Stomach problems after antibiotics

[bunnywhipped]

Is it normal for a healthy bunny to still have a very sensitive stomach a year after taking antibiotics without probiotics? She had an ear infection and when she was on antibiotics, I asked about giving probiotics to keep the good gut flora but the vet claimed it wouldn’t help. After the infection was gone, I tried giving BENE-BAC gel anyway, and it helped. I’m still giving her it every week, along with Oxbow digestive support supplement, daily. if I dont, she barely poops. I’m sure this isn’t right.. but she still acts normal. Could it be the type of antibiotic we used? We first gave Baytril, but when that didn’t work, we gave Amikacin injections. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[Monkeybun]

Must have been quite the infection if Amikacin was used, thats heavy duty stuff! It does sound odd that a year later her tummy would be sinsitive still… so not sure what to suggest. I know Amikacin can cause kidney damage, but thats not a tummy issue at all.

[Sarita]

If the antibiotic is safe for rabbits it should not cause any gut flora problems which is why it is safe for rabbits. My understanding is that probiotics probably won’t help anyway – they cannot hurt but they may not help at all since as far as Benebac goes, those bacterias found in Benebac aren’t found in a rabbit’s gut flora and the bacteria most likely doesn’t even make it to the gut to be beneficial.

That being said, it sounds to me like you need to find a vet who has more rabbit experience and have her re-examined – seeing that she is a lop she is very susceptible to ear problems and dental problems. And your profile says she is not spayed – have you had that done yet?

[bunnywhipped]

I have been lectured on how probiotic “doesn’t work” quite a bit, yet BENE-BAC seems to help loads with her stomach problems, so I’m sticking with it unless I find a better one. I’m fully aware of the need to get Summer spayed. Since I really didn’t like the past vets attitude, I’m looking in to getting a new vet and have found one that seems great. I will be taking Summer for an exam and see if I like her better.

[Sarita]

There is a probiotic specifically made for rabbits called Proviable RB (the RB stands for rabbit) that is another possibility to try. Hopefully you can find a vet to help you with her spay and continued problems.

[bunnywhipped]

Yes, apparently it was.. I’ve read that it was bad for the kidneys if used long term, but like you said, it has nothing to do with her tummy.. I’m at a loss

[bunnywhipped]

Thanks! I’ll definitly try to find that. Thanks again, I’m really hoping this new vet will be better

[jerseygirl]

When you dont give it and she barely poops, does her appetite drop also?

There’s a couple ingredients in both the benebac and Oxbow product that could possibly soothe a stomach ulcer… Though, having them just once a week, I’m not really sure if that would provide lasting relief *if* there was an ulcer. 

 

With her paralysis issue, is she able to eat her cecal poop ok?

 

[bunnywhipped]

Sometimes her hay intake drops, but usually she eats everything like normal. Oh gosh, I hadn’t concidered a stomache ulcer.. could antibiotic cause that? Also, I give her bene-bac once a week, but I give her 2 digestive support supplements (which is like a hay cookie treat) everyday. Is there a test, like a ultrasound or something that would find an ulser? I do notice that she has a little trouble eating cecals, since they are so big and it’s hard for her to open her mouth real wide. Sometimes it causes her to “leave a couple berries off the bunch” as I call it. I know she does eat most of them though.

 

[Sarita]

Have you spoken with your vet about your concerns since then?

[bunnywhipped]

No, I haven’t.  I don’t have a vet at the moment, because I didn’t like either vets I went to prior to this problem. The last vet that I went to for her infection, was money hungry. He didn’t care about anything but me paying $500 more to get her spayed. The vet before that was nice but was scared of everything. I found a new vet that is listed as rabbit savy, who moved from an office far away, to a hospital that is about 15 mins away. She offers a free first exam, so I might take Summer next week and ask all my questions. I’ll ask if they’ll give me that rabbit probiotic you mentioned,  too.

 

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