Snuffles: Respiratory Infections in Rabbits

“Snuffles” is a colloquial term for upper respiratory infection (URI) in rabbits — one of the most common bacterial illnesses affecting domestic rabbits worldwide. While the name sounds mild, snuffles can be a chronic, persistent, and in some cases serious condition that significantly affects a rabbit’s quality of life if not properly managed.

What Causes Snuffles?

The most common culprit is the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, though other bacteria — including Staphylococcus aureus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa — can cause similar or concurrent respiratory infections.

Pasteurella multocida is carried by a very high percentage of domestic rabbits — some studies suggest up to 50% of clinically healthy domestic rabbits carry the bacteria asymptomatically in their nasal passages and upper respiratory tract. Most of the time, the immune system keeps it in check. It is typically when a rabbit becomes stressed, immunocompromised, or is exposed to a high dose of the bacteria that active infection develops.

Is Snuffles Contagious?

Yes — highly contagious between rabbits. Pasteurella and other respiratory bacteria spread easily through direct contact, sneeze droplets, shared food and water bowls, and indirect contact via surfaces. If you have a multi-rabbit household and one develops snuffles, others are at significant risk of exposure.

No — not contagious to humans. Pasteurella multocida does not cause respiratory infection in healthy humans. In extremely rare cases (immunocompromised individuals with direct bite or scratch wound exposure), Pasteurella can cause wound infections — but normal airborne transmission from rabbit sneezes is not a human health risk.

Symptoms of Snuffles

Upper Respiratory Signs

• Nasal discharge — white, creamy, or yellow-green discharge from one or both nostrils
• Sneezing — frequent or persistent sneezing
• Wet forepaws — rabbits wipe their nose with their front paws, causing the fur on the inner wrists to become matted and wet; this is an important diagnostic sign
• Noisy breathing — congestion causing audible breathing

Lower Respiratory Involvement (More Serious)

If the infection progresses to the lungs (pneumonia):

• Laboured breathing
• Open-mouth breathing or blue-tinged lips/gums
• Significant lethargy
• Rapid deterioration

Open-mouth breathing in a rabbit is always an emergency — seek veterinary care immediately.

Other Manifestations of Pasteurella Infection

Pasteurella is an opportunistic bacterium that can spread to other body systems. The same infection can manifest as:

• Inner ear infection — causing head tilt (torticollis), loss of balance, and rolling
• Eye infection (conjunctivitis/dacryocystitis) — weepy, crusty eyes
• Subcutaneous abscesses — particularly on the head and face
• Reproductive tract infection — pyometra in unspayed females

Diagnosis

Your vet will diagnose snuffles based on clinical signs. For accurate bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing, a nasal swab culture can be taken — though the anatomy of the rabbit’s nasal passages makes deep sampling difficult. Chest X-rays may be taken if lower respiratory involvement is suspected.

Treatment

Snuffles is treated with antibiotics. Commonly used antibiotics in rabbits include:

• Enrofloxacin (Baytril) — a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that penetrates tissues well
• Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole — sometimes used in milder cases
• Azithromycin — used in some cases for its intracellular penetration

Treatment courses are typically long — 4–6 weeks minimum, sometimes months in chronic cases. Short courses lead to recurrence.

Why Snuffles Often Cannot Be Fully Cured

This is important to understand: in many cases, Pasteurella infection becomes latent — the bacteria retreat into the tissues and cannot be fully eliminated by antibiotics, even with prolonged treatment. The goal in many chronic cases is to manage and suppress the infection, not achieve complete eradication. Stress remains the most common trigger for recurrence.

Supportive Care

• Nebulisation — saline nebulisation can help loosen nasal secretions and ease breathing
• Good ventilation — clean air flow reduces irritation; avoid dusty bedding or hay
• Reduce stress — stress is the primary trigger for flare-ups; ensure stable routine, appropriate housing, and companionship
• Nutritional support — rabbits with snuffles may eat less; ensure hay is always available and consider syringe-feeding Critical Care if appetite drops significantly

When to Seek Emergency Care

Contact your vet immediately if your rabbit:

• Begins breathing through their mouth (open-mouth breathing)
• Develops blue, grey, or pale gum colour
• Shows sudden severe lethargy or collapse
• Develops significant difficulty breathing

Reducing the Risk of Flare-Ups

While you may not be able to fully eliminate Pasteurella, you can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of episodes:

• Minimise stress — maintain consistent routine, appropriate housing size, companionship
• Ensure correct diet — optimal nutrition supports a strong immune response
• Avoid dusty environments — dust is a respiratory irritant
• Avoid tobacco smoke — another significant respiratory irritant
• Keep the enclosure very clean — ammonia from urine is a respiratory irritant

The RabbitCare App

Tracking the dates and severity of snuffles flare-ups in the RabbitCare App (free on Android) helps you identify triggers, share accurate history with your vet, and ensure antibiotic courses are completed correctly with built-in medication reminder features.

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References & Sources

1. Harcourt-Brown, F. (2002) — Textbook of Rabbit Medicine, Butterworth-Heinemann
2. Meredith, A. & Lord, B. (Eds.) (2014) — BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine, BSAVA
3. RWAF — “Respiratory Disease in Rabbits” — rabbitwelfare.co.uk
4. Varga, M. (2014) — Textbook of Rabbit Medicine, 2nd ed., Elsevier
5. Deeb, B.J. & DiGiacomo, R.F. (2000) — “Respiratory diseases of rabbits” — Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice