Can't beat the infection!! A trip to the vets tonight...

Hi Everyone,

As some of you know, Hibby has had nasal discharge/sneezing for months now. And tonight the discharge has come back despite being on 1.2 of Baytril daily for the past 3 weeks.

This is what has happened so far (cant find exact time scales as have lost my diary...typical :roll:_ It's a very long story...

1. Hibby starts sneezing - 5 day course of baytril (0.8 a day)
2. Discharge stopped but comes back again - another 7 day course (0.8 a day)
3. Try septrim (told to give a huge dose but cant get hibby to take it, so go back to vets)
4.Culture and sensitivity test done - Hibby back on baytril and awaiting results (results back and it is sensitive to baytril. So continue with course for another 6 or so weeks)
5. Stop baytril and 3 days later discharge is back - another swab is taken and the results reveal Bordetella (kennel cough) which is sensitive to baytril. A rabbit expert at bristol is phoned and they suggest increasing the dose to 1.2 daily and also to do an x-ray.
6. X-ray is taken and reveals no cause of infection so are continuing with baytril
7. Tonight Hibby is sneezing again and discharge is back (she has been on the higher dose for 3 weeks!)

I am so gutted, I feel totally helpless. No matter what I do I cant help her.
I'll take her back on Monday to the vets as she is very well in her self despite the discharge. Although the discharge always came back when we stooped the baytril it has never come back during it.

Does anyone have any advice please? x x x x

no advice i'm afraid but sending loads of vibes. xx

Was a skull Xray taken ?

Well I have given up and reading forums I notice that a bacteria is never eliminated completely in rabbits.. My Chloe has been sneezing and discharging since July 2008 and always at the rabbits vet for cultures, various test, echos, x-ray, blood samples etc etc. In spite of 3 cultures indicating the bacteria (brevundimonas diminuta) and the sensitivity of several antibiotics to that specific bacteria, that she was given orally and by injections, she was even kept at the rabbit vet clinic for a week under control with all necessary examinations etc .. it always comes back and she continues sneezing but - it seems that the discharge is not always infectious - but just thick mucus that needs to be controlled for not turning septic again... so with the vet we agreed to stop the antibiotic to avoid resistance, as she is well but just sneezing,

Martine said:

Well I have given up and reading forums I notice that a bacteria is never eliminated completely in rabbits.. My Chloe has been sneezing and discharging since July 2008 and always at the rabbits vet for cultures, various test, echos, x-ray, blood samples etc etc. In spite of 3 cultures indicating the bacteria (brevundimonas diminuta) and the sensitivity of several antibiotics to that specific bacteria, that she was given orally and by injections, she was even kept at the rabbit vet clinic for a week under control with all necessary examinations etc .. it always comes back and she continues sneezing but - it seems that the discharge is not always infectious - but just thick mucus that needs to be controlled for not turning septic again... so with the vet we agreed to stop the antibiotic to avoid resistance, as she is well but just sneezing,

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Thank you for your reply, It's just that she seems to constantly be washing her face when the discharge is back and so I feel I cant leave it as it is distressing for her. Your strory does sound like mine and especially the Resistance bit. This is what I am very worried about. So do you just repeat antibiotics every now and again?

Jacks Jane - Yes, Hibby had a head x-ray nearly two weeks ago and it showed no signs of tooth problems etc. The vet suggested that we could send Hibby to the vets in bristol to have a camera up her nose to see if they can find anything if the sneezing came back (but i dont want to put her under anesthetic unnecessarily)

x x x x

for the moment we just leave her in peace, the vet checks the discharge when she has her dental and I do as well everyday I'm on the alert in fact. In her case the discharge is not permanent but occurs when sneezing and it is white mucus.. Since she had the 3 different antibiotics to which the bacteria is supposed to respond, he prefers not to give anymore as long as it remains to be mucus... She also had Baytril treatment at the beginning, then Marbocyl injections and finally Cephalosporines of the 3rd generation which were supposed to really kill that bacteria, but to no avail...(we did not even tried Penicillin injections as that bacteria is resistant to as well) ; often treatments need to be long in rabbits to have a result, so we tried as well for 3 weeks... it's a chronic and recurrent problem in her case

If she remains discharge free when on the baytril would the vet consider keeping her on baytril indefinately? I know this isn't ideal but if nothing else works.:? After her initial high dose you may be able to reduce it down to a maintenance level to keep the infection at bay:?

