Need URGENT help with rabbit

[shammy]

We purchased a jersey woolie from a breeder who was going out of the business Feb. 2. Feb 4 I noticed she had white snot. We got her in the very next day to the vet. She was put on baytril and another antibiotic drop for the eyes that we put in her nose.

She looks to be improving, is active, eating, drinking, peeing pooping.

The culture results are Staph and Bordetella. The vet said being that kids are involved (she is supposed to be a 4H bunny) to make sure the kids don't kiss the rabbit and wash hands (which we'v been doing anyway, since she's sick and we have another bunny and 3 guinea pigs, dogs, cat). She said that we won't be able to put the sick bunny with the other bunny and g.pigs ever since she'll always be a carrier. This means no 4H either.

We are all completely confused as I read that bunnies (and many other species) typically have bordetella in their nasal tracts anyway and remain asymptomatic and NOT a big deal.

DH wants us to put her to sleep. We've already put an obscene amount of money into her, and are all emotionally upset to the point of tears.

Does anyone know ANYTHING about Bordetella in rabbits? Is she going to be a carrier and is this going to make everyone else sick? Vet mentioned whooping cough resulting in humans. Will I ever be able to take the rabbit out of isolation and put her out in the sun room with the rest of the animals?

I am completely regretting getting this rabbit. So far the other has remained healthy. My heart is breaking for DS who was so excited to get her and we now can't use her for the purpose intended originally.

Help!

 

[LakeCondo]

I don't know, but improving the immune system sounds like a good idea. One herb that will do this is goldenseal root or oregon grape root. I;m not sure about dosages,but I'd start with a just a little. If they come as tablets, grind one up; if capsules, open one.

You'll also want to give a probiotic to restore the good bacteria that antibiotics kill.

 

[hannah_biota]

I don't know which species of Bordetella was cultured but B. bronchiseptica is a likely suspect and the following info is specific to that species.

Bordetella alone may not cause illness, but it will weaken the host's ability to fight off other infections, which will likely increase frequency and severity of secondary infections. Bordetella cells are able to sheild themselves from the body's immune responses. Your rabbit will always be a carrier and the bacteria can be transmitted to other rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs and cats but is very rarely transmitted to humans. It is also persistent, meaning it can reside in the environment without a host for extended periods of time.

Best wishes for whatever course of action you decide on. My background is in biology so don't hesitate if you have more questions or need further explanation of anything, I will do my best to help.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

We purchased a jersey woolie from a breeder who was going out of the business Feb. 2. Feb 4 I noticed she had white snot. We got her in the very next day to the vet. She was put on baytril and another antibiotic drop for the eyes that we put in her nose.

She looks to be improving, is active, eating, drinking, peeing pooping.

The culture results are Staph and Bordetella. The vet said being that kids are involved (she is supposed to be a 4H bunny) to make sure the kids don't kiss the rabbit and wash hands (which we'v been doing anyway, since she's sick and we have another bunny and 3 guinea pigs, dogs, cat). She said that we won't be able to put the sick bunny with the other bunny and g.pigs ever since she'll always be a carrier. This means no 4H either.

We are all completely confused as I read that bunnies (and many other species) typically have bordetella in their nasal tracts anyway and remain asymptomatic and NOT a big deal.

DH wants us to put her to sleep. We've already put an obscene amount of money into her, and are all emotionally upset to the point of tears.

Does anyone know ANYTHING about Bordetella in rabbits? Is she going to be a carrier and is this going to make everyone else sick? Vet mentioned whooping cough resulting in humans. Will I ever be able to take the rabbit out of isolation and put her out in the sun room with the rest of the animals?

I am completely regretting getting this rabbit. So far the other has remained healthy. My heart is breaking for DS who was so excited to get her and we now can't use her for the purpose intended originally.

Help!

---prey animals-(rabbits-)-are stress animals,-they stress easily then the opportunistic bacteria--which a held at bay by a strong immune system,--start the task of weakening the rabbit,,-donot regret getting this little guy because you saved him from a breeder,..with proper care this is reversible---the culture was the correct thing to do,,diagnosis,treatment,,proper diet,,and a clean--warm,, dry environment is necessary to improvement,,-might i ask what was the intended purpose??--why has that changed??--sincerely james waller--:runningrabbit::rollseyes--ask you exotic dvm about chlorampenicol--(antibiotic)-for treatment...also give oral probotics with any antibiotics

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Contact the breeder immediately and let them know of the problem, as well as the timeline that this is all happened (you noticed white snot within 48 hours, went to the vet, etc.) Be sure to present them with vet records, if you can.

Unfortunately, most sales policies ask to contact the breeder within a few days to a week if there are problems. But there is a possibility the breeder would offer a replacement or refund if they have documented proof of illness from the vet. Many breeders will stand behind their animals for illnesses like this.

If the situation can't be resolved with the breeder, talk to the vet about the best way to handle the situation with other rabbits, animals and people in the house. If they suggest having the rabbit put down, it may be the best option to save your family from more heartbreak and medical bills down the road.

 

[majorv]

:yeahthat: definitely tell the breeder! Ask for a replacement. You can't use him for 4H and you'll be fighting this as long as you have him.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I got a bunny who had something very similar from day one. The breeder was very wonderful about the whole thing and swapted me a different bunny (My dearly loved Ripley!)

