What are your favorite ways to treat an infection?

Advertise with us
Love your rabbit
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Runestonez

Runestonez

Retired Moderator
Joined
May 25, 2006
Messages
1,460
Reaction score
16
Location
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
So...Darwin and Guffy were brawling about a week ago...
Guffy got a little scrape on his nose which has already healed and gone away and Darwin got a 1-2 mm wide cut on his foot.

The cut was healing just fine until someone decided to help it along and started worrying at it...:grumpy:
So last night I saw him starting to goof with it again and took another look...it is now a 1cm long x .5cm deep hole in his foot on the instep...and infected...at the base of the "hole" you can see what appears to be a tiny bit of cartilage of the final knuckle before the toenail...it wasn't exposed origionally but after doing warm compresses for awhile I peeled back the scab and found puss tucked under and to the side of the wound...:grumpy::(

So poor little man had to put up with me swabbing out the infected area with an antibiotic wash last night to remove all traces of puss (it isn't an abscess, just infection right now)...we finished up with it bleeding a bit and the wound clean...since there may be cartilage exposed I didn't want to leave it open to the air so I packed it with Dermagel and sterile gauze(water soluable for infections and wounds) since I had nothing better on hand...and wrapped it up for the night...which he promptly tried to chew off!--again--

So I haven't checked it this morning...yet...I only wrapped it at midnight so I was going to wait till around noon to irritate it again...I swear if he keeps licking that foot I will put a cone on him!:grumpy: I had to use half a roll of sticky tape(the good stuff) to keep him from taking the vet wrap off! Sheesh!

So there of course is no vet today...it is Sunday afterall...
So I was wondering what others have used to treat infections...or any suggestions for antibiotics for the vet on Monday!

FYI-He is using the foot normally...when it isn't wrapped...with it wrapped he drags it pathetically behind him and gives us all a complete show...including being unable to eat his treats properly with it wrapped up...<shaking head>:D
He puts his full weight on it and is still binkying like a fool...although we have been able to stop this by wrapping it!:biggrin2: He doesn't seem affected by it....the only way you know it is bugging him is his need to pull off the bandage!
I gave him a healthy dose of Metacam lastnight after torturing him as well!

Thanks
Danielle
 
If you cleaned it really well at midnightI think that I would wait and do it only one more time today. If you are sure that it was bandaged so no debris can get in the wound it should be Ok until later tonight.
it sounds as if you did an excellent job.


The problem here is the danger of the bone becoming infected which is a potential nightmare .
I am going to send this thread to Randy for suggestions of meds.; he has not been on the forum this weekend so I am thinking he may not be available butI will give it a shot anyway. Considring that he treats injuries in wildlife he would know ..
I would guess thatan injectable anitibiotic like bicillin or Convenia may be the way to go with this and probably a secondary oral antibiotic like zithromax


The vet can take a culture of the pus and determine which antibiotic issensitive to whatever bacteriais present

You should get him to the vet as soon as you can tomorrow.
in the meantimeI will post the drug dose calculator which has dosages for ibuprofen
which you can pick up at a pharmacy and give in a treat or juice. he must be in pain.

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rx/drugcalc.html
make sure that he is given some food and don't give the ibufrofen on an empty stomach

Poor bun is lucky to have such aresourceful owner
 
Randy is working on writing for the state newletter soI will just post his response:


"I think that she needs to find a vet. Dermagel is an isotonic hydrogel. it is intended to 'seal " a skin problem . There really isn't any antibiotic qualities thatI know of.. it is generally used to keep stuff out and keep moisture in. The idea of using this is that it doesn't kill beneficial bacteria.. sort of a natural alternative to drugs/ It also has the cabability of absorbing the pus in an infection . I still use topical or systemicantibiotics. I would certainly culture since it could be anything . Most vets ( and human docotrs) assume staph with any skin issues but I have also seen pasturella and pseudomonas and in todays environment it could be anything "
 
Thanks Angieluv!:D

Well I ended up having to open it to re-wrap it anyway because he just will not leave it alone...:grumpy:He seems to tolerate the vet wrap as long as I leave his toes hanging out the top...what a goof!:biggrin2:

On a bright note...the wound looked much better this time than last night. I was worried when I first saw it. If it had been any other rabbit in this house that I had tried to swab out that wound on I would have gotten seriously bitten! He is such a good boy!:DHe doesn't trance. He just sat and put up with it...except when he kicked me in the mouth...but under the circumstances...I guess I deserved it! lol

I used the anti-biotic wash and swabbed it out again just after lunch...there was a tiny bit of pus this time but not nearly the same as last night...the swelling in the knuckle has gone down and it isn't as red/pink as it was. Much healthier looking tissue this time. Re-packed and wrapped it till tomorrow...unless he takes it off again!

