Hatter and the sniffles

[Misspixie]

Hatter had a runny nose a while back so I took him to the vet and he was put on Baytril for 3 weeks. His nose cleared up and was fine for about 2 weeks and then it got really bad. I took him back in and his vet ran a culture on him. Turns out he has 3 infections: Pseudomona, Pasteurella and Staph. He is on 2 different antibiotics now since Baytril wont work for all 3.

Do any of you have any experience with putting drops into a bunnies nose? Any suggestions?

Thankfully, Alice has not shown any signs of infection but Dr Ridgeway thinks she may be a carrier. :/ Does this mean that Hatter may get sick again?

[Sarita]

I’ve had to put drops in a small rabbit that I used to rabbit sit. How big is Hatter?

Most rabbits are carriers of pasturella so don’t worry about Alice infecting Hatter. Some rabbits just become symptomatic due to stress, low immunity, etc…the antibiotics are only meant to help them when they are symptomatic. I don’t think the bacteria ever goes away.

You might also consider nebulizing him as well. It’s just a different way to administer the medications. I had a rabbit who had the pasturella and pseudomonas and maybe something else (awhile ago) and I nebulized him and used Amakacin in the nebulizer.

[Misspixie]

Hatter is a Dwarf bun and is just over 1.5 lbs. I looked up nebulizing and that looks like a good option. I’m not sure where to get one of those machines from though.

[Misspixie]

Is there a difference between a humidifier and a nebulizer other than a tube with a mouth piece?

[Sarita]

I’ve ordered the machines off ebay. Let me see if I can find the link for how to build a nebulizer box for a guinea pig which you can use for Hatter. Which of course I cannot. But basically you can use a rubbermaid storage tub that is large enough to put him on and you cut a round hole through one side to put the nebulizer tube in which will dispense the medication. A humidifier won’t help dispense the medication – it just humidifies the air.

[Sarita]

This is not a step by step but the photo gives you a good idea of what I tried to describe:

lorrettasplace.blogspot.com/2007/10…-care.html

[Misspixie]

Drats! The page with the directions is gone but the photo does help. Thank you so much for looking for this info for me.

Dr Ridgeway recommended using a Q-tip to administer the antibiotics to his nose if I can’t get the drops in. I am worried that this will not administer enough medicine to him though.

[Sarita]

When I was doing the nose drops for the little rabbit (and he was about 1 1/2 pounds) – I filled a regular syringe with the meds rather than the syringe that came w/the nose drops. He was easy to turn over too but Hatter may not be and I would just drop the drops in that way. I can’t see how a q-tip will get the meds in…

The syringe I used was a 1 cc syringe. The thin syringe.

[Misspixie]

Hmmm…my meds came in an eye drop bottle but I do have a 1 cc syringe. I’ll give that a try when I get home. Hatter is a wiggle worm and does not like to hold still. He thinks that everyone is hiding treats from him and he constantly has to search you from them. lol!

[Misspixie]

I was able to give Hatter the drops in his nose by cradling him in my arm. Poor little guy does not like getting them. The Baytril he LOVES and thinks is a treat so I am giving him that after the nose drops.

[Sarita]

Good idea! Hopefully all the stress of the drops will be worth it and clear his nose up. My friend’s little bun was given nose drops daily – he was a bit of a mess and an old little guy too. I think the nose drops helped him.

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