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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #102: Rabbit Pasteurellosis

Exotic veterinary case - Medium - June 13, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A pet rabbit is brought in for repeated sneezing and a thick white nasal discharge.
  2. The owner has noticed damp forepaws from frequent wiping of the nose.
  3. The rabbit remains bright but has become less active over the last week.
  4. There is matting around the nostrils and mild conjunctival irritation.
  5. Bacterial upper respiratory disease is suspected in a species prone to chronic snuffles.
  6. Pasteurella multocida is a common cause of upper respiratory infection in rabbits.

Diagnosis

Rabbit Pasteurellosis

This case is most consistent with Rabbit Pasteurellosis because the rabbit has classic snuffles with nasal discharge, sneezing, and forepaw matting. The most important clues are the chronic upper respiratory pattern and rabbit signalment, which make a simple irritant rhinitis less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this exotic case supports the provided diagnosis, Rabbit Pasteurellosis, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A pet rabbit is brought in for repeated sneezing and a thick white nasal discharge.
  2. Clue 2: The owner has noticed damp forepaws from frequent wiping of the nose.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The rabbit remains bright but has become less active over the last week.
  2. Clue 4: There is matting around the nostrils and mild conjunctival irritation.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Bacterial upper respiratory disease is suspected in a species prone to chronic snuffles.
  2. Clue 6: Pasteurella multocida is a common cause of upper respiratory infection in rabbits.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this exotic case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Rabbit Pasteurellosis?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Rabbit Pasteurellosis?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.