The dermagel wasa weird call...I had to decide whether to dry pack it...which I didn't want to because of the possibility of the cartilage drying out or what I was going to pack it with to keep it moist. So I settled on the Dermagel. Honestly now that the swelling is down it doesn't look as deep or terrifying as last night.

I just let Darwin out for his evening run and he was binkying around the livingroom...so he seems to be in a better mood! lol Even withhis foot all wrapped!

I am calling the vet first thing so hopefully they can fit us in...the clinic had a ruptured sewage pipe and has been closed for almost a month except for emergencies! Figures doesn't it!?:D

Has anyone ever used Carbolic/Carbonic Salve for rabbit wounds?
It was something my grandparents always used on us as kids, and the dogs and the cats...worked like a charm for infections...I was wondering if it would be of any use on rabbits...I don't know if it is edible...although i ate some as a kid...I ate most things as a kid though! lol:biggrin2:

Danielle
 
Idon't know anyone else who has hydrogel in stock in their home
you are doing a great job...:)
Click to expand...
lol

With 10 bunns wekeep everything in stock! lol:D
Whenever we run across something...wounds, infections, stasis...we stock our first aid with what we needed but didn't have...we have slowly amassed IV fluids, needles,gauze, tape, vet wrap,metacam,anti-biotic wipes and washes for wounds...we had to buy a big toolbox to keep everything in! :) We re-stock and update meds every 6 months or so as needed!
Unfortunately we haven't run across a wound of this sort before though...so I'll have to make sure we find out what is the best way to treat it and keep supplies in stock from now on!

The carbolic salve we use is the Rawleighs...(it's better! ;)it's a family tradition! lol We have used it since the 50's...) I had a really bad infection(dropped a knife on my foot...long story)...the salve drew the infection out uber quick! Took about 2-3 days and it looked scads better! I haven't used it on the rabbits...but since I am allergic to Polysporin I was wondering if I could use it instead. Everytime I have to apply Poly I have to wear gloves or I swell up and breakout in a rash.:shock:
 
I like triple antibiotic ointment, or udder balm. Udder balm is meant to be in contact with the skin for a long period of time and keep the area antiseptic. It will protect the skin from getting wet, is kinda hard to wash off, and contains antibiotic ingredients to keep bacterial growth down. The antibiotics in it aren't as strong as in triple antibiotic, but it sticks around longer due it its greasiness.

You can also always use New Skin, although it really burns like the dickens when I have to use it so I haven't put it on a bunny before. I know some people have w/o issue.
 
OK...so we have an appointment for 4:45pm tonight.:(

The swelling in Darwins foot has been coming down a bit at a time...it is/was less red as well...
The dermagel wasn't doing much to help with the pus and infection issue...and it was pulling theedges in...making harder to keep clean...
So I decided to re-wrap with the salve last night instead and see if it helped.

I have been worried there might be pus further in where I can't reach it. At lunch when I unwrapped the wound to check on it...the edges werenice and soft...so I was able to clean it without having to soften the edges of the wound with a warmcompress...

Today...I'm not sure if it was the salve or not...when I squeezed the edges of the wound I got scads of pus...but not the cottage cheese pus associated with rabbits...more liquid like human pus...it was white...I'm not sure where it was in relation to the knuckle...the wound that I could access is really clean...so it must have wrapped in around or over the top of the knuckle itself...very odd...the liquid version much easier to clean out though. So this is where we are till tonight...I have re-wrapped his foot for the afternoon...he is mad as heck...and more than likely sore as all heck get out too...so I gave him a bit more metacam and tons of treats.

I guess we'll see what they vet has to say tonight.<fingers crossed for good news>:tears2:

Danielle


 
tonyshuman- I agonized for hours last night over what to do. I finally settled on re-wrapping the wound with the carbolic salve...the dermagel was pulling the edges of the wound in and I was having to do warm compresses to soften it to be able to clean it propery.

