This is so hard

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momof3b1g

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How do you do it? When a bunny has pasturella. How long do you keep trying until you decide to let them go? Buster is about 8 yrs old. He was sounding better yesterday now today after i get home he sounds stuffy again. It breaks my heart. Is it getting worse or is the meds loosening things up so it sounds that way. (the sniffling) What else can i do for him? I only give meds once a day so its not until tonight. I feel helpless. :(



PS his eye doesn't look red anymore but is still goopy.
 
I know how hard it can be. Buster is an old bunny. His immune system isn't what it used to be. Honestly? Sometimes, no matter how many drugs we put into their systems, they never get better.

I have the attitude of, if there are more sad days than happy days, and if there's more pain than enjoyment, and the quality of life begins to become sacrificed, then it is time to let them go.

My condolences to you.
 
Yes its get hard, i had to put one of out cats down last year he had kidney failure. He got really bad and wasn't eating etc. Buster is fairly energetic and still loves to eat. It just that when he sounds so stuffy it kills me. :(
 
When I still had Gingerspice, I was on an internet list for owners of handicapped rabbits and they talked about the three a's when it came time to making decisions about helping a rabbit pass.

appetite - is the rabbit still eating and enjoying food?

alertness - is the rabbit alert to its surroundings at all? Showing interest in anything?

affection - is the rabbit affectionate with either its caretaker or another rabbit or other animal?

These are things you might want to consider. I'm all for saving the life of a rabbit and doing all we can to keep them...but sometimes the greatest act of love is to help them cross the bridge if they do not have a good quality of life.

I hope the three a's help you as you think about your bunny.

Peg
 
I don't know if this could help any, it's not a medicine, and won't help with pasteurella. But when I had a stuffed up bunny or kitten, I would burn eucalyptus oil (pure) nearby and it usually relieved the stuffiness.

I know that Randy often says that when bunnies aren't given sufficient amounts of meds, they become rather immune to it. I do strongly believe in that as I have seen it with myself. Maybe there can be a more aggressive treatment done? However, i do think it is one of those things that never truly go away right?

Like the others said, you'll need to take a moment and look into those big eyes and see what they tell you. Only you could know, and I for one, would never judge you for any decision made. :rose:
 
MsBinky wrote:
I don't know if this could help any, it's not a medicine, and won't help with pasteurella. But when I had a stuffed up bunny or kitten, I would burn eucalyptus oil (pure) nearby and it usually relieved the stuffiness.
Click to expand...


Where would you get this and how do you "burn" it?
 
I get mine from herbal therapystores ? but they also sell it at the pharmacy. I had an oil burner that i received as a gift that I use just for eucalyptus oil. :)
 
What medications have you used?
 
What meds are you using? How are they delivered? Injected meds don't get lost in the digestive system, so you know they're getting the full dosage. You can also give stuff to rabbits via injection that is dangerous when given orally, such as penicillan.

Humid air can help them feel more comfortable. When my kitten was really stuffed up with a URI, I would bring her into the bathroom with me while I took a shower. I know the steam helps clear my nose temporarily, and it seemed to help for her too. You can also use vaporizers to deliver meds directly into the nasal passages. I think I remember Haley using one of those.

MsBinky, how strong does the eucalyptus oil smell? I use menthol stuff like Vick's Vaporub or pure peppermint oil (a few drops in a pot of boiling water acts as a vaporizer) on myself, but they have very strong scents and I'd be afraid of it upsetting a rabbit. In fact, I don't think I've used peppermint oil since I got rabbits, although it is great at clearing my nose.
 
Mine smells less than Vicks and I don't put it beside a rabbit. I put it in the room. I also do the shower trick which I hadn't thought of. These are all things I have done for myself with asthma and for some animals. :)I never thought to check if there were different concentrations though. That is probably a good thing to look into. I could smell mine but not get the reaction you get from vicks (kinda like the burning nose I guess) it was much milder. :)
 
Along with the vaporizer, I'd also give him Nutri Cal for cats/dogs. Easy for an older rabbit to metabolize and will help give his immune system a boost.

Children's cold medicine may also help to relieve some of the symptoms. Vet Rx is also commonly used to help relieve the symptoms of "snuffles".

Pam
 
If you put him in the bathroom with steam. Do you just let him run around on the floor? I did that the other day and may be the reason he sounded so good for one day. But it seems the steam rises so not sure how much it helps him on the floor.

I have tried it in the past and left him in a carrier but also wonder how much get in to help him.



What is Nutri Cal?



Medicine we have tried is Baytril, Zithromax and now Ciprofloxacin. It is pills she broke up, but it sure doesn't seem like much of a dose each day.
 
How long for each med? Also in which order?
 
momof3b1g wrote:
What is Nutri Cal?
Click to expand...

Nutri Cal is a high calorie supplement for cats/dogs and is available at pet stores. Especially great for old, sick bunns ;)

Pam


 
This is what we use:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755091&cp&kw=nutrical&origkw=nutrical&sr=1

I give it twice a day. Squeeze a pea sized amount behind the front teeth. Most bunnies will readily lap it up. Gives them a little boost, extra energy and nutrients.

The Vet Rx smells a lot like Vicks. You can put a dab on his nose so he inhales the vapors. (Some people putthe drops right up their nose,it's up to you...). Doesn't cure anything, but will help alleviate symptoms.
 
I let them run around on the floor in the bathroom, it's less stressful for them that way. And yes the steam rises but they still get enough of a benefit while sitting on the floor.

Pam, what are the ingredients of Vet Rx? I'd be worried about using something that treats the symptoms just because you might not know if the infection is getting better or worse.

I'm surprised Zithromax didn't help. Has a culture been done to determine which bacteria it is? That will also show which antibiotic would be most effective. Ask the vet about injectible antibiotics too. You can often use them in combination with oral meds.

Edit: I thought I'd add that some people have had good experiences with giving echinacea to chronicly ill rabbits. It's an herb that is supposed to support the immune system. I don't know the dosage. Talk to your vet before adding herbal supplements just to make sure they won't interact with prescription meds.
 
The Zithromax did help but it didn't help for very long. Maybe we needed a larger dose/strength. No they have not done a culture both said they are pretty positive its pasturella. She said to try this med and will do one next time.
 
Im so sorry youre going through this. My Max had severe bronchitis last year and it was awful.

Have you read through our library threads on Respiratory Infections? The method that proved most effective for us was using a nebulizer. I bought one on ebay for around 20.00 and created a chamber for Max. My vet then prescribed a cocktail ofgentamycin (an antibiotic), mucomyst, which opens up the breathing passages, and sterile saline. I put Max in that every day and let him breathe in the antibiotics, it really helped.

Another idea others mentioned is the vaporizer. You can buy a Vicks Vaporizer at most drugstores and Walmart for about 12.00. They make something called Vaposteam that you pour directly into the water or other types that go into the medicine cup. Max used to sit next to the vaporizer for hours breathing in the steam; it really helped.

I hope this information helps. Please feel free to PM me if you need anything.

Haley
 
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