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Parsley's ear abscess; any ideas? At wits end

parsnipbun

Wise Old Thumper
Parsley was identified as having an ear abscess probably about a year ago. He has had all the 'usual' medicines (septrin, baytril, injectible penicillin, flagyl (metronidozal), topical abx, etc etc) . also ear flushes, CT scan etc. We cannot implant an abx wick as there is no air space in the abscess.

He has just had 21 days of combined Zithromax (at rate of 20mg/kg and then 30mg/kg) and Rifampicin - a drug combination which has apparently had all sorts of success on other species incl horses and rats and rabbits. Alas to no effect.

The abscess is in his inner ear and is so huge that it will most likely burst into the brain cavity before long. The bone is also affected.Surgery is NOT an option as the abscess is so close to the brain and the bone is affected.

The vet is now thinking of just 'giving up' on all abx and letting it take its course.

Before we do this has ANYONE any other ideas?? (Obviously we will then take these ideas to the vet for thorough research before implementing).

PS He is a very happy and very very very lively bun.
 
AGGHHH!! I hate bunny abscesses with a passion :evil:

So surgery under GA is not an option. Is having the abscess lanced under local so that it can be drained viable?

Posatex is the only ABX having any effect on Tottis ear abscess so may be worth you mentioning that. As usual it's not licensed for rabbits so it is an experimental option.

Very best of luck.
 
I dont really have any advice im afraid :(.

In the end, with my Flynn, surgery bought him a few months, and antibiotics and pain relief kept him comfortable, until the sparkle went from his eyes, and i knew it was time. Obviously is surgery is not an option, then i think the most important thing is symptom control and keeping dear Parsley comfortable.

Will be thinking of you, i feel your pain.

:love: for Parsley
 
Maybe another vet might have other ideas maybe?

Perhaps you could ask your vet to consult with Frances Harcourt-Brown?
 
AGGHHH!! I hate bunny abscesses with a passion :evil:

So surgery under GA is not an option. Is having the abscess lanced under local so that it can be drained viable?

Posatex is the only ABX having any effect on Tottis ear abscess so may be worth you mentioning that. As usual it's not licensed for rabbits so it is an experimental option.

Very best of luck.

It is not near enough to the surface to be lanced - it is inside his head so to speak. .

will make a note of Posatex!
 
Maybe another vet might have other ideas maybe?

Perhaps you could ask your vet to consult with Frances Harcourt-Brown?

We have consulted with Great Western I know - and poss one or two others . . will mention FHB again just in case we didn't.:)
 
Im so sorry,it looks like your vet has tried everything possible,Bugsy my beautiful boy had an ear abscess and in the end I think he got one in his inner ear which burst and caused septcimia :cry:
The only other option is ask your vet to try Langford to see if there is a route you havent tried.Sending massive vibes Parsleys way xxxx
 
I'm sorry - I've been dealing with ear abscesses in my buns too and it is horrible. I don't think I can help you much as my problem is a bit different in that the abscesses are in the outer ear canal. For inner ear problems a vet in Italy called Dr. Vittorio Capello has pioneered a procedure which removes the entire ear structure - he has written an article published on the web about it:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Surgery/Ear/ear_surgery.pdf

One of my buns is just recovering from an ear canel resection - this is done commonly on dogs and cats but no one in the vet world has written it up for rabbits so my vet (William Lewis) has been on a learning curve. He's planning on giving a paper about it to a vet conference at Easter so it may get to be generally more known about. He is in contact with FHB, Richard Saunders etc and hasn't found any other solution to my problem other than the one he has done. He doens't agree with John Chitty on ear wicks as they are foreign bodies and can cause problems in the long term and ear absecesses involve too much pus for them to be able to get rid of infection.

This is the second thime he has done this operation. It has made a hugh difference to the bun he did it on a few months ago - he is more confident and lively I guess because his ears are no longer full of pus and he can hear properly maybe for the first time ever. I think it is an exciting break through.
 
Thank you for this.

Parsley's abscess is right in the inner ear - way down - he no longer has an ear drum and the bone between the ear and brain is affected so any kind of surgery is really a no no as it would be very likely to put strain on that already thin dividing line.

We are now trying a wick - I have only just read what you have said about wicks - but it is the one thing we haven't tried so we are trying it. We have come of rifampicin as it was not doing anything but are still on zithromax.

We are desperate just to 'hold' the infection.
 
That sounds horrible - I'm sorry. I wonder how many more buns have these sort of problems which go un noticed. The underlying issue is, of course, that buns with ear problems are almost always lops and it is the deformation caused by the "cute" ears that causes the problem. I expect you have sorted out the best painkiller if Parsnip is in pain from this. I know vets can give stronger opiate based painkillers which us owners would not have access to although this type can cause statis so it is a balancing act.
 
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