Probiotics

Ended up at vets yesterday with Muppet having another 'upset tummy' - one metacam injection later, he's happy as larry The vet gave me some Promax to use (it's a probiotic in a paste form that comes in a syringe). Syringing is not something Muppet and I agree on so I've been lucky that, since he starts eating again quite quickly, I can put it onto his food. He's started to catch onto that one though and isnt keen :roll:

This is the third time this year although the first year I had him, we didnt have any problems like this. So I want to be prepared for next time and - better yet - avoid 'next time'.

1: is there a palatable alternative probiotic that rabbits generally seem to like?

2: bio lapis seems popular, but if you dissolve it in their water, how can you be sure they drink it all (and so get the full daily dose)?

3: can a probiotic be used as prevention as well as cure? My vet thinks I'd better off just making sure Muppet eats more hay, which is of course very sensible so I shall try that. (It's not as though he's short of hay and doesnt eat it though :? So I think I'll be halving pellets and veg.) I'd be interested in opinions from you experienced people though...

Thanks in advance for any replies (I wont be able to check til late tomorrow, I'm not ignoring you!).

I'd cut right back on the pellets, you don't really need to give them any at all if he will eat hay and a selection of green leafy veg.

Yes I know. He only got 15g per day as it is, and I've now cut back to 10g.

So no-one with opinions on the use of probiotics then...?

Bump... Still hoping someone has an opinion on probiotics. Pretty please

Bunnie has Avipro when she gets upset tum. Put it in the water, she loves the stuff! You can use it when they are poorly or when they are under any stress or recovering from an illness. We just put it in Bunnie's drinking water and she guzzles away!

It can be given all the time on the lower dose but we don't because Bunnie drinks so much of it she is usually floating in her litter tray:roll:

You can buy it from the vet or it cheaper to buy online!

Could someone give me a bit more information about what probiotics are and when they should be used? I've never heard of them before joining the forum. I have four buns and would like to know if they would be good things to add to their diets?

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I *think* A&P pellets have a probiotic in them. I chucked the bag out so can't check on that.

Here's some spew about the probiotic Avipro!

Avipro Plus 100g
[AVIPRO] £8.25



Click to enlarge
This is a veterinary formulated complete probiotic combination of bacteria, enzymes, electrolytes and vitamins. It's high palatability means that in can be added to the drinking water. Avipro is particularly valuable when animals are undergoing stress or veterinary treatment and is useful as an appetite stimulant in reptiles. It can be used for oral rehydration. The live encapsulated bacteria colonise the animals gut for a short time and help in encouraging the right conditions to allow the animals natural gut flora to re-establish itself.AVIPRO is a probiotic combination of bacteria, enzymes, electrolytes and vitamins. Its high palatability means it can be added to the drinking water making its use simple for all species of reptiles. It is also ideal for use by stomach tube in rehydrating reptiles which have become dehydrated. AVIPRO contains: · Lactobacillus with Streptococcus faecium which live for a short time in the gut, helping to stabilise the pH. · Yeasts to provide a source of amino acids and vitamins. · lipase, amylase, protease and cellulase. · electrolytes to aid in maintaining adequate levels in reptiles with diarrhoea which lose electrolytes It is only necessary for probiotics to live a short time to establish the right conditions. By their combined action the ingredients of AVIPRO help to create and maintain slightly acidic conditions in the gut to provide the correct background for the reptiles own flora to re-stabilise. The gut flora of reptiles is poorly studied, whilst it appears dominated by gram-negative organisms gram-positive organisms are present (Cooper, J.E. & Jackson, O.F. 1981. Diseases of the Reptilia, Volume 165-167. It appears likely that gram-positive organisms are important in helping to maintain the correct gut conditions for the 'normal' bacteria much as they are in many animals, such as man. Even man has a predominantly gram-negative gut flora, yet probiotics are valuable in maintaining the gut environment and preventing overgrowth of potentially dangerous gram-negative bacteria which would normally be suppressed such as Salmonella, Pseudomonas etc. The importance of probiotics is not in the healthy animal, but in supporting the stressed or diseased animal where gut conditions may change dramatically. The electrolytes and dextrose incorporated in AVIPRO also contribute in a major way. A very important aspect of this is the use by the veterinary surgeon in reptiles which are under treatment with antibacterials where the normal flora may be unbalanced and a bloom of inappropriate bacteria may occur causing perhaps haemorrhagic enteritis. For support of stressed reptiles use 4g (one scoop) per 100ml of drinking water.