There is always the risk that she may eventually become resistent to Baytril but there are other antibiotics to try if this happens. I would also suggest probiotics in her water on a regular basis.

I have a few bunnies here who will be on antibiotics for the rest of their lives and they are all doing well with a good quality of life at the moment.

Like I said it isn't an ideal situation but if it improves her quality of life at the moment thats what is important

Thank you for all your replies

I would of course have her on baytril indefinitely if thats what I needed to do but she is on a high dose of 1.2 daily at the moment and the discharge has come back today. This is why it really worries me as before she has stopped the discharge when on antibiotics. I have a bonded pair, is it ok to put probiotics in their water if my other bunny will drink it?

Martine, your case is sounding seriously like Hibby. The white discharge only happens when she sneezes. It's good to know your bunny is happy and healthy even with the mucus

I dont know what to do I feel completely helpless as she does seem slightly distressed when she has a sneezing fit. Does anyone know of any other antibiotics that might work?

Rose24 said:

Thank you for all your replies

I would of course have her on baytril indefinitely if thats what I needed to do but she is on a high dose of 1.2 daily at the moment and the discharge has come back today. This is why it really worries me as before she has stopped the discharge when on antibiotics. I have a bonded pair, is it ok to put probiotics in their water if my other bunny will drink it?

Martine, your case is sounding seriously like Hibby. The white discharge only happens when she sneezes. It's good to know your bunny is happy and healthy even with the mucus

I dont know what to do I feel completely helpless as she does seem slightly distressed when she has a sneezing fit. Does anyone know of any other antibiotics that might work?

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hi rose,
i'll find out the name of the antibiotic injections eric had every other day at my wonder-vets and let you know. he's a totally different bun now - sneezes occasionally and a bit of ick comes out but he's fine in himself. he had a check up yesterday and she was really pleased with him - even his eyes are clean as a whistle. i got very upset when he was sneezing constantly as he couldn't even eat his poop without sneezing. you helped me loads then, so if i can help in any way, just give me a poke. xxx

Thanks so much poppy that is really kind

I'm so glad I found this forum, its such a help

Sleep well all, I'm off to bed as I've worn myself out with worrying today :roll:

I'll let you know the situation tomorrow x x x x

Hi Rose and everyone else with sneezing, snotty nosed buns
Grace is the same and I have posted on here before about her condition. I know it's really difficult as buns do get very scared when the sneezing is bad and they can't breath properly, and Grace sometimes coughs horribly. After trying various things with Grace I decided to abandon the 3 months of antibiotc injections twice a day in favour of a rabbit who would still come near me and would still come to eat her food without fear of being grabbed and jabbed! I'm sure other bunny mums would have made a different decision but we each have to decide what is best in individual circumstances. She is a happy bunny who sadly is not 100% healthy and it is hard for me to come to terms with not being able to make her better but she copes well with her condition, adores her friend Olive and is warm, dry, well fed etc. I know that it is impossible for me to know how she feels but as her mum I have to make a judgement and do what I think is best so I have decided to take each day as it comes, monitor her condition and hope she doesn't get any worse. She is going in for a dental on Monday so that will be scary again, more so than with a healthy bunny, and I know I will be worrying that she might not come home, but she needs her teeth doing.
I don't really know what else to say except good luck with your bunny whatever you decide to do.

I have had great results with Engemycin injections every 3 days. Also Metronidazole is another good antibiotic for respiratory infections

And yes it is fine for both bunnies to have probiotics in their water

is your bun's diet normal? Because the treatment you posted is just like my bun Bernie's treatment.

