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Pasteurella Multocida
Otherwise known as Snuffles
Pasteurella multocida is a nasty little germ. When a rabbit comes down with symptoms from this bacterium, the vet will call this disease Pasteurellosis, the general term used when the rabbit’s immune system has been overwhelmed with Pasteurella multocida.
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The leading researchers believe that 100% of rabbits, or at least 100% of rabbitries, have been exposed to pasteurella (Rabbit Production, Sixth Edition, pg 213). The germ is everywhere in the rabbit world; the best protection is boosting your rabbit's overall health.This bacterium is the cause of the respiratory condition known as "snuffles." Snuffles actually describes a symptom, not exactly the illness. Snuffles are paroxysms of head-jerking sneezing that occur on a regular basis. The symptom of snuffles is almost certainly a result of pasteurella multocida. If your rabbit is sneezing, and you see ANY white sticky snot in its nose, it’s not a cold, it’s Pasteurella multocida. 
Picture all those little green mucus critters on TV moving into your rabbit's lungs, suitcases and all, but with NO REMEDY. This picture of a snotty rabbit nose is published by Tufts University.
I sure hate to be so gloomy about everything! But don't just take it from me, listen to the rabbit experts: "There’s no such thing as a ‘cold’ in rabbits," is the unequivocal statement in Rabbit Production (p. 213). "Mucopurulent nasal discharges (pus) that many people attribute to colds are almost invariably caused by P. multocida in conjunction with another bacterium called Bordatella bronchisepticum. This is not a transient condition like a cold, but one with permanent adverse effects on the animal." Before we assume rabbit-sneezing is pasteurella multocida, check to ensure the rabbit is not sneezing from environmental causes: - feed dust sniffed by the rabbit - the sneeze will be short and dry
- drinking water in the nose - the nose might be damp on the outside tip of the nose, and the sneeze will be brief.
- In the case of pasteurella: The rabbit keeps on sneezing on and off, and you notice matting on the insides of the front legs from wiping the white snot away with the front legs (they haven't figured out how to use tissues), and especially, you actually see white snot bubbles as the rabbit sneezes. Thick white snot is pasteurella multocida.
A Whole Repertoire of Trouble with
Pasteurella Multocida
Pasteurella ratchets up the hurt in lots of other ways too:- Snuffles easily turns into Pneumonia
- Metritis - infection in doe’s womb
- Orchitis - infection in buck’s testicles
- Colds - there are no colds, only pasteurella multocida (99% of the time)
- Wry Neck - middle or inner ear infection
- Weepy Eyes - eye infection closing off the tear ducts
- Body abscesses - marble-sized to golf-ball sized boils, filled with thick white cheesy pus
- Body ulcers - ulcerations, on skin, tongue, eyes, other locations
- Bone infections - frequently associated with infected teeth
- Infections in roots of teeth
- I doubt this list is complete...oh yeah, death...
Visit the Long Beach Animal Hospital website for some pretty gruesome pictures of animals with pasteurella, and some of the surgical procedures the sick rabbits undergo. This picture of wry neck is published on their website. Let me say it one more time: there is no cure for pasteurella multocida. Antibiotics suppress the symptoms for the duration of the course of the antibiotics. Immune system boosting supplements strengthen the rabbit’s health, and the symptoms can go away. However, at the next downturn of the immune system, it all comes right back again.
Pasteurella multocida in rabbits is widespread.
Up to 100% of all domestic rabbits might be exposed to or even harboring Pasteurella multocida in their body, but not all of these rabbits are showing disease symptoms. Many rabbits carry the germ, but are perfectly healthy. Their immune systems have tamed the bugs.Some vets recognize the huge prevalence of rabbit exposure to pasteurella bacteria, and no longer recommend culling the rabbit. Instead, they suggest a treatment protocol. What ends up happening is - the rabbit gets better... temporarily. And when the wind changes, and the antibiotics run out, it gets sick all over again. And then it gets cranky, because it doesn’t feel good. If this is your very favorite pet rabbit, you may indeed choose to try treating the Pasteurella multocida. And we completely understand. But please: - Don’t use your sick pet for breeding.
- Don’t get another rabbit at the same time as you have a sick rabbit.
- Recognize that the rabbit will need medication for the rest of its life. Will the continual vet bills take a toll on your allowance or your finances?
- Please don’t release your frustrations into the wild. This is illegal in many localities, and can result in epidemics of rabbit diseases (not to mention a free meal for coyotes).
Here’s one excellent course of action: - When you’re tired of the bills and have gotten up the nerve, put the sick rabbit out of its misery.
- Disinfect all your rabbit things.
- Vacuum and dust carefully
- Wash all your clothes
- After a month or two elapses, locate a reputable breeder of healthy rabbits (see All Rabbit Breeds for links, or go to www.arba.net/Breeders.php), and obtain another favorite pet rabbit. Reputable breeders will guarantee the health of their rabbits for a period of time. With a healthy, happy rabbit, you may get to enjoy it for up to 10 years without ever having to run to the vet.
It’s okay to cull a sick rabbit. Visit our Harvest A Rabbit page if you think you can do it yourself (have any friends with strong stomachs?), or simply ask a vet to put it down. The animal is sick - you’re kindly putting it out of its misery.
Why is culling so important?
The prevalence of pasteurella germs living inside domestic rabbits (whether or not there are symptoms) is close to 100%. The idea behind culling our sick rabbits is not necessarily to reduce the prevalence of the germ, but to arrive at overall improved immunity to snuffles across the board in ALL domestic rabbits. Rabbits may always carry P. multocida, but with strong immune systems, far fewer of them would ever get sick. And isn’t that what we really want - pet rabbits and breeding rabbits that never get sick?? We CAN outwit pasteurella through careful breeding programs that fix HEALTH in every rabbit. Visit our Pasteurellosis page to learn exactly how to improve rabbit health in your own rabbitry. You'll also learn about how the Aurora Rex Rabbit Ranch is winning the battle against Pasteurella multocida.
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