Pasteurella / Pasteurellosis

[MeggoWaffle]

Hi everyone,

A few months ago my rabbit Piper stopped eating** and when we took her in the vet said it was an upper respiratory infection. She pinned it on Pasteurella (no, did not do a culture) and said that Piper not eating was just from not feeling well from the pasteurella flare-up. After a round of Baytril and fluids, Piper was back to normal.

Now Piper is not eating again (was eating fine this morning) except for a bit of hay. Every time this happens am I supposed to subject her to another round of Baytril? She was completely miserable with the twice-daily syringe sessions and the Baytril upset her stomach so I would obviously rather not do it unless absolutely necessary.

Parents with buns with chronic Pasteurella please weigh in. What causes flare-ups (or what causes Pasteurella to progress to Pasteurellosis?)? Do your buns have the same decrease in appetite or does their sickness manifest in other ways? Do you always assume that not-feeling-well symptoms must be the infection flaring up? How often do you do a round of Baytril? Do their immune systems ever tamp it down on their own?

Sorry for all the questions. I’m just wondering if I should be jumping to conclusions that this is another bout of pasteurellosis coming, and if so, whether to expect to handle this multiple times per year.

Thanks,

Megan

 

**she would stop eating for a night and then the next morning would be fine. A few days later she pulled the not eating stunt again and then went to eating. We brought her in even though she was eating again. Then she stopped eating after she started the Baytril.

 

Note: Edited on 5/14/2013 to correct spelling in subject line.

[Sarita]

Well the short answer to your question is yes, when a rabbit is symptomatic then you will have to administer meds.

However I would not jump to conclusions – rabbits at this age can also have dental problems and your description of her appetite could also be an indication of that or really just about anything.

I know your vet didn’t do a culture but it is a good idea and it’s not always pasturella or just pasturella, it may be a combo of bacteria causing the URI. I know pasturella is common but it not always safe to assume it is this for a URI. Just my opinion and I know you realize this since you’ve noted the vet did not do a culture previously.

[MeggoWaffle]

Just an update, Piper started eating about five minutes after I posted this Thursday night. She wouldn’t eat the regular greens but she ate some parsley, which I only break out when they won’t eat. And she ate some critical care. I called the vet office Friday morning but the rabbit vet isn’t in until Tuesday! So I gave her fluids to help her feel better until then. She expanded her palate to pellets and broccoli along with parsley yesterday and she was eating regular greens this morning so I think the pickiness has passed for now. But I’ll probably give her daily fluids until her vet appt Tuesday morning. She hasn’t been snuffling so I’m hoping if it is a URI it won’t be too terrible to wait a couple days.

I’ll ask again about the culture but the Baytril did knock out the infection last time so I’m hoping it’s something simple. I’ve already decided that if Piper needs Baytril again we will go with the injectable; she REALLY hated the twice-daily syringe sessions last time and it stressed her out ten times more than the daily fluids.

[jerseygirl]

I’m a little confused as to why the vet said it was a URI. What were her symptoms other then her stopping eating?

I’ve already decided that if Piper needs Baytril again we will go with the injectable; she REALLY hated the twice-daily syringe sessions last time and it stressed her out ten times more than the daily fluids.

excellent idea! Especially if she’s having gi upsets. Another route is via nebuliser though she could well find that stressful also… I’ve seen simple set ups of using a plastic tote to set the rabbit in (lid on) then a hole cut in the side to place the nebuliser hose.
Another option is drops up the nose. Not bad if there are pockets of infection that oral antibiotic is not clearing up.

I think one possible trigger for flare ups is the heat. Snuffly buns seem to react to weather changes.
I don’t have too much personal experience with this other then a rabbit I looked after toward the end of last year. His primary care taker said her was getting bouts of gi upset about every 6 weeks.
When he was with me on a really hot day he began mouth breathing and was lethargic. I took
him to the vet and he gave injection of penicillin which he had a course of. This bun hadnt been diagnosed with anything before but this vet suspected he had sinus infection probably related to tooth roots.
Anyway, he improved in energy and appetite once he was in cooler area. If the nasal passages are congested then there’s little choice but to breath thru the mouth- so then eating becomes difficult.

[MeggoWaffle]

Well I hadn’t connected the two as symptoms, but for a couple months prior to the first bout, she had been making faint ‘oinking’ noises (which I guess could be snuffling) as she ran around my feet in the morning. This had not struck me as odd because our other bun makes a lot of nose noises, has since we rescued her. I haven’t heard Piper making those noises lately but her nose does look a little wet so I think it could be the same thing.

Drops up the nose will probably not work for us. She is impossible to restrain (spent the first year of her life in a tiny cage and still doesn’t like getting picked up) and knowing her she will sneeze it right out. But maybe a nebulizer, thanks for the idea.

Thankfully I haven’t seen any mouth breathing. Our landlord is too cheap to properly insulate our house, but we still run the A/C (and have tiles etc).

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