Pasteurella multocida causes the classic rabbit "snuffles" syndrome — sneezing, nasal discharge, matted front paws from wiping the face, and sometimes pneumonia, ear infections, or skin abscesses. Most pet rabbits carry the bacteria latently. Antibiotics control flares but rarely clear infection completely.
Last reviewed: May 2026
What Pasteurellosis Looks Like
The signs depend on which organ system the bacteria settles in. Upper respiratory infection (URI) is by far the most common presentation — clear-to-purulent nasal discharge, sneezing fits, and matted fur on the inside of the front paws because rabbits wipe their nose with their paws. The discharge dries to crusty deposits around the nostrils. A rabbit with chronic snuffles often has a constant whistling or wheezy sound on breathing.
When the infection spreads to the middle or inner ear, head tilt, loss of balance, circling, and rolling appear suddenly. Pneumonia presents as labored breathing, increased respiratory rate, and lethargy — these rabbits are critically ill and often hide signs until they're severely compromised. Skin abscesses (firm, dome-shaped lumps with cottage-cheese pus) and reproductive infections (uterine or testicular) are less common but still part of the spectrum.
Why Most Rabbits Carry It
Pasteurella is endemic in domestic rabbit colonies. Studies have found carriage rates of 30 to 100 percent depending on housing conditions and stress, with most carriers showing no signs (Oglesbee & Lord, 2010, JEPM). Clinical disease typically appears when something stresses the immune system — a new rabbit added to the household, environmental temperature swings, a recent move, poor husbandry, or concurrent disease (dental problems are a frequent unmasking stressor).
That carriage reality shapes treatment expectations. A rabbit with a respiratory flare can almost always be improved, but bacterial clearance is rarely complete. The goal is symptom control and quality of life, not sterilization.
How Vets Diagnose Pasteurellosis
Diagnosis combines clinical signs with culture. A deep nasal swab (not a casual surface swab) cultured for aerobic bacteria identifies Pasteurella and other respiratory pathogens like Bordetella, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. Cultures should always include sensitivity testing because resistance patterns vary widely between rabbits and households. Skull radiographs or, ideally, CT evaluate the tympanic bullae for middle ear involvement and the nasal cavity for chronic rhinitis.
A full dental exam is essential because tooth root abscesses can mimic or coexist with Pasteurella URI — the maxillary tooth roots sit immediately below the nasal cavity. PCR testing is occasionally used in research settings but not commonly in private practice.
Antibiotics That Work in Rabbits
Antibiotic choice is critical because rabbits are uniquely sensitive to gut dysbiosis from oral antibiotics. The safe drugs include trimethoprim-sulfa (often first-line for URI), enrofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, and benzathine penicillin given parenterally only. The dangerous drugs are amoxicillin, ampicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin — these can trigger fatal clostridial overgrowth and should never be given orally to a rabbit.
Duration depends on severity. URI typically gets 14 to 21 days of oral antibiotics. Pneumonia gets 4 to 6 weeks. Abscesses often require months of antibiotics combined with surgical debridement or marsupialization, because the thick rabbit pus doesn't drain through small openings. Nebulization with gentamicin or saline plus a mucolytic helps chronic cases.
Supportive Care That Matters
Nutritional support is the foundation. Sick rabbits stop eating quickly, and GI stasis follows within hours. Critical Care or other recovery formulas at 50 mL per kilogram per day, divided into 3 to 4 syringe feedings, prevent stasis. Subcutaneous fluids correct dehydration. Environmental management — clean cage, low dust, no ammonia from soiled bedding, stable temperature between 65 and 75°F — reduces respiratory irritation per AEMV Pet Care Guides, 2024.
Pain control with meloxicam (0.6 to 1 mg/kg orally once or twice daily) is appropriate for rabbits with skin abscesses or ear disease and is well tolerated even in chronic use. Prokinetic drugs like cisapride or metoclopramide help maintain gut motility during illness.
Long-Term Outlook
Mild URI cases respond within days and may not flare again for months or years. Chronic cases turn into a management situation — flares every few months, intermittent antibiotic courses, and gradual progression. Some rabbits develop chronic dacryocystitis (tear duct infection) requiring repeated flushing under anesthesia. Pneumonia carries the worst prognosis; even with aggressive treatment, mortality is significant. Quality of life is the metric to watch.
When to See a Vet
Any change in a rabbit's breathing pattern is urgent. Rabbits are obligate nasal breathers, and respiratory signs progress faster than most owners expect.
Call your vet today if:
- Clear or colored nasal discharge with sneezing
- Matted fur on the front paws from face-wiping
- New head tilt or loss of balance
- Decreased appetite or fewer fecal pellets
- New lump under the skin
Go to the ER immediately if:
- Open-mouth breathing or visible respiratory distress
- Blue or pale gums or tongue
- Complete loss of appetite for more than 12 hours
- Severe lethargy or unresponsiveness
- Rolling and inability to right itself
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does rabbit snuffles treatment cost?
Initial workup with exam, nasal culture, and radiographs runs $250 to $500 with an exotic vet. Skull CT runs $1,000 to $2,000 for advanced cases. Oral antibiotics for 14 to 21 days run $40 to $100. Chronic abscess management with surgery and prolonged antibiotics can exceed $2,000 to $3,500.
Can a rabbit be cured of Pasteurella?
Rarely. Most rabbits achieve clinical remission with appropriate antibiotics but remain carriers for life, with flares triggered by stress, husbandry changes, or dental disease. The goal of treatment is symptom control and prevention of progression to pneumonia, not bacterial elimination. Some rabbits go years between flares with good husbandry.
Why can't my rabbit have amoxicillin?
Oral amoxicillin and other penicillin-class antibiotics can cause fatal clostridial overgrowth in rabbits within 48 to 72 hours. The same applies to lincomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin orally. Safe oral options include trimethoprim-sulfa, enrofloxacin, azithromycin, and chloramphenicol. Penicillin can be used safely as parenteral injectable benzathine penicillin under vet supervision.
Is my other rabbit going to catch snuffles?
Probably yes, though they may stay asymptomatic. Pasteurella spreads through direct contact and airborne droplets in close housing. Both rabbits should be evaluated and treated based on signs and culture. The good news is that many bonded rabbit pairs have similar carrier status already, so co-housing isn't typically the problem — stress and husbandry usually are.
Still Not Sure if Your Rabbit Needs a Vet?
When you're not sure if this is wait-and-see or call-tonight, Voyage AI Vet triages in under 2 minutes. Describe what you're seeing in chat, share photos of the nasal discharge, matted front paws, or any visible lumps, or hop on a live video call if you want a second pair of eyes. Every answer comes with citations to the actual veterinary literature it's pulling from — so you see exactly where the guidance comes from, not just a chatbot's word.