Personally unless they are poorly I wouldn't give it all the time!

:wave: HI IVE USED BIO LAPIS IVE SPRINKLED ONTO MY BUNS WEETABIX IN THE PAST AS A ONE OFF AND ALSO MADE IT INTO A ISOTONIC SOLUTION FOR THE DRINKING BOTTLE.BUT YOU COULD TRY PUTTING INTO A ISOTONIC SOLUTION AND PUT IT IN A BOWL, SOMETIMES THEY LOVE DRINKING FROM A BOWL ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE NOT 100%.BEST WISHES.

Thanks for the info!!! It's not something i need to give them all the time then? Only if I'm noticing they have a slightly upset stomach? Where can I get it from?

Beth said:

Could someone give me a bit more information about what probiotics are and when they should be used? I've never heard of them before joining the forum. I have four buns and would like to know if they would be good things to add to their diets?

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HI I TOTALLY AGREE, ID ONLY GIVE THEM IF VET HAS ADVISED, IVE HAD THEM TWICE FOR MY PREVIOUS BUN AFTER BEING ON ANTIBIOTICS HAS ANTIBIOTICS ROB THE GUT FLORA, AND THIS HELPS.ITS NOT SOMETHING ID USE OTHERWISE.BEST WISHES

Beth said:

Thanks for the info!!! It's not something i need to give them all the time then? Only if I'm noticing they have a slightly upset stomach? Where can I get it from?

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The vet advised us that we could use it all the time for Bunnie but we don't and that's only because she loves the stuff and drinks alot when it's in her water and I mean like a hole bottle in about 6 hours!

We only give it if we think she is heading for Stasis and we know when an episode is coming cos she stops eating hay so we start her on the Avipro and off to the vets!

You can buy it from the vet but it is cheaper online and you can order from some places online and there's no delivery or if there is it's pennies!

You could ask your vets advice next time you go

Thank you very much! I'll speak to the vet next time we go - and with my lot that'll probably be next week!!!

The most palatable (and expensive ) probiotic I have found is Fiberplex, it's also a fiber concentrate so extra good for the gut.

Better to order online than from the vets though.

I usually put avi-pro in my bunnies drinking water.

Sooz said:

The most palatable (and expensive ) probiotic I have found is Fiberplex, it's also a fiber concentrate so extra good for the gut.

Better to order online than from the vets though.

I usually put avi-pro in my bunnies drinking water.

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Do you put it in the water all the time Sooz? Sorry, I'm really confused!

Sooz said:

The most palatable (and expensive ) probiotic I have found is Fiberplex, it's also a fiber concentrate so extra good for the gut.

Better to order online than from the vets though.

I usually put avi-pro in my bunnies drinking water.

Click to expand...

Is that all the time and if so at what dose or do you do less than the one scoop to is it 200mls, as Bunnie drinks tonnes of it and then pees loads aswell meaning we have to clean out her litter tray bout 4 times a day rather than just the one, cos she lays in her litter tray all the time:roll:

Fiberplex can only be given orally and I tend to use it when their is a strong chance of GI stasis developing or after an episode.

Avi-Pro I use at times of stress or when the immune system is compromised so after operations, GA's, when moving to a new home, during bonding and when on antibiotics.

I also add it to liquid feeds for anorexic rabbits.

So as and when like we currently do

We tend to give Smokey- breathing difficulties- regularly, a couple of times a week. I don't think giving a probiotic regularly causes any harm. It would be kind if like us taking "yakult" or live yoghurt.
We always give it to rabbits after an op or on antibiotics.
I'm with Sooz, the best one we've found is Fibreplex, we go through heaps of it, it is expensive, but so easy to give and therefore more efficient.

I use a probiotic powder from Pets at home which i just sprinkle over some pellets or i dip her treats in the powder like sherbert!!!:lol: