Antibiotics

[Pipp]

Also See:
Medications
Infections
Abscesses
Pasteurella


Notes:


Excerpt 1: (Rabbit Health in the 21st Century - 2nd Edition by Kathy Smith):

All forms of oral penicillins, especially the semisynthetic penicillin derivatives such as Amoxicillin and Ampicillin, can be deadly to your rabbit.
Never accept a prescription for oral penicillin for your rabbit. . .
Injectible forms of Penicillin G (Pen-G), a natural penicillin, are relatively safe for rabbits and can be an excellent treatment for abscesses and other infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to Pen-G.


Excerpt 2: Penicillin, Bicillin and All That Stuff In Rabbits (Dr Linda Dykes, Owen Davies, and Judith Brown MRCVS in April 2003)

. . . Reports began to circulate on the internet, tales of rabbits brought back from the brink with penicillin treatment for serious bone infections and abscesses. One particular combination of long-acting penicillins (procaine and benzathine penicillin, usually referred to as "bicillin") started to acquire a reputation as a near-miracle treatment for such bunnies.

Important note: This section refers only to the use of parenteral (injectable) penicillins. .. Penicillins can cause serious or fatal diarrhoea in rabbits. But, given by injection, rather than by mouth, bicillin is remarkably well tolerated. Nevertheless, the risks/benefits have to be carefully weighed up by the prescribing vet.


Excerpt 3:Etherbun Post About Appetite Loss From Antibiotics (Rami, Etherbun Yahoo Group)

. . . Often a decrease in appetite is observed 48-72 hours after starting the administration of an antibiotic. A lot of people stop the treatment, fearing digestive problem. This is a wrong attitude. Indeed, one should keep in mind that 48 to 72 hours is the time where the antibiotics reaches the aimed levels in the blood circulation filtered= killing the bacteria.

Bacteria that are dying can release toxins or other molecules in the blood. The later can make the rabbit feel uncomfortable, and lead to a decrease of appetite. When one continues to give the antibiotic accompanied with supportive measures, like fluids, hand-feeding, one will observe that , the rabbit will fell much better after 72 h. and will start eating by itself again.

The rest of the treatment is usually uneventful from this point, with the rabbit slowly recovering.


Articles

Penicillins in Rabbits... Bicillins and All That Stuff (UK House Rabbit, Dr Linda Dykes, Owen Davies, and Judith Brown MRCVS in April 2003)
http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/rwf/articles/penicillin.htm
(Broken Link)

Antibiotics Dangerous In Use For Rabbits
http://www.medirabbit.com/Unsafe_medication/dangerous_antibiotics.htm

How to Treat a Rabbit That Has Been Given A Life-Threatening Antibiotic?
http://www.medirabbit.com/Unsafe_medication/Unsafe_treatment.htm

Enterotoxemia (Antibiotic-Associated Enteritis)
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=18&cat=1803&articleid=2581

New Bead Treatment For Jaw Abscesses (San Diego HRS,Jeffrey R. Jenkins, DVM)
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/vet-talk/beadtherapy.html
(Broken Link)

Successful Eradication of Severe Abscesses in Rabbits with Long- Term Administration of Penicillin G Benzathine/Penicillin G Procaine by Marcy E. Rosenfield (Moore):
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~jwmoore/bicillin/bicillin.htm


RO Threads

Baytril: Long-term Side Effects?

Clavamox: Amoxicillin trihydrate clavulanate potassium

My Rabbit Has a Staph Infection

My Bunny has a Huge Lump

Poppy (Antibiotics, Vent Disease)

PenG vs. Bicillin

 

[Haley]

An important note and update from Marcy Moore, one of the researchers who firststudied, tested, and published informationonBicillin as a treatment for abscessesin rabbits:

THIS INFORMATION IS THE CORRECT BICILLIN PROTOCOL...PLEASE DISREGARD
ANY OTHER PROCEDURE THAT IS DIFFERENT TO THIS:

We are seeing so much misuse and inaccuracies with respect to
Bicillin hence the reason to REITERATE the proper protocol.

It took years of controlled experimental data (from a reputable
institution) that went clinical, collaborating with many different
vets. It has been proven that Marcy Moore's method works because
dozens of vets have independently replicated her data with the
identical results which is called a peer review process.



*****MISUSES AND INACCURACIES *****

- Bicillin is in the blood for 7 days so once/week is enough

- Pen–G Procaine is bicillin

- Maintenance dose every 3 days

- Leave Bicillin out for over an hour to warm

*****PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE INACCURACIES!!!!!!!!!!!!
__________________________________________________________



Bicillin Protocol (condensed version):


Bicillin C-R® (150K penicillin G benzathine & 150K penicillin G
procaine 300,000 units/ml
Route of administration: subcutaneous injection

* Rabbits weighing LESS than 2.50 Kgs receive 75,000 units (.25 cc)
every other day for 8 weeks or longer until a cure is met.

* Rabbits weighing MORE than 2.50 Kgs receive 150,000 units (.50
cc) every other day for 8 weeks or longer until a cure is met.

Many rabbits have done very well on daily injections for 1 month then
on every other day for another month or two or until cured. If your
rabbit has an abscess it is treated aggressively until the abscess is
GONE/ERADICATED/CURED. It could take 8 weeks or it could take 8
months. DO NOT go to every 3 days. This protocol was tried and
failed. The most dangerous thing you can do is a maintenance dose
with antibiotics. The idea is to eradicate the infection not create
resistant bacteria.

IMPORTANT: KEEP BICILLIN REFRIGERATED AT ALL TIMES AND SHAKE BOTTLE
WELL BEFORE USE OTHERWISE injections would mainly be composed of
inert liquid while the microparticles are stuck to the bottom of the
bottle. Hold bottle upside down for a minute or 2 to allow air
bubbles to clear the base. Withdraw bicillin into your syringe - Now
put the bottle back into the fridge. You can either leave the loaded
syringe out for 10 minutes OR hold it in your hand to warm it. There
is however a misconception with respect to sterile abscesses and cold
bicillin (withdrawing directly from the bottle then injecting before
warmed). Sterile abscesses are not caused by cold bicillin - they
are caused by mis-placing the needle and injecting literally into the
skin opposed to under the skin. The problem is easily resolved by
using longer needles and not tenting the skin (pull it away from the
body as far as possible instead). I have always found 23 Ga 3/4" is
more than long enough to get the injection subcutaneous & not
cutaneous. It is very important you know how to administer
injections subcutaneous and have been taught by a professional – in
person. NEVER learn how to administer injections via email or the
internet. Benzathine can be fatal if it is injected & enters the
blood therefore not knowing how to properly administer injections
subcutaneous can be very dangerous and have serious ramifications.

If by chance you happen to leave the bicillin bottle out and forget
to put it back in the fridge for several hours it may not be an
issue, but having said that, it might be a very good idea to get
another bottle from your vet ESPECIALLY if you see the bicillin is no
longer working. Leaving the bottle out for over an hour or so could
cause it to become ineffective and leaving the bottle out over and
over again WILL cause it to become ineffective.

Marcy Moore