In the end, we have members who concluded that their sneezing is due to allergy.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=151236

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=144462

twobunnies&apony said:

Hi Rose and everyone else with sneezing, snotty nosed buns
Grace is the same and I have posted on here before about her condition. I know it's really difficult as buns do get very scared when the sneezing is bad and they can't breath properly, and Grace sometimes coughs horribly. After trying various things with Grace I decided to abandon the 3 months of antibiotc injections twice a day in favour of a rabbit who would still come near me and would still come to eat her food without fear of being grabbed and jabbed! I'm sure other bunny mums would have made a different decision but we each have to decide what is best in individual circumstances. She is a happy bunny who sadly is not 100% healthy and it is hard for me to come to terms with not being able to make her better but she copes well with her condition, adores her friend Olive and is warm, dry, well fed etc. I know that it is impossible for me to know how she feels but as her mum I have to make a judgement and do what I think is best so I have decided to take each day as it comes, monitor her condition and hope she doesn't get any worse. She is going in for a dental on Monday so that will be scary again, more so than with a healthy bunny, and I know I will be worrying that she might not come home, but she needs her teeth doing.
I don't really know what else to say except good luck with your bunny whatever you decide to do.

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Exactly what I have lived with Chloe, so no more treatment that really in the long term scared her although she was such a confident and trustfull little rabbit, and now she is returning to her own self and in fact stress diminishes immunity so the best thing to do is to watch for redundant infection and act on it and live a life which is not 100% healthy because even allergy can boost the whole process of inflammation leading to the infection..

I got my first bunny about 18 months ago, and love him to bits. He's now also developed a really persistent nasal infection. He's been on antibiotics for 6 months now, and the only one identified as sensitive by the culture that works was fortnum. But it made bun so ill. After two days (four jabs) he got constipated and stopped eating. We tried everything else the vet could think of, but in the end went back to fortnum, missing every fourth dose . But now, after two weeks, the infection seems to be becoming resistant to that too.

I'm really worried as although not very sneezy, his breathing has got really grunty when on the least effective medicines. I'm gutted and completely sympathise with that feeling of helplessness. And the distress of a bun that runs and hides.

thanks for the reassurance 2Bs&aP and best wishes for Hibby

Hugo's There said:

I have had great results with Engemycin injections every 3 days. Also Metronidazole is another good antibiotic for respiratory infections

And yes it is fine for both bunnies to have probiotics in their water

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Blue has been prescribed Engemycin for life.I have to give him an injection once every three days over a course of fifteen days then my vet said to inject him once a week.Will an injection weekly keep the snuffles under control or should I keep It to every three days?The other problem is my vet gave me her last bottle of Engemycin and has said the drug company has stopped making the strength she has given me.

Hi All,

Thank you for all the great advice, I've only just had a chance to get on line since the weekend so it was lovely to see all the responses.

So...I contacted my vet on Monday and he said he would contact bristol to determine where to go from here. I've just called him as I have not heard anything and he said bristol still have not replied. He is not in tomorrow so he will get someone else at the practice to contact me if they hear back. But the thing is there is already two vets involved and I really dont want to have to explain the story to anyone else

But I've noticed that Hibby looks really sleepy at the moment. She is just closing her eyes and opening them. As if she was coming round from anesthetic. Should I demand an appointment?

Also does anyone know what can be used to treat bordetalla so I can go in armed with information?

Please reply x x x x

I don't know. i always feel like I'm prone to over-reacting.
But if Hibby's more lathargic than usual rather than just snoozing, and specially if sitting huddled looking uncomfortable, I'd definitely phone and tell them the symptoms.
Good luck

It is interesting to read about all these sneezy buns. We had a bunny who suffered from recurrant snuffles but it was well controlled with Baytril.

Just a thought, I note that some people use Echinacea for their bunnies which is known to boost the immune system, I wonder if it would be worth a try?

Good luck.

Hi,

Well Hibby had a very funny turn and went very sleepy and kept closing her eyes. She wasn't her normal manic self at all. So I rushed her to the vets and they have put her on metacam to see if that can reduce any inflammation that may be caused by the infection (They think her funny turn may have been down to her not being able to breath easily) The vet also took another swab and we are still awaiting the results back from Bristol.
So I guess its another waiting game.

This evening, Hibby is back to herself and is eating and is as bright as usual, just a little bit snotty. (Although worryingly her discharge only ever came from her left nostril and I'm sure i saw some from the right tonight )

Thanks for the Echinacea tip, I'll look into it

Thanks again for all the help. I'll post once the vets get back in touch x x x x