Snuffles! Please help

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 8sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 10 months ago by Bam.

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- 04/13/2022 at 4:41 AM
  Gingerxmistyxo
  Participant
  29 posts
  Hi guys, I’m looking for some advice if possible. Misty started sneezing badly last Wednesday, going no longer than 5 minutes without a sneezing fit. By Friday the sneezes become wet and so she went straight into our rabbit vet. They heard slight crackles on her lungs and so diagnosed an upper respiratory infection. She is currently on antibiotics and anti inflammatories. She’s been on them since Friday night and there’s been no improvement. we are in the process of moving because of bad mould and damp issues and so I know this could be a cause and I feel so awful because it could be my fault. She is still sneezing constantly and making random wheezes. The good points are these are her only symptoms and she’s not struggling to breathe (no mouth breathing, no coughing) and she’s still eating drinking, pooing and playing with ginger like usual. I currently have the windows open and dehumidifier on to make the air as clean as possible and I have an electric heater blowing near their cage in case they are cold with a blanket to cuddle up on. Is there anything else I can be doing at home alongside the medication and the air cleaning I can be doing to help? I’ve read albus oil or vapour rub in hot water near her cage for her to inhale can be beneficial but wanted to ask you guys first to see what else I can be doing. I just want to get her better. We are moving house in the next two weeks and I can’t wait to remove her from this one incase it’s the house that’s causing her to be sneezing.
- 04/13/2022 at 8:10 AM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5834 posts
  If you have been following the antibiotic regimen since Friday and it is now Wednesday (i.e. 6 days) and there have been no improvements, I’d contact the vet to discuss trying a different antibiotic. URIs can be caused by several bacteria, so it’s common that the first (or even second) antibiotic tried isn’t the right one to attack the specific bacteria impacting your rabbit.
  
  If accessible to your vet, you can do a culture sensitivity test to better target the bacteria vs. trial and error: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/culture.html
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 04/13/2022 at 8:28 AM
  Gingerxmistyxo
  Participant
  29 posts
  Hi I did contact them to try alternative antibiotics but they told me there wasn’t any other options than the one that was prescribed? Should there be multiple options?
- 04/13/2022 at 9:04 AM
  Gingerxmistyxo
  Participant
  29 posts
  I’ve enquired about the culture and been quoted just over £600 for the whole thing which is a lot of money. I’ve asked if it would be possible to try baytril as an antibiotic rather than Sumatrim and hopefully they say yes to this so that we can try an alternative medication before paying that much money if it can be avoided . Thanks for your advice and I’ll update the thread on the outcome
- 04/13/2022 at 12:09 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5834 posts
  There should be multiple options, yes.
  
  They can go by different names, but bactrim and baytril are oral antibiotics. See here for rabbit-safe antibiotics: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Common_drug_dosages_for_rabbits
  
  Please make sure you are seeing a rabbit-experiencer exotic veterinarian as well.
  
  Injectable penicillin is also a possible tx (NEVER administer penicillin orally) though typically a last effort since it’s shots…. Which no one likes to administer.
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 04/15/2022 at 5:54 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17224 posts
  I agree. Sometimes you just need to try a different antibiotic. I don’t know why the vet would say that, there are several antibiotics that are OK to use in rabbits. I have had a lot of luck with Azithromycin, but every infection is different.
- 04/21/2022 at 2:29 PM
  Gingerxmistyxo
  Participant
  29 posts
  Yes my vet is on the list of rabbit savvy vets in my area, however the fact they tell me she cannot have another option of antibiotic is strange to me. I rang up and asked for an alternative antibiotic, and suggested that we try baytril, to which she told me she wouldn’t prescribe as it wasn’t recommended for rabbits. I explained my other Rabbit had been prescribed it 2 years prior from a different vet but they still wouldn’t prescribe any ring else. She’s still sneezing now 2 weeks on and so I’m going to go to a different vet and get a 2nd opinion. The vet quoted me £650 for the swab etc which I want to explore an alternative antibiotic before going down this avenue. Thankyou for reassuring me that I am correct.
- 04/21/2022 at 2:38 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  That’s very odd, baytril is really commonly given to rabbits!
  
  I agree that a second opinion is a good idea!
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 04/21/2022 at 2:53 PM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17028 posts
  I too would go to another vet. I had an older bun that had a respiratory infection and got Bactrim for it. My vet is very rabbit savvy, and made it quite clear that if the Bactrim didnt help, Baytril would be the next step. Luckily my bun recovered after 2 weeks on Bactrim.
  
  My bun also got meloxicam (an NSAID, i e an anti- inflammatory painkiller), a stomach-protecting drug called ranitidine (now replaced by famotidine) and Bricanyl (terbutaline, a bronchodilator). He made s full recovery.
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