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Foster bun and new drug.

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
Urgh, sometimes I hate being a bunny owner, and being a foster owner is worse.

I took my head tilt foster to my vet because I wasn't happy with the treatment she was getting from the rescues vet.

After looking up various things and talking to people I discussed all the options with my vet.

He had no zithi, but did have Convenia which is a drug that some people over in the US have been using for head tilt. He has not used it in a bun before, and it's not licensed for them (like most things for rabbits), but it's so scary. I hope I made the right choice for my foster. I feel like I did, but I just now worry about side effects (It's a one dose drug that works over a period of time). I'm running Fibreplex alongside it to hopefully stop any gut problems before they start.

There's no going back now, but that doesn't stop me being scared :|

*needed to vent* and I guess I just needed some reassurance or something. Sorry.
 
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If they've been using it in America and word's gotten over to the UK then it's got to be good - right?

Maybe Jane or someone will be along soon who knows of it being used.
 
The active ingredient is a synthetic cephalosporin (Cefovecin)
Cephalosporin abx can be used for Rabbits (off licence) if the Vet feels it to be appropriate or if MC+S Testing indicates a Cephalosporin is the most appropriate abx to use.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Pfi...n_for_injection_for_dogs_and_cats/-43047.html

Cephalopsporins are considered to be a moderate risk abx re gut dysbiosis but the Vet obviously weighed up risked versus benefits.

I hope the Foster Bun responds well to treatment. If treatment is to be ongoing your Vet may want to consider prescribing prophylactic Questran (Cholestyramine).
Questran can help bind up enterotoxns and prevent them adhering to the gut wall causing enteritis/enterotoxaemia

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/questran.html

:)
 
Thanks guys :)

Jack's Jane, do you know how long it might take for me to see any side effects in her? Such as the gut problems? I have got her on fibreplex to hopefully stop that happening. Any other advice?

As of now (so 24 hours plus later) she is not having any problems, is lively, alert, eating, pooing, etc.

Thank you for the responses :)
 
Thank you for the vibes :) It's very much appreciated :) I just feel like I'm going at this alone, and that's so scary!
 
I do have some concerns about Convenia I have to say. I used to use it in cats and dogs without any problems, but obviously they are very different inside to rabbits! The Pfizer rep has been so far unable to provide any independent data on duration of action in small mammals, but I have found that in various species the reported action duration is very different - 2weeks in cats/dogs, 12hrs in horses and less than 24hours in reptiles, which does not correlate well with metabolic rate and typical drug breakdown for these species. I am hesitant to use a potentially dysbiotic drug when I am not confident of the pharmacokinetics and it could last anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks!
Having said that, colleagues have used it in rabbits and other small mammals occasionally with no problems seen, but I would provide probiotics, possibly with Questran as Jane mentioned and keep a close eye on appetite and poos!
 
Thank you very much for the response Marie. I was aware of those concerns, and it is obviously something I am aware of and closely looking out for. She is being carefully and closely watched, and is on Fibreplex which has a probiotic in it as well as additional fibre. It's good to know that in your colleagues limited experiences it has shown no identifiable problems, hopefully that will be the case she. I don't intend for her to have another dose of this after.
 
Just thought I'd update this.

It's been two days since she had it, and she has not yet had any problems. She is eating like a horse and doing normal poos.

The real reason for updating is that her tilt seems to have improved. I noticed it today and thought it was because I wanted to see it, but mum came home and went 'oh, she's less wonky' in a very amazed voice. Today she has been full of beans, running more, standing on her back legs more, looking to jump places, and tilting less. She goes back to the original tilt of turning, but other than that seems less tilted.

I have been massaging her neck and shoulders in both the tilted and uright position and using food to do a bit of physio on how to hold her head right, and something is working!

I'm very excited :D If it doesn't get any better than this, then I'm happy with even this little bit of improvement.
 
glad to hear there is an improvement i didnt post before as i have never heard of this drug or knew anythign about it or its uses so couldnt reassure you reading jane and maries posts (and your own) i think its good for some and not for others i would continue to keep an eye on her gut etc but i think sounds like a promising start! :)
 
Thanks for the replies.

When I asked for reassurance I was sort of hoping for good wishes I think, but felt stupid asking for that (even felt stupid asking for reassurance although Jacks' Jane and Marie really did help), or just to even know I wasn't alone, that's all. I was very grateful for the responses I got in the end.

Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to stop watching her gut and keeping a close eye on her :). She's too important for me to make that mistake :) She will be kept a very close eye on for the next two weeks. I don't want any slip up of mine to harm a bun, so I have to make sure I do this properly :)
 
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