The salve is antiseptic as well...I tried putting it on my hands and washing it off to see how hard it would be...surprisingly it washes of really easily...so I decided to re-wrap the foot...but then at lunch the pus was liquid. The salve drawing infection or Darwins foot falling off...ugh...yup i'm a basket case...I have to wait for another 2 hours to find out...:(

I should have caught him worrying at it sooner...but he never does it when I'm in the room!:grumpy: I REALLY hope he is OK. I don't know whether to shake him or hug him right now...:(

We have tried New Skin before...I'd rather go with something else! lol
If it something I HATE people using on me...I won't use it on the bunns! lol;)

 
OK...Here we are home again and settled...
Darwin is now definately NOT talking to me anymore...
Got to meet our new vet...very nice guy...not quite as rabbit savvy as I would like but he seems to be the type that is willing to learn...so that is a good beginning...:D

I have officially been labelled the crazy rabbit lady...
I was introduced to the new vet AS the crazy rabbit lady...she told him I was already crazy before...but now I travel with rabbits...oh...tee hee hee...:p

So back to Darwins foot...she said we managed to clean it really well...she was happy with the way it looked...wherever I got the runny pus from it looks like I emptied the pocket...took a swab to check it...
He is on Baytril for now...with saline bandaging...although she said the Dermagel wasn't a bad choice...I got bullied for the carbonic salve since you aren't supposed to wrap it if you use it on a foot or finger...but in my defense...I don't know if it is rabbit edible...so I didn't win THAT argument...but I didn't lose either.
It WAS cartilage I saw in the bottom of the wound...she was happy we didn't let it dry out...she had a hardtime trying to find pus because we cleaned it out really really well...said she couldn't have done any better.

So his foot is re-wrapped he is resting...he was pretty stressed....this was the first time he has travelled anywhere without his brother Guffy. So he was pretty stressed for the whole trip.

So it could go either way with his foot...it just depends.No guarantees with rabbits.
So we have to go back to do another visit in a week or so...or if it gets any worse..

So I'm still worried but not freaking out anymore.:(
I did ask about the meds that were mentioned...but she is very adamant about not over using heavier meds with rabbits...and I can't argue since she helped us get Guffy through his bout of M.E....so we will wait monitor and see what happens.

Danielle

 
And Darwin's birthday is coming up (Charles Darwin--you should celebrate for your bunny too though!), too!

It's good that you do have some antibiotic. It's good that she's taken a look at it and given you some new advice on how to wrap it all up. I know (not sure if angieluv mentioned this earlier?) angieluv has cut the fingers off cotton gloves and used those to wrap up sore feet in extreme sore hocks cases, to keep a persistent bunny from getting at the wound.

Are you re-wrapping the wound daily, making sure it can get air to heal?
 
I only used a finger of a cotton glove to cover a sore hock ; it wouldn't really be considered a bandage at all

nothing compared with what you are doing.

Everything sounds cool here exceptI am not surethat baytril is going to do the trick , however, sometimes it does and I am sure the vets will listen to you if it doesn't

you are one good rabbit nurse. :highfive:
I am impressed re. your use of dermagel and bandaging.

I didn't comment on the carbolic acid becauseI didn't know enough about it to advise you.

Are you supposed to be cleaning the wound and rewrapping until you return to the vet. What did the vet advise that you use?
you are doing a fantastic job with your boy:goodjob:nod

Maureen
 
tonyshuman-I did not realize it was Darwins birthday!:)
Using the finger of a glove is a great idea...btw!
The vet laughed at me when she saw Darwins foot...I had his foot wrapped up with vet tape and then with sticky fabrictape...when she asked why I had it wrapped up so well I tried to explain that the fabric tape was for eating...the vet wrap for wrapping!:biggrin2:

angieluv-we are supposed to be using Baytril for the next 10 days...we have him on a higher dose and we are watching. Our vets are really great...they will change meds but like to start with basics and move on from there. Especially if it isn't a resistant infection. If it doesn't help they will change it up I am sure...they are very open to suggestion.
lol Our one vet is from England...lol VERY no non-sense...so whenI went in she wanted a full report...how had I treated it, how long, how many times had we wrapped it, what had we used, did I begin anti-biotics, what doseage...:biggrin2:I always feel like I am being tested and pray to god I have all the correct answers! The woman scares the heck out of me!:biggrin2:And she is completely straight faced until I have finished the whole report before I have any inkling how I did! ;)

The vet did like the dermagel...but she wants us to go back to saline bandages for now. I have to keep checking the wound and I have to keep it wet for the next little while to allow the tissue to begin to grow back in over the wound. It isn't an abscess it is just an infection in a wound...and we have it really clean so with the combination of the Baytril and the bandaging she is hopeful that once the anti-biotics kick in that we shouldn't need to continue to swab the wound.
It looks alot better today...the skin is still red around the knuckle...but it isn't as deep as it was at first with the swelling down...just looks like a regular gash now. The knuckle is much less swollen...
I am supposed to keep it covered until the cartilage is no longer exposed to the air...until then I am to keep it covered and moist and keep the bandages clean clean clean! I will have to go back and check with her by then...so we'll see what she says for the next check-up!

