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Complimentary Herbs & Remedies?..*Little Update

MartinR

Warren Scout
Hi Everyone,

Well, after 2 days of nightmarishly and unsuccsessfully trying to get our bun to take his baytril (liquid solution) we literally tried everything we can think of and I'm worried restraining him is causing too much stress on his heart and immune system which could be counter-productive to his recovery from a respitory infection..none of what the vet has told us to do has worked, he totally freaks out!..

We've tried adding the baytril to just about every safe veggie/fruit there is and he wont go near it or tips the bowl over..

Soo.. I was thinking of locking him up in his pen for a week and forcing him to use a water bottle with a bit of flavouring in it, at least that way he won't smell the baytril?.. but I'm worried because when we tried him on the bottle last time for just his water of a night, He didn't seem to know what to do with it and I'm worried he won't get a drink.

Will he suss out how to use it eventually?.. I know rats, and other small critters seem to know instictively and use it right away..

and now on to my topic.

whilst still trying to get meds in him, I was wondering if anyone knows of any other types of herbs or natural ingredients for rabbits that they have had any success with for infections etc, that we can use alongside his meds (if we can get them in him).

I've been searching on the net but not couldn't really find anything. I have ordered some colloidal silver too as I had some success with this on a cat.

Soo, any tips ,or recommendations for complimentary rememdies would be greatly appreciated so I can add them to my bunny medicine cabinet.

Many Thanks

Martin

Ps*, I forgot to add, I spoke to the vet this morning and asked for tablets instead as I thought they would be easier to disguise If I powdered them up and much less messy, but she said they don't do tablet baytril for rabbits?. and she wouldn't give me any,

She said he could have injections but we would have to take him to the surgery every day and we don't have a car so have to use taxis and it would cost an absolout fortune.. sooooo:roll:
 
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Hiya, I would get him in a towel so he can't struggle and give him the baytril by mouth. The towel not only stops legs flying everywhere but also he will feel secure. Gently slip the syringe in the corner of his mouth and once done give him a treat.
 
Hi Kay,

thanks for your reply, we already tried that....he still freaks out big time then we got some in his mouth, then he spat it half way across the room:roll:
 
It is very hard to get an accurate dose in the water. You could try asking the vet to show you how to give injections. Baytril is also available in injectable form. The vet can give you prefilled syringes to use.

The way I give it to difficult buns is to kneel on the floor with the rabbit between by knees. Put one hand over the head/eyes (thumb on one side, fingers on the other, hand facing forward. Put your first finger and thumb tucked under the jaw. Put the syringe in the front of the mouth where the split under the nose it is, it will hit the front teeth, move it to one side and it will pop behind the front teeth (there is a gap between the front teeth and the back ones). With the syringe pointed at the opposite cheek give the dose (or if it's a big dose a mouth sized portion).

The key is to act quickly and confidently, though I know that's not always easy :?

Tamsin
 
Hi Tasmin..

Thanks..

The vet said we would have to take him every day for the injections, and I don't know how to inject a bun, I'm spooked by needles too so I would have a hard time injecting him and my gf is the same:roll:

I havn't tried getting him in between my knees, was worried about crushing him though, maybe we should try that later (not crushing him..), I don't really like picking him up as they feel so delicate maybe he is picking up on that, so I guess I will just have to be firm like you say and confident, but like you said it's not easy, he's such a wriggler and squirmer.. and I was worried about his heart etc, as last time his breathing was very fast and I could hear him breathing and he literally pooped himself..my gf was in tears:cry:

I will try that later and keep you posted.. Thanks!..

M:)
 
The vet can show you how to do injections so you can take them home but I guess that doesn't help much if you're not keen on needles :lol:

You don't need to squeeze him particularly tight between your knees. It is just a handy way off stopping them backing up or wiggling too much sideways. You can also do it on the ground and having four feet on the floor tends to make buns happier :D

If you still can't manage perhaps there is a rescue near you that could give you a demonstration if the vets examples haven't helped :)
 
Yea,

That was next option I think to try and find a shelter or something near here, the vet hasn't actually showed us how to do it, she just said.." oh put x amount in his water bla bla" like it was gonna be a peice of cake..she never mentioned any of this....:shock: I personally couldn't smell the liquid so I though he would just drink it... oh boy was I wrong!.. the vet said " well he will drink eventually, he won't let himself go without water" but I've heard and read that sometimes they will?, sooo

I just had a chat with my gf and were gonna try that method later between my knees.. soo I will keep you posted..
 
This may sound weird but have you asked your vet for Baytril in tablet form? I always go for tabs over liquid - simply because I find it much easier to administer. If the tablets are very small, I simply take a large sultana or raisin, slice it open like a book and pop the tablet inside. Generally speaking, bunny whips the sultana out of your hand and sits crunching it, tablet 'n all! If the tablets are large, I crush it and then dab the sticky side of the open sultana into it so that the powder sticks. I then close up the fruit and offer it to the bun. If it's a large tablet, you may need two or three sultanas to absorb all the powder. I've always, without fail, found this a much easier method than liquid antibiotics. Of course, there are some medicines which only come in liquid form so it won't help but I'm pretty sure Baytril comes in tablet form (it's been such a long time since I had to use it). Good luck!
 
Hi Mackers,

Yeah, I was really hoping she would give me some tablets but I phoned and asked her today and she said they dont do them, and was very reluctant to consider tablet form, for some reason she either won't or can't but she said they dont make them in tablet form for rabbits?. which I thought was strange as I've read on a few posts people having tablets? so Im not sure...

I think a tablet would of been much easier too, and I did argue it with the vet but wasn't getting anywhere..

M
 
i had a bun who would only take baytril in 2 ways..... in a syringe with neat ribeana...and mixed in baby food which she licked off a spoon. force feeding it is very hard iv been there if it boils down to it tho its a case of you have to be firm easy to say but iv been there and its the only way.
 
In answer to your other question you could try Enchinea to help boost his immune system. P@H sell in the naturals collection as a dry herb or you can buy it in holland and barretts as a liquid form which you could add to their water. Its not proven but it seems to of helped my snuffly piggie.

Try reading

http://http://www.healthypetcorner.com/rabbit.html

or

http://http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/rabbitsandherbs.php

It explains what herbs you can safely feed and what they are supposed to do.
 
I find it really hard to give Baytril, it's horrible stuff to get into them (even if it does them good).

I tend to squirt it (if it's a small amount) onto their front legs, they will lick it off straight away, dose given, no stress! Larger amounts can be given on carrot tops, they tend to much them down pretty quick.
 
Well, we just tried banana, ribeana in his water, papaya, different types of apples, that didn't work either.. wont touch it. I think that's pretty much everything

We tried the placing him in between our knees and covering his eyes, he backed up, so we restrained him again a bit tighter he still struggled and and front legs started going frantic..then he scratched us..:roll:

This is costing us a fortune in trying different foods, drinks etc, and more meds as I'm going to have to buy some more baytril tommorrow as most of it had been wasted trying different ways to administer, why can't the manufacture just make an odourless and tastless version?...make all of our lives a lot easier.. those whos buns just eat a peice of apple etc, or banana, or yoghurt etc are truly blessed cuz this is an absoloute nightmare....all he will eat is his dry food, carrots occasionally, and locust beans..the occasional dandilion, and some kale.. one day he likes it, the next he doesn't etc..

yet hes such a loving and chilled out bunny, and happy around the house, he will let me touch his mouth and tickle his chin etc, until he sees, smells or feels the shringe. then all hell breaks loose and hes a completely different bun.

We've never been soo stressed out!. all this effort and don't seem to be getting anywhere..

Soo, I'm gonna ask around my family and see if anyone is willing to take us the vets every day to give him an injection, but then that adds stress for him having to do that every day too..soooooo

For now, we've locked him up in his pen with a water bottle with some baytril in, hoping he wont smell it and Ive put some fruit juice in it too, hopefully eventually if he's thirsty enough he will drink that, but then I'm worried about him dehydrating.

Sigh!.....

I did try squirting it on his front paw in the hope he licks it off, but he flicks his paw first with such force that most of it just flies off, then potters around for a bit before he licks it by which time most of it is either in the carpet on dried up on his fur..

Were exhausted and really don't know what else to do now..:cry:

Thanks for the links and the info and all the replies, and the support....we really really appreciate it, Thank You.. If only we could explain were just trying to help him get better..:cry:

anyway I'm gonna go and check the links out now and then order some stuff online..

I will keep you posted..

Martin
 
just a quick note to say Thanks for those links Amy, theyre awesome.. I had to knock off the extra http: at the begining I don't know why theyre there, but I bookmarked the site, and gonna read them with a cuppa..

:) thanks!>.

M
 
Ask the vet to show you how to inject bunny yourself. It's really not hard - I had to give mine oxytetracycline every three days and it was a piece of cake. If your vet won't show you how to do it and insists on you taking bun in every day, I'd seriously look for another vet. They must realise that they need to find a relatively stress free way to administer the medicine. Best of luck (and I'm convinced I've had Baytril in tablet form for the bunnies in the past - maybe your vet just doesn't have them in stock and can't be bothered to get any coz they'd maybe have to buy in bulk?????)
 
Hi, there isn't a baytril tablet 'specifically for rabbits' but then the oral isn't 'specifically for rabbits'! Baytril is licenced for bunnies whether it is given in tablet, oral or injection form. So your vet is being a little silly not giving you tablets to try. The way i administer the baytril is the same way tamsin said on the first page of this thread. I saw lower down the thread that you said he wiggled backwards when you tried it that way, well when you kneel on the floor and put him between your knees, you then need to use the lower half of your legs and your feet to stop him going backwards. As tamsin said, you need to be firm and confident, but gentle too. Depending on the length of the course of baytril, you may not want to inject him every day as not only will his skin become sore, but an abscess can develop due to so many injections. Oral would be better if a long course. I am giving one of mine baytril at the moment, a two week oral course. I find that giving him the 1.3mls all in one go is easier than giving him half, letting him swallow, then giving him the other half, as when i try to give the second half, he has a paddy as is much more difficult about it. If i give it all in one go (he is a 3kg rabbit), its all over in seconds! Good luck!
 
i had exactly the same problem with just administering food via syringe, ive never used baytril is it a water consistantcy ?
i did it the way tamsin suggested also with a towel in front, not on linus face, just on his front paws, when he was struggling and knew he couldnt get away he started to chew the towel so i managed to get it in that way,
not sure on this but are you aloud to warm baytill a bit as most meds are stored in the fridge, with the food i put the syringe in kettle water and tested it on my wrist first to make sure it wasnt too hot or too cold, i also found the smaller the syringe the easier it was too adminaster as well, water i was fine with he would sit in the corner and i would just talk to him gently and rub the tip of the syringe under left side of his ( couldnt the right as that was the side that was sore dental probs) he would get annoyed then i would swirt a little then he would start to lick his lips and drink it would take me ages sitting there calmly talking to him but i didnt want to force water down as well as the food poor mite, :(
you could just try with 2 syringes one with water first then trick him with the baytrill :)
good luck in what you manage to do :)
 
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Echinacea is good for boosting the immune system. Vitamin C is also good so apart from green leafy vegetables you could try an orange segement as a treat every day. Parsley and celery are good for the support of the immune system too as well as being good detoxifiers, they are also recommended for arthritis.:)
 
Thanks for those links Amy, theyre awesome..

No prob. I have a very snuffly piggie who is allergic to everything! Whilst he's very active and bright in himself I feel bad when I see his poor little snotty nose so I searched about a bit. There's no gaurentee it helps but people take vits and stuff to help them so why shouldn't animals, its worth a try!
 
Hi Everybody..

First I want to say thanks for all of your support, suggestions, Advice and replies, It's good to know we are not alone when our little critters are poorly, all of your replies have been very helpful and encouraging.

*And heres a little update.*

Well I went to the vets again today to speak with them and explained the difficulties I was having giving baytril to snuggles, he seemed a lot perkier last night and was playing again and up to some mishcief..

The vet said for now, as he only has 4 days left keep squirting it onto his front paw, then to take him back and she will check him again, and we will go from there. she seems to think his neuter lowered his immune system and that caused a bit of an infection in his chest.

She also gave me some bisolvin to help clear his mucus etc, (had no problem getting him to take that, I just put a pinch on his food and it was gone)

I also ordered some aviproplus and timothy hay, which will be here tommorrow by fedex, and some colloidal silver to make up for any dose he may be missing from not getting enough baytril because of the way we have to administer it.

Soo.. hopefully all that will help his immune system to rebalance itself and help him recover. I am also looking at the links of other herbs etc and going to order some of them and build up a bunny medicine cabinet.


It's strange though because a lot of the symptoms of snuffles he doesn't seem to have

He was sneezing last week, and there was some milky looking stuff on his paw, but he hasn't sneezed since

His paws and underneath his nose arn't crusty, his eyes arn't runny but his nose is a little wet underneath, I'm not sure what the normal sort of breathing rate is for a bun, but to me he seems to breathe pretty fast but i can't hear him breathing or hear any snuffly sounds from his chest or nose. (the vet heard his lungs through the stephoscope)

The temp in his ears seem to fluctuate from warm to quite hot (though I noticed they always seem to be hotter after he's eaten)

He's eating fine, drinking fine, peeing fine, pooping fine..and still begging for treats.

I havn't seen any cecotropes for ages, but he's definitly eating something out of his bum so not sure if hes eating them all.

He just seems very lazy and wants to laze around all the time, not hunched but rolling over and laying on his side sort of licking his paws (he's always done this) but looks very chilled out.

but before his neuter he was constantly naughty, always investigative, jumping on chairs, climbing etc.. very energetic and hardly rested and since his neuter he just lazes around all the time, and has maybe 10 minutes where he wants to play, then flops out again..

It's just like he can't really be bothered doing anything.

and it was confusing because with him getting his chest infection or snuflles after his op it's hard to know what's the new him sort of thing and whats him feeling under the weather.. or whether hormonal changes are still playing some part in all of this because it's only been a 4 weeks since he had his neuter and never having a house bunny before I'm not sure what changes to expect.

And soooo...

The other thing I was wondering is I have some echinea tablets and I was wondering if it would be ok to give him one of these every other day? I was going to get some childrens vitamins, but I ordered the avropro which has them already in it so hopefully he will get his nutrients from that.

Thanks again:) for all your help and I will keep you up to date.

Martin
 
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