Snuffles baytril and baby bunny

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Tamale

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Hi first time poster here. I recently started fostering rabbits for our local shelter. I started fostering two Flemish giant babies. They were a two months old when they and their siblings were seized. They were seized due to some of their siblings dying of snuffles. The vets at our shelter have treated them with baytril. Sadly only three of the babies made it. One of mine is fine and already adopted out. My other foster girl rain has been on baytril for almost 6 weeks. She is on baytril 50mg tabs one taken twice a day. It was keeping her sneezing down to a few times a day. But the last two days she's had a few sneezing fits. So I don't know if it's still working. I think actually getting worse.
She has till Tuesday to get better or the vet will deem her unadoptable. I won't let them put her down just for some sneezing. She seems fine otherwise. Eating and playing. The vet is very happy I will take her. Very supportive with me and that decision.
My long story leads to a question or five. Has anyone had a bun on baytril where it seemed to work for a bit and then get worse? It also seems to have worked on two buns but not some others. A brother of their's had to be put down. And a few others that were seized with them.
I am preparing that rain will become our bun and then I will take her to my regular exotic vet. (I have guinea pigs) as this would be my first bun I am scared and worried about keeping rain. What kind of life can she have. And what things should I talk to the vet about once I get to my vet. The shelter will spay her for me and I'm thinking of asking them to do a culture while she's under. But would a nasal flush be helpful too? I want to make her as happy as I can for as long as I can.
Sorry for all the questions. And any help or suggestions will be so welcomed.
 
Hello! I thought sharing my information about my Macy might help you. Warning you, it is a long read but it has many details that may help.

My rabbit has chronic pasturella. She lives with my other rabbit who was symptomatic with it for a very short time after bonding them, but after one round of antibiotics no longer displays any symptoms.
The one with the chronic infection has been on many different antibiotics. The antibiotics never get rid of symptoms, however I have found a combination that decreases her symptoms to being almost non existent, and extend the time between her "flare ups" or when her symptoms are bad. Macy's only symptoms are sneezing and discharge.

For every rabbit this can be different, and I have found what works through trial and error and over long period of time, and with no lack of expense.
My vet and I have found for Macy's pasturella it works best to treat with antibiotics symptomatically, but to treat with other means all the time. Also this helps prevent the antibiotics from becoming ineffective which can happen if overused.

Each day Macy gets probiotics (I use benebac powder) and I also give her a multivitamin. I also have a humidifier in the room with her, and that has seemed to help. She gets a balanced diet including veggies, good quality pellet, and different sorts of fresh hay. I avoid using any sort of dusty things near her cage, as she seems to be more sensitive to dust things so I make sure my hay has had any dust shaken out, use a dust free litter, etc.

By using day to day things that boost her immune system, I have gotten Macy down to needing antibiotics about 2-3 times per year. Before doing this she was constantly on and off them every few weeks-months. Macy is semi responsive to baytril alone. We have started combining the baytril with nebulizing antibiotics. The antibiotic that I nebulize is gentamicin and I combine it with saline. Nebulizing essentially makes the medication a mist that the rabbit inhales. Combined, the two antibiotics work very well for Macy.

Macy did have a culture and sensitivity test done, which is a good idea because it tells your vet with antibiotics the bacteria is sensitive to essentially giving them a better idea of which antibiotic treatment it will respond best to.

Perhaps the hugest thing you can do is find a knowledgable vet who you feel like you can talk to. I've taken Macy to 4 vets before finding Dr. Heidi, and it was worth the wait to find a vet who is so willing to keep brainstorming new ideas and pushing to get my bunny in the best shape she can be in. She is also one of the cheapest vets I've found and gives me discounts for continued treatment. So don't settle for a vet who isn't willing to continue working with you to find the best solutions.tics. The antibiotics never get rid of symptoms, however I have found a combination that decreases her symptoms to being almost non existent, and extend the time between her "flare ups" or when her symptoms are bad. Macy's only symptoms are sneezing and discharge.

For every rabbit this can be different, and I have found what works through trial and error and over long period of time, and with no lack of expense.
My vet and I have found for Macy's pasturella it works best to treat with antibiotics systematically, but to treat with other means all the time. Also this helps prevent the antibiotics from becoming ineffective which can happen if overused.

Each day Macy gets probiotics (I use benebac powder) and I also give her a multivitamin. I also have a humidifier in the room with her, and that has seemed to help. She gets a balanced diet including veggies, good quality pellet, and different sorts of fresh hay. I avoid using any sort of dusty things near her cage, as she seems to be more sensitive to dust things so I make sure my hay has had any dust shaken out, use a dust free litter, etc.

By using day to day things that boost her immune system, I have gotten Macy down to needing antibiotics about 2-3 times per year. Before doing this she was constantly on and off them every few weeks-months. Macy is very responsive to baytril. We have started combining the baytril with nebulizing antibiotics. The antibiotic that I nebulize is gentamicin and I combine it with saline. Nebulizing essentially makes the medication a mist that the rabbit inhales. Combined, the two antibiotics work very well for Macy.

Macy did have a culture and sensitivity test done, which is a good idea because it tells your vet with antibiotics the bacteria is sensitive to essentially giving them a better idea of which antibiotic treatment it will respond best to.

Perhaps the best thing it seems you have done is finding a knowledgable vet who you feel like you can talk to. I've taken Macy to 4 vets before finding Dr. Heidi, and it was worth the wait to find a vet who is so willing to keep brainstorming new ideas and pushing to get my bunny in the best shape she can be in. She is also one of the cheapest vets I've found and gives me discounts for continued treatment.
I remember when this journey with Macy's pasturella started it was very scary. Over time it gets easier, especially as you learn how to best help your bun. It seemed like the end of the world when I first started to realize that it wasn't going away, but now I've accepted it and changed my frame of mind. I have an overall healthy, very happy, little bun who is lucky to be in the right hands with someone who will care for her. Sounds like your bun is very lucky as well!
 
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Thank you hamsterdance.

I did take Rain in today and since she still has some discharge and is sneezing she has been deemed unadoptable. So she will stay with me. I will be booking an appointment with my regular exotic vet. I will be taking the info you gave me to her as well. I never thought of the multi vitamin or the probiotics so definitely will be asking about those.

Thanks so much again.
 
Thank you hamsterdance.

I did take Rain in today and since she still has some discharge and is sneezing she has been deemed unadoptable. So she will stay with me. I will be booking an appointment with my regular exotic vet. I will be taking the info you gave me to her as well. I never thought of the multi vitamin or the probiotics so definitely will be asking about those.

Thanks so much again.
hopefully the exotic dvm can give a proper diagnosis and better results---god speed,--sincerely james waller
 
Good luck! Hopefully it can all be cleared up! Many times it can be :) I just wanted to give you assurance that if it ends up being a chronic case that it can be manageable and the rabbit can still be very happy and have a great quality of life! :)
 
My vet took a look at her. Thinks she's in great shape. But has noticed a little discharge from her eyes too. Just a tiny bit.

We have taken her off antibiotics. The plan is to do a culture next Saturday. From there figure things out. But if she starts to have trouble breathing or gets too sick before that I have to bring her back and we'll put her back on antibiotics. And get the best culture we can. The vet did give me the oxbow immune booster in the mean time. She's on two a day.

But thanks again for the help.
 
The oxbow immune boost is what I give as well. It seems to help, if not help certainly doesn't hurt! Hopefully the culture and sensitivity gives some answers.
Best of luck!
 

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