Enterobacter (snuffles?)

[Cheenisowner]

My rabbit chai had a culture done and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection called enterobacter and this vet prescribed marbofloxacin antibiotic. At the beginning we tried a low dosage of baytrel (nose drops) and seemed to do nothing. Another vet has said this marbo antibiotic is not recommended for rabbits and can be harmful and is suggesting I use a higher dosage of baytrel for 4-6 weeks instead.

I'm torn....I have a bad feeling about the marbo and might actually go with baytrel first.

What are your thoughts...input is needed from you guys ASAP as I am supposed to pick up the marbo medication tomorrow...or the baytrel.

Thanks everyone.

 

[missyscove]

Was the culture just a culture or a culture and sensitivity?
Marbofloxacin and enrofloxacin (Baytril) are actually two very similar antibiotics (they are both fluoroquinolones) so if one isn't effective, the other probably won't be either (unless a sensitivity has been done showing resistance to one drug but not the other).
My recommendation would be to make sure that a culture and sensitivity has been done and use that information to choose the antibiotic. Both of those drugs are safe to use in rabbits. I've never used nasal drops. Both of my buns are currently being treated for snuffles. They're on doxycycline after a culture and sensitivity and I've also been treating them with nebulized saline which helps with their congestion.

 

[Cheenisowner]

So I talked to another vet and she also suggested a higher dosage of baytril given orally. The culture and sensitivity test was done and stated that there was enterobacter allgomaren (spelling?) growth and beside that it says light.

I guess we will try the baytril and take it from there....

Anyone else know anything about this bacterial infection? I've tried to research but I'm not finding too much information on it.

 

[missyscove]

Enterobacter is pretty common in opportunistic infections.
The information you've shared is only the culture portion of the culture and sensitivity, the part where you figure out what the bacteria in question is. The sensitivity portion should include a list of antibiotics and indicate whether each of the identified bacteria are sensitive, intermediate, or resistant and then more information on the minimum inhibitory concentration for each. That, along with knowledge of how each drug is metabolized, is how your vet chooses the best antibiotic.
Doing a culture and sensitivity was definitely the right choice. Respiratory infections in rabbits are tricky to treat and it may take months before they show any real improvement.