RNS........how common

[chris3012]

Hi, I'm a averd reader on here go though all post on a daily basis.....hear a lot about rns how common is this....and what can you do to prevent it from happening.

[sandy]

I think most keepers have had a bubble or two from a tortoises nares at one time or another. But this does not always mean an infection. It could be a reaction to somehting in the enclosure eg dust, something up the nares, too cold. But if any bubbles persist then a visit to a vet is needed. As it then could well be the starts of an infection. Better to treat early than be sorry.
But most keepers panic at the first bubble, which is understandable, but you need common sense to take over
Alway check if they have just had a drink, or bath as both can be water coming from the nares. Then check if temps or something new being used in the enclosure. Then as I said if it persists over 48hrs or less then get your tortoise to a vet.
A clear runny discharge from nares is not as vital as if the discharge is thick and gunky, if gunky then visit a vet straight away.

[STEWIE]

I dont think rns is quite as common as people think, my tort with the mbd is quite often blowing a bubble. (Don`t worry guys shes always at the vets being x-rayed and checked, it costs a fortune, lol.) But her lungs are clear and i think its just because shes a bit less hardy than the others and even a slight temperature variation causes this, shes much better in summer when shes outside, so i dont worry too much anymore.
Real rns is totally different, i`ve only ever had an outbreak once(mentioned on another topic a few days ago) , i knew they were ill immediately as the symptons were alot different from a sniff or bubble. I know it sounds starnge but they actually looked ill in their faces, i know you`ll think its strange me saying that but they did .
So in all i`d say alot of people see a bubble think its rns, when it could be like sandy says a bit of dust etc.

[linda]

http://home.earthlink.net/~rednine/RNS.html

"Runny nose syndrome" RNS is not a disease, but rather a term used to describe an upper respiratory tract infection which may have several causes

[Paulg1]

here is a classic example of what linda said. I just recieved a new leopard today. After a few hours I noticed for a split second when he hissed I saw what looked like bubbles in his nose. First instinct is to panic, but then you realize he just went through shipping, probably some cold, rough handling, and now a new environment. Stress most likely the cause. If I see him still doing it after a week, then I would go to the vet. My sully did have rns. Took two bouts of baytril(sp) to clear it up. Hasn't had a prob since.