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Question about nursing mom and antibiotics...

hot knox buns

Young Bun
Well, maybe not just about antibiotics, but about watching mom in general.

I have recently rescued a female that, SURPRISE! had 6 babies. (I found her during a thunderstorm in my front yard about a month ago)

I have two big buns with a terrible history of snuffles. They are in different rooms, and do not share anything between them. I try very hard to wash my hands between handling them, as well.

The babies are about 11 days old, and the last couple days, mom has started sneezing and wiping her nose. Not a lot, but enough for me to take notice!

I was wondering if people who have multiple buns can tell me about experiences with managing buns when some are healthy, and some aren't. How likely is it that mom could have caught snuffles, even though the other buns have been on abs for about 2 months now...?

Also, if mom is sneezing, what is the risk to the babies, and what would the risks or benefits of abs in mom be for the babies?

I do plan on placing all the babies as soon as they are old enough, and do not want to place potentially sick babies in new homes. I also do not want mom to have the same problems my other buns have had in the past...

Is sneezing alone something I should be taking her in for, since she has babies? If she wasn't a new mom, I would just keep an eye on her and if it got worse, bring her in to work with me. But since she is a new mom, who is still nursing, I am doubtful the vets at my work would know what to do... There are not any really bunny savvy vets in this area.
 
Snuffles often flares up at times of stress ( eg nursing a litter of kits ). Most Rabbits carry one of the bacteria that causes Snuffles ( Pasteurella, of which there are numerous strains ) and they only become symptomatic when their immune system is challenged by stress or a concurrent illness. So the Doe may not have been infected by your Rabbits, she may already be a carrier and is now symptomatic due to the physiological stress of kindling and raising a litter.

It would be a good idea to ascertain whether the infection is confined to her URT, ie listen to her chest with a stethescope.
Enrofloxacin ( Baytril ) is an abx which can be used during pregnancy and lactation
http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Bayer_plc/Baytril_Flavour_Tablets/-23529.html

So the Vet might want to start her on abx.

Unfortunately it is highly likely that the Kits will be effected but they may never have active symptoms.

Good luck

:)
 
Good point that she may have already been a carrier... I didn't think of that. Lolz. All the other buns I have just found out wandering around have been healthy, so obviously I have not thought about anything being done while she was roaming. (ie: being pregnant!)

I have plenty of baytril and also ciprofloxacin around the house (same family of abs) I will see if the Dr's think she should be on it if she continues sneezing.

Thanks for your input, I just didn't know if the abs would hurt the nursing buns, as they are still very young and not yet weaning.
 
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