She said the salve was OK as well...not sure whether I was in crap for bandaging it and not leaving it open...I didn't get bopped on the head so I assume I passed the test!:biggrin2:

Darwin is up and finally moving around...he has been pouting since we came home and I was worried about how depressed he looked! He is ALL about his tummy...so when he refuses to eat his treats or greens...he is definately NOT up to snuff!
Well...so far so good...at least I can sleep tonight again!:biggrin2:

Thanks for the help and input! It is much appreciated!:hug:

Danielle
 
UPDATE:
So I figured it was about time for an update...I have decided the only reason the vet asked us to do saline bandages was to tick off Darwin! I am pretty sure I am being punished! lol:D I thought he HATED the dry bandages...:shock: He has been keeping us busy checking up on him and re-wrapping his bandage from time to time and keeping it wet with the saline!

The hole is slowly healing...we just finished changing the bandages again...you can see the tissuefilling back in a bit at a time. I think another week or so should see it healed enough to stop the wet bandaging...we are supposed to dose him with Baytril 25mg per day for 10 days...but seeing as how they gave us enough to last until the 20th we will probably just finish out the prescription. Then we have to figure out how to foil his attempts to self mutilate again until we can get it to finish healing completely!

We were having an issue keeping the vet tape on...so we sort of used angie-luvs method...we bought a type of finger sock/tube that you unspool and cut off to the right length and then roll it on over the bandage. It doesn't do much...but it takes so long for him to chew through it he gives up before he gets to the vet tape!:biggrin2:I am thinking we may be able to use this to keep him from opening it back up once we stop the bandages!

Thanks for the help guys!:biggrin2:
Momma is feeling much better now!

Danielle
 
Runestonez wrote:
UPDATE:
So I figured it was about time for an update...I have decided the only reason the vet asked us to do saline bandages was to tick off Darwin! I am pretty sure I am being punished! lol:D I thought he HATED the dry bandages...:shock: He has been keeping us busy checking up on him and re-wrapping his bandage from time to time and keeping it wet with the saline!

The hole is slowly healing...we just finished changing the bandages again...you can see the tissuefilling back in a bit at a time. I think another week or so should see it healed enough to stop the wet bandaging...we are supposed to dose him with Baytril 25mg per day for 10 days...but seeing as how they gave us enough to last until the 20th we will probably just finish out the prescription. Then we have to figure out how to foil his attempts to self mutilate again until we can get it to finish healing completely!

We were having an issue keeping the vet tape on...so we sort of used angie-luvs method...we bought a type of finger sock/tube that you unspool and cut off to the right length and then roll it on over the bandage. It doesn't do much...but it takes so long for him to chew through it he gives up before he gets to the vet tape!:biggrin2:I am thinking we may be able to use this to keep him from opening it back up once we stop the bandages!

Thanks for the help guys!:biggrin2:
Momma is feeling much better now!

Danielle
Click to expand...
Could you use paper tape over over thetube thing.? it would not inhibit airflow and yet it may take him longer to get through the paper tape and thepull the tube off
 
LMBO:laugh:

Oh no...nope, uhn uhn, no way...:nonono:
I have been wrapping that sucker up like Fort Knox for the last week...I know why he ended up with a hole in his foot...he WILL NOT LEAVE IT ALONE! Not for 2 seconds!:grumpy:
I have it wrapped up in the best fabric tape I can find and he still manages to pull it off! I can't count how many dressings I have done over the years and this is the first time I have been evenly matched! I put it on...he rips it off...:grumpy: I have gone through METERS of tape, thick, thin, sticky, paper, you name it...this stuff is an inch wide and sticks to everything...and he still pulls it off...I even have it taped directly to his fur...still rips it off!:X

I heard this banging noise the other night...very rhythmic...bang...thump...bang...he was grabbing his foot and yanking it up as high as it would go and dropping it...over and over and over...I finally had to distract him because I was worried he was going to hurt his foot worse...:shock:

He worries it 24/7, which is what makes me wonder exactly HOW we are going to keep him from opening it again once we are done with the bandages...I don't put cones on rabbits...but in the case...hhmmm...
 
I don't think that soft e -collar would help him
(I'll try to find a link )

But if he can handle a regular e-collar ..possibly cut it down some.. maybe he can handle it. A lot of buns cannot emotionally handle the ecollar but some can



 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top