Baytril not working? Leah still has a UTI

[melbunny]

 Hi,

It seems that Leah’s $500 prodecedure to flush her bladder only lasted a few months. I’d started noticing about two weeks ago Leah has spotting again. Then last thursday i noticed some blood on the bunny floor in what appeared to be pee where Leah was just sitting. I shoved some water in her stuck her in an empty litter pan and watched her pee. She was peeing jelly like stuff after the intially watery stuff. So I called the vet and had to fit Leah in on friday morning with Izzy (my goldie who also had a UTI).  

Dr. Brady noticed some grainy stuff and blood when she expressed her bladder. Her pee was sent away and came back with a UTI with some blood/white blood cells (i didn’t get to talk to her and she had only left a message on the phone which my mom listened too). According to my mother the message said no abnormal cells though. They gave Leah Baytril 0.7ml twice a day for 7 days. Leah finished that last night. I didn’t see any “cloudy or bloody pee” all week till this morning (cloudy). Then this evening i see some with two flecks of blood in it.  I gave her some cran/apple juice to see if that’ll help flush her out (she spits out the water and i think pineapple might be too sugary). 

I’m just soo! worried. They’re closed tomorrow and i think monday (dame holiday. I have to work so i think they should too).  The next time i could get her in would be tuesday.  I don’t know what to do. She has an appointment wednesday afternoon with Dr. Jeanne to get her urine tested again, but i’m worried about the two flecks of blood in the urine.

Very worried bunny mom,

Melissa

 

[Sarita]

I would ask him to show you how to do fluids and to express her bladder so you can excrete the sludge out of it…you can do this at home.

[melbunny]

i’ve looked up on the internet and watched videos, but i’m not getting anything. The bad thing is because i have to work my mother is taking leah in. I guess i can ask her to have Dr. Jeanne show her to show me….

[KatnipCrzy]

Bladder sludge could be causing blood in the urine from the irritation of the gritty sludge-there does not need to be any bacteria or abnormal cells present when a rabbit has sludge. Baytril could help with an infection or prevent a secondary infection from the irritated bladder and urinary tract. Sounds like maybe the issue of sludge needs to be addressed and if you have a rabbit with sludge it is better to have them passing the sludge as opposed to retaining it in their bladder.

[melbunny]

Leah went to the vet today and $208 later i’ll know whats up tomorrow. Dr. Jeanne did 2 different urine tests, gave her fluids, and expressed her bladder. Erika (the vet tech) said that there wasn’t any gray stuff in it this time around. The pee also looked not as grainy; so they didn’t clean out her bladder.

Good wishes for Leah bunny!

[LittlePuffyTail]

((((((Feel Better Leah)))))

[melbunny]

Thanks ^^

Spoke with Dr. Jeanne today. The sent away tests showed less bacteria and blood than before. The culture/bacteria test is still undergo so i have to wait till tomorrow to hear about that. What she wants to do is to put Leah on sub fluids. She suggested teaching me and for me to give it to her every other day. Now the thing is that i’m a pharm tech. I can dispense needles, and eventually get them ready. Personally i can’t stand to look at them. I can’t watch myself or any of my animals getting a shot. I’m a bit terrified of them. I told her that. She seemed a bit disappointed at that. I watched some videos of a bunny getting fluids and there is a reason i’m in the “medicine” and not “medical” part of the field. I just don’t do well with this type of stuff.

So i said i could take her in on thursday mornings (i close this day) and on saturdays. I can also get my mother to take her in one day. Dr. Jeanne said we could start out with this. She seemed disappointed. I hate disappointing people as much as i hate needles.

Has anyone rabbit with bladder sludge done well with twice a week treatments?

[Sarita]

Don’t be afraid to do sub-q fluids – I hate needles to but I found this to be pretty simple to do once I got the hang of it. Also it’s much more cost effective than having the vet do it.

I think it can help quite a bit. Also learning how to express the bladder is helpful to help drain the sludge out. The rabbit has to be upright in order to help evacuate the sludge.

