White snot occasionally, nothing else

I recently purchased a doe from a reputable breeder/show person. The doe was fine until the day after a change in weather, one cold night. My rabbits are kept outdoors in a three sided shelter. She has a small amount of white snot sporadically. I have seen it only 3 times in one week. No matted paws or sneezing. She was bred 3 days prior to showing the snotty nose. The buck and the other 4 rabbits are fine. This would be her first litter for me and I was quite excited as she is a proven producer and show rabbit. I am just getting into breeding rabbits.


I have isolated her and avoid cross contamination, she is fed and cared for last and my hands are washed numerous times between feedings.

Is there always sneezing with snuffles? Should I let her have her litter and then cull as you described? Any advice would be appreciated and thanks for all your information you have provided.

*****Karen Sez *****
Do you know how old the doe is?

As she is breeding age, it is a safe bet that the white snot is probably Pasteurella, even if she is not repeatedly sneezing. Seems to be a mild case, which makes very little difference in the outcomes or recommended course of action, unfortunately.

You are being very wise with your approach to her care. Since her symptoms began after breeding, you might expect them to get somewhat worse as the stresses of pregnancy and lactation take a toll on her immune system. Unless by some miracle the doe suddenly gets a LOT better, then yes, you would be wise to cull this doe after she has raised her litter.

Please do let the breeder know about the symptoms. It is possible that he or she had no idea there was a problem, and will appreciate being alerted to it. Also, if it has been more than 2-3 weeks since the animal was acquired, there is also the chance your doe didn't have pasteurella
when she left the other rabbitry. (Which would raise more questions, of course.)

Lastly, your 3-sided housing arrangement sounds very adequate, as long as the prevailing winds aren't blowing directly into the open side.

Good luck with everything!

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