Is the bunny having trouble breathing? Sometimes they can be fine if you jsut watch things and they'll get a bit better on their own. My Charlie (who the breeder took back) was stable enough on her onw, I was just afraid she'd get worse, and yes, this will be probably ongoing her whole life.

Rabbits almost always carry bordetella in their nasal tract so that's why it is NEVER a good idea to keep a bunny and g. pig together, whether they look sick or not.

I think Bordetella can get better, but it can take lots of time to to help. She may need to be on some good, strong antibiotics for a while. Some poeple choose to keep a really sick bun on antibiotics its whole life. Just because it have some white discharge from the nose, does not mean that it needs to be euthanized necesarily. I think Penicillan with benzathine in it (*injection form only*) did help my Charlie quite a bit. It may be something to ask the vet about.

 

[shammy]

As an update: we are more confused than ever.
There are 2 vets at the practice we chose (just recentely as we moved to the area a few weeks ago). One vet is the bunny 'expert.' She says, everything will be just fine, probably never happen again and will be fine to go in our pet room. (remember we have dogs, cat, guinea pigs and another bunny)

The other vet called me with the additional results (bordetella in addition to the staph) and was pretty much 'keep the kids away from her and you can never put her with the other animals again.'

I called another exotic vet who said she may never get these things again or she may get them all the time and that yes, she is ok to go in with the other animals when she is symptom free.

DS is upset and goes from 'get rid of her' to 'keep her and try.' She's also pretty mean (typical doe behavior) and will bite and box. There are bruises up and down my arm from this rabbit. I've had rabbits years ago pre-kids and mine were sweet.

Anyway, we are still not sure what to do. I would prefer getting rid of the rabbit. If it weren't for ds... ugh. He wanted to do 4H with her and now if she's sickly all the time or a contagious carrier, he can't take her to the meetings or shows.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I totally agree with Julie and Vicki. The breeder needs to be contacted. If you wait too long there will be nothing she can do. Please contact them they should be able to do something for you

 

[shammy]

Also to clarify, the bunnies and g.pigs all have their own seperate cages but in the sun room. I emailed the breeder, so we'll see what she says.

 

[majorv]

It just doesn't sound like this rabbit is the right fit for you. I certainly hope the breeder will replace her with a healthy rabbit that your son can show at 4H and who isn't going to have ongoing health problems which can cause your other pets to be sick, too. Separate cages wouldn't be good enough when the rabbit is showing symptoms.

 

[BMT1]

I totally agree with Julie and Vicki. The breeder needs to be contacted. If you wait too long there will be nothing she can do. Please contact them they should be able to do something for you

Right,contact them ASAP and hope for the best:sunshine:

 

[BMT1]

....

 

[tonyshuman]

Bordetella is a concern for the other animals but it and staph can be gotten to a sub-symptomatic level. I still would not recommend putting a bunny confirmed as a bordetella carrier with a guinea pig because it is such a terrible disease in GPs, commonly leading to fatal pneumonia. I wouldn't worry as much about the kids or other animals. Dogs and people can be vaccinated, and in dogs it is not usually fatal. People usually don't catch it from animals unless they are otherwise ill/immunocompromised.

I agree that the breeder should be responsible at least 50% for her care. The stress of moving a bunny can bring out a latent infection, but for it to get so bad within such a short time, it would have to have been a lot of stress or a not-so-latent infection (ie maybe she had been ill but was back to 80% better when you got her). You may not be able to recoup the funds, though, if the breeder is a real pain in the bum.

If you want to keep her as a pet and not show her, you'd probably be best off having her spayed once she's recovered from the URI. The behavior you describe is mostly hormonal doe behavior that will be reduced with spaying. However, if you want to keep her as a show bunny, I'd recommend getting a different animal. Some does have better temperaments, and I could imagine that a bunny with a bad attitude would show well. You can't ethically show a fixed animal except in the pet class (which I know our local 4-H has, but not all do). So, this bun won't be personable unless fixed, which would make her ineligible for show.

 

[molly]

Just to add because I don't think anyone's mentioned it, while bunnies with Bordetella can usually live full lives with few flare ups, it is very dangerous to guinea pigs and rats. You should talk to your vet about it, see if there's anything you can do to diminish the risk to your guinea pigs. You should probably not breed her either, as she will pass it on to any offspring.

ETA: I missed the second page, the guinea pig risk was already mentioned. Sorry!

 

[shammy]

The breeder did not respond, unfortunately and we gave her to a rescue with a large donation. It has been a sad and frustrati g month to say the least! Thanks all for your help!

 

[missyscove]

Had she gone back to the breeder, particularly a breeder getting out of bunnies, my guess is she would have be euthanized.
I'm actually dealing with a case of "snuffles" in my rabbit that was cultured as staph intermedius, moraxella and bordatella. She came from a rescue with over 100 rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas but didn't show any symptoms until I'd had her for a month. I'm not worried about her as a zoontic conern for myself, but it is definitely a concern with guinea pigs. I also have her housed with another rabbit and he hasn't shown any symptoms at all.