major cause for this.
• Allergies: Rabbits can be allergic to a number of things. This will lead to them sneezing when they get into contact with them. Some common allergies will include pollen or it could be a allergic reaction to plastic water and food bowls. You’ll need to find the exact allergies and help your bunny by getting rid of them.
• Smoke: Just like humans, smoke could lead to sneezing in rabbits. If there is an avid smoker in the household this could be the leading reason for frequent sneezing of your rabbit.
• Improper Bedding or litter: Setting up improper bedding for your rabbit may also be another reason causing your rabbit to sneeze. Beddings from pine and cedar could cause some irritation to the rabbit’s respiratory system, causing them to sneeze. The best rabbit beddings shouldn’t be causing any irritation to your bun friend in any way.
• Scents: Rabbit’s sensitive noses may also react to some strong scent such as those from perfumes and colognes. They may also be sensitive to strong scents from some cleaning products.
• Respiratory Infection: Sneezing could also be as a result of a respiratory infection. This could be either upper respiratory infection (snuffles) or due to a lower respiratory infection. It’s important that you get your bun friend checked by your local vet if they are suffering from a respiratory infection due to the low recovery rate.
• Overgrown Teeth: A rabbit’s teeth never stops growing. They need to be filed down due to contant gnawing from their chewing. If this isn’t done, the teeth will over grow and will potentially start irritating their nose. This should be checked by your vet and necessary action implemented to prevent any further irritations.

Preventing Sneezing in Rabbits

There are several ways of preventing sneezing in rabbits. The action to be taken will depend on what exactly causes the sneezing in your rabbit.

Sneezing caused by any medical condition such as respiratory infection or from an overgrown tooth should be addressed by your vet as soon as possible.

The recommendations below are based on environmental factors known to cause sneezing in rabbits.

1. Keeping a clean environment. Regular cleaning of the rabbit’s hutch will help prevent build up of dust and other irritants such as amonia from their pee.
2. Disinfecting their toys or equipment. This will help in case the irritants are stuck on their toys. Cleaning and disinfecting their toys will get rid of the irritants and prevent any future sneezes from them.
3. Keeping your rabbit warm. Keeping your rabbit warm will also help with preventing them from sneezing. Consider warming their sleeping area with a heater especially during winter period.
4. Unclog their nostrils. Sometimes the frequent sneezing could just be as a result of blocked nostrils. Unclogging their nostrils with a cotton bud will help clear their nostrils preventing them from sneezing.
5. Avoid smoking around your rabbits. Smoke is a common irritant that could lead to your bunny sneezing. Avoiding to smoke around your pet rabbit will help with the situation preventing them from sneezing
6. Avoiding hay with a large hay dust. Hay dust has been known to be an active irritant that could lead to sneezing in rabbits. Avoiding hay with a large hay dust will make it easier for your bun friend.
7. Clean any mucous discharge from the environment. Respiratory infection could lead to repetitive infections. Cleaning any mucous discharge from your rabbit’s hutch will help prevent any re-infections and lead to a much faster recovery period.

Conclusion

Sneezing in rabbits can be caused by allergies, nasal irritants such as pollen, smoke as well as a dental problem caused by an overgrown tooth. Medical condition such as respiratory infection also known as snuffles has also been known to cause frequent sneezing in rabbits.

It’s perfectly normal for rabbits to sneeze since they rely on their noses to perceive their environment which exposes them to so many irritants.

There are, however, situations that need to be taken seriously and addressed by your vet as soon as possible.

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