Baytril dosage for netherland dwarf

[maxmo]

My rabbit has Bordatella and Pasteurella, so he was recently prescribed Baytril suspension orally. The vet said twice a day, but my rabbit is so small (3.5 pounds) that I’m afraid it would be too much for him. Also it’s difficult for him to take it because the flavor is so nasty. I’ve been doing once a day for these past couple days, but I don’t know if it’s still effective.

It says give 0.8 cc every 12 hours for 4 weeks. Then it says Baytril suspension (20 mg/ml, 30 ml) (6 mL). It says strength but no number or anything.

[maxmo]

Oh also I’ve been giving 0.6 cc once a day instead of 0.8 cc. I’m just so scared of antibiotics because he was on a different antibiotic in the past and had complete diarrhea 😭

[DanaNM]

You really need to be giving the medication at the dosage prescribed. To give less than your vet recommended risks causing antibiotic resistance, which would make the infection much much harder to treat.

If you have concerns about the amount this needs to be addressed with your vet.

Baytril is generally very well tolerated in rabbits and is known to be a safe antibiotic.

. . . 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.  

[maxmo]

Wait how does it cause antibiotic resistance?

[DanaNM]

You can also ask your vet if the can compound the medication with a better flavor. My vet used to make up fruit flavored antibiotics for my buns.

. . . 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.  

[maxmo]

I did and they don’t unfortunately. I wonder if they sell flavors OTC.

[DanaNM]

You can try mixing with some mashed banana, that often works!

. . . 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.  

[maxmo]

Ok thanks for the tip! do you pull in the banana first or the medicine?

[DanaNM]

When you don’t give the full dose, some of the bacteria will survive that are naturally more resistant (just due to natural variation in their genes). Those bacteria go on to reproduce and take over.

. . . 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.  

[maxmo]

I’ve been giving it once a day for about two days. That’s not enough to cause antibiotic resistance right?

[DanaNM]

i don’t think so, but be sure to get back on the dosage that was prescribed, and let your vet know right away if symptoms get worse or haven’t resolved by the end of the course. You may need to ask for a bit more antibiotic, because you will want to give the full dose for the length of time prescribed. Since you used some of the medication at a lower dosage, those days should not count towards the total course of treatment.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

I agree. Based on the information you provided, the dosage the vet prescribed is within the recommended dosage range for Baytril. It is recommended that you stick with what your vet prescribed. Not giving enough of an antibiotic can prevent it from successfully clearing the infection. And, as Dana pointed out, it can encourage antibiotic resistance.

As for flavoring, you can try mixing it with unsweetened apple juice or mashed up banana. There are medicine flavoring syrups that you can buy, but be wary of the ingredients. Some things aren’t suitable for bunnies.

[maxmo]

Ok thanks for the tips!

[Wick & Fable]

Just to ease any general concerns you may have, 3.5lbs is actually on the larger size for a Netherland Dwarf. My ND was barely 2lbs and was on Baytril twice a day for roughly 4 months— no problems whatsoever. As others have said, just give as the vet prescribed to ensure your rabbit is getting the proper treatment.

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.

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