Injectable Pencillin

hey

Molly's hocks started becoming pussy with absesses. Took her to the vet tonight, and he said that she can have course of baytril and if this doesn't work, then injectable pencilin should be used. Firstly, I was terrified of having to inject her, and secondly, the possible side-effect of fatal diarrhoea. It made me burst out crying. She's had baytril before for her hocks, and it worked for a little while, and it just came back again. So I want to know who's used injected pencilin, why you chose it, and how hard/easy it is to inject. Really, weighing up either pencilin or leave it, she'll either die from infected hocks, or from fatal diarrhoea. The diarrhoea is a very small chance (he's treated loads of rabbits with it and it's never happened with any of those) but the infected hocks is a huge chance.

I have used injectable Penicillin on numerous Rabbits. Only 2 developed problems.
One survived the other did not

Has the Vet taken a culture from the abscess to see what antibiotic is the most approprate to use?

Jack's-Jane said:

Has the Vet taken a culture from the abscess to see what antibiotic is the most approprate to use?

Click to expand...

no, because there isn't any puss actually on the surface. She gets the absess and it bursts, then it heals within a few days. No puss is there after it bursts, and I usually find it when it bursts. :roll: But he did feel it underneath the skin, so infection is there. Hope this can work.

Is it normal for when baytril is used, that an absess will appear? this happened when we used it before, but we thought it was just the injection being drawn out from the anti-biotics.

It's oral penicillin that causes problems. Injectable is normally fine.
Personally I find injectable meds easier than giving a nasty tasting one by mouth. Mine have never appeared to notice any sub-cut injection.
I agree that culture is needed to select the right antibiotic

IF penicillin G is given orally, it will kill the bun. If you inject it thru the skin, supposedly the best spot as under the skin just behind the neck, it is fine.

I have injected penicillin on many many occasions (over 2 years), and found it by far the easiest way to give medicine. Only ever had one small problem, a slight reaction to one injection, which resulted in a sore on the skin. It cleared up quickly and never happened again. Jester is far happier to sit still for a few seconds while I inject than to have to take nasty tasting stuff.

It's really easy to inject (I'm allergic to penicillin and even managed to not spill any ever, or stab myself!) You should be offered something to help with digestion such as Bio-lapis (it's a pro-biotic I think).

Thanks guys. If the baytril doesn't work, then I will go with the pencilin. I was so confused, I just decided on doing a course of baytril first before trying the pencilin.

Pencilin G is consider a stronger ABX than Baytril. Baytril is a board based ABX that doesn't kill the good bacteria w/i a bun

Happy Hopping said:

Pencilin G is consider a stronger ABX than Baytril.

Click to expand...

Pasting a reply from when you have previously said this odd comment...
"No antibiotic is 'strong'. Maybe you mean broad spectrum? And one antibiotic certainly does not kill all bacteria. For example penicillins are only effective in bacteria that are multiplying and have peptidoglycan in their cell walls. They will not touch others however high the dose and frequently it is given. Testing bacterial growth for sensitivity to antibiotics and selecting the safest antibiotic for rabbits that is effective against the bacteria is the best way to apply evidence based medicine and is the best method for the rabbit"

Well, an update on Molly for her first day on the baytril, she's taking it well, so I'm happy so far.

marie_kubiak said:

Testing bacterial growth for sensitivity to antibiotics and selecting the safest antibiotic for rabbits that is effective against the bacteria is the best way to apply evidence based medicine and is the best method for the rabbit"

Click to expand...

I got thru those test before. Spend $100 for nothing. They can't culture a sample. The whole thing go nowhere.

I said stronger because I have gave baytril for months on 1 of my bridge bun back in 2005, whereas Pen G was given for like 7 days or 14 days. So I assume baytril is a "mild" ABX, eventhough it's board based.

Happy Hopping said:

I got thru those test before. Spend $100 for nothing. They can't culture a sample. The whole thing go nowhere.

I said stronger because I have gave baytril for months on 1 of my bridge bun back in 2005, whereas Pen G was given for like 7 days or 14 days. So I assume baytril is a "mild" ABX, eventhough it's board based.

Click to expand...

Jason, we've been through this before. I'll repost my answer from then to avoid having to write it all out again:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Hopping:
I try those culture sample before. Totally waste of money. They done the sample, culture the sample, then can't find anything. Waste $100 for nothing. And I thought about it, what's the point? A strong ABX kill whatever bacteria is in the bun's body, why bother care what the bacteria is?


Was your rabbit on antibiotics before/when the sample was taken? Or was the sample posted to a lab elsewhere? These are the main reasons for failure of bacterial growth. Typically we manage to culture and test 98% of samples taken so I don't think you can really call it a waste of money.
No antibiotic is 'strong'. Maybe you mean broad spectrum? And one antibiotic certainly does not kill all bacteria. For example penicillins are only effective in bacteria that are multiplying and have peptidoglycan in their cell walls. They will not touch others however high the dose and frequently it is given. Testing bacterial growth for sensitivity to antibiotics and selecting the safest antibiotic for rabbits that is effective against the bacteria is the best way to apply evidence based medicine and is the best method for the rabbit.
The use of an arbitrary antibiotic can be very dangerous - giving it to bacteria that aren't sensitive leads to continuation of the disease, destruction of beneficial bacteria and development of resistance in other bacteria. I would strongly suggest you look into this further before giving such odd advice.

I had to give Flora daily injections of penicilin for 8 weeks to cure an internal abscess. She suffered no side effects whatsoever. I soon got used to giving the injections too and it's much less stressful for the bunny than oral meds. Just make sure you don't get any penicilin on the fur as it's poisonous if ingested.