[BinkyBunny]

I understand about the needles thing. Normally I would have my husband do it..gech. But I have been able to do it when in pinch. The good thing is that the back of a bunny’s neck is less sensitive. One vet told me that there are less nerve endings there. Anyway, that definitely seems to be the case at least pain wise, because as long as I bring the skin up, away from bone or muscle and tent it a bit, my bunnies have never even noticed. I prefer to give meds that way than even orally. The only issue is keeping a bunny still. Do you have someone who can help you with that part?

It’s the FIRST time that can be difficult as you are unsure, but have the vet or vet tech show you how.

Sub-q fluids helped Jack alot, and eventually we were actually able to decrease how often we had to do it.

My suggestion though is to have something to distract your bunny but keep him in the same place — like give him pellets or healthy treats while it’s going on. Also, don’t be alarmed if you see the fluids settle in one area under the skin, that’s normal and it will eventually distribute throughout his body in the next 12 hours.

[BinkyBunny]

I forgot to add — if this kind of stuff actually makes you feel weak in the knees, I found that it helped me to talk about something else or think about something else completely while I was doing it. Not sure if that helps or not.

[melbunny]

Thanks for all of the well wishes!! ^^

Posted By Sarita on 01/19/2012 05:44 AM 
Don’t be afraid to do sub-q fluids – I hate needles to but I found this to be pretty simple to do once I got the hang of it. Also it’s much more cost effective than having the vet do it. 

I think it can help quite a bit. Also learning how to express the bladder is helpful to help drain the sludge out. The rabbit has to be upright in order to help evacuate the sludge.

Turns out to be very much soo. Only cost $26 for everything. Dr. Jeanne said she won’t charge me for 3-4 weeks at the vet to learn how to give the fluids. If i haven’t learned by then i’ll have to pay $10 each time.  

Posted By BB on 01/20/2012 09:56 PM
I understand about the needles thing. Normally I would have my husband do it..gech. But I have been able to do it when in pinch. The good thing is that the back of a bunny’s neck is less sensitive. One vet told me that there are less nerve endings there. Anyway, that definitely seems to be the case at least pain wise, because as long as I bring the skin up, away from bone or muscle and tent it a bit, my bunnies have never even noticed. I prefer to give meds that way than even orally. The only issue is keeping a bunny still. Do you have someone who can help you with that part?

It’s the FIRST time that can be difficult as you are unsure, but have the vet or vet tech show you how.

Sub-q fluids helped Jack alot, and eventually we were actually able to decrease how often we had to do it.

My suggestion though is to have something to distract your bunny but keep him in the same place — like give him pellets or healthy treats while it’s going on. Also, don’t be alarmed if you see the fluids settle in one area under the skin, that’s normal and it will eventually distribute throughout his body in the next 12 hours.

I didn’t know that. The vet techs kept telling me not to worry. That i won’t hurt her. Unfortunetly i failed today at learning to grab her fur to make a tent because i was terrified i would hurt her. Leah was a good girl though. She just sat there and chilled the whole time. Didn’t even care when they stuck the needle in for the liquids. I have to practice grabbing the skin this week. Next saturday if i have that mastered i’ll be giving her the needle….

My mother is going to be helping me with it. She is taking Leah in on tueday to learn how to do it. Though it is still in debate who is going to holding Leah and who is going to be giving her the needle…

The techs suggested giving the fluids to her in a place where she is comfortable, but still has a hook to hang the bag. It’ll probably be one of the bathrooms or the kitchen (with all dogs outside). Luckily Leah has always been the most coroperative bunnies to deal with. If it was Essy this would be a nightmare…..

Thanks for all the help and suggestions! I’ll keep posted on Leah’s progress. ^^

Melissa

 

[Sarita]

I recommend the bathroom – I sit on the floor with the rabbit between my legs so they cannot really move and put the IV bag on a hanger and hang it from the shower door – just need to find a place to hang them. Then I usually pet the rabbit while I’m waiting for the fluids to do it’s thing.

[melbunny]

 That’s a really good idea I didn’t even think of it! Thanks. ^^ Leah will probably be getting her own song made up. Somehow whenever one bun always needs long term care i take a song and work their name into it. Either that or she’ll get “Sugar Pie hunny buns”. 

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