Jasmines health update - have antibiotics helped??

Jasmine has been having breathing problems since December. The vet first thought she had asthma/allergy and treated it with steroids which at first seemed to help. With her losing weight as well, he thought that she might have cancer. Jassys weight had gone from 2.7 kg (her normal weight) down to 2.3kg a month ago and 2kgish last week. She had another steroid injection a month ago which didnt do alot and then she had a course of antibiotics a couple of weeks ago and I wormed her. She would have been due for another steroid injection last Tuesday but she seems abit better and shes put on weight!! Tonight she weighed 2.3kg!!!! If she had cancer would she be putting on weight?
She was given 0.6 ml of baytril once a day in December and it didnt do anything. The last vet gave her 1ml of baytril once a day. Could this slightly higher dose have done anything? What is the normal dose for baytril? If she'd had a chest infection would this not have been cleared up in December? Is it worth giving her more antibiotics - maybe an even higher dose? Would she not have been ill i.e temperature, off her food if she had had an infection?
I am very confused. I have been so sad watching her fade away and thought it was just a matter of time and today she was hopping around outside and seemed quite happy - she didnt look like a rabbit dying from cancer!! Her appetite is fantastic. If she was very ill wouldnt she have stopped eating?
What are the snuffles? I hadnt noticed discharge coming from her nose but the last vet noticed that she had snotty paws and thinks she has been wiping her nose on her paws. Could she have had an infection all along?

Does anyone know anything about antibiotics or can give me any advice on her health?

It is now thought that dosing of Baytril is more effective if given at 10mg/kg/day as opposed to 5mg/kg every 12 hours

It is possible that infection was/is an issue, either as a primary disease or a secondary symptom of a malignancy.

Rabbits with a chronic form of pneumonia can actually seem reasonably well within themselves. Symptoms tending to be increased respiratory rate and effort, weightloss.

A chest Xray would be needed to obtain a more accurate diagnosis. Personally I would opt for keeping her on antibiotics for longer (courses of 6-8 weeks are sometimes needed) and I would not want her to have any more steroids at this stage.

The last vet I saw wasnt happy about giving her an x ray because of her breathing. She said she wasnt sure she'd survive the anaesethetic. Maybe now she seems a little better she might be strong enough to have one.
So she might have had pneumonia? She hasnt appeared to be ill and to start with the steroid seemed to work. I was wondering if keeping her on antibiotics might help. Why does it take so long for an antibiotic to work in rabbits? 6-8 weeks does seem like a long time. If she does have pneumonia would the virus have stayed in her this long? And I know pneumonia would make us very ill and I know that rabbits dont show their illnesses but surely she would have been off her food and had a temperature? Another trip back to the vets I think!!

Hello
steroids can be very suppressive of a rabbits immune system so should be avoided unless really necessary. Many infections (especially Lung infections) may be longstanding and so will require protracted courses of antibiotics.
A blood sample will indicate if your rabbit has an overwhelming infection going on as well as give you a general health profile. A chest xray is also something I would be thinking about in a case like this. I diagnose a lot of chronic pneumonia in rabbits and frequently the only symptoms have been vague malaise and weight loss
Goodluck

Thank you. That has given me some hope. Why they didnt give her blood tests before I dont know!! This has been going on for a while now.

Just taken Jassy up to the vets and saw another vet. He listened to her chest and said there was a slight noise but it could be slight damage from an infection. Shes only lost a few grams in the last month. But he was very impressed with her!! I am so happy!! He said to obviously keep an eye on her over the next few weeks and bring her back in a month to check her weight again. He didnt want to give her more steroids and he said treating her with antibiotics can give them stomach problems because they kill all the healthy bacteria. He said he couldnt say for sure she didnt have cancer but thought it unlikely!!!!
Anyway for now I am greatly releived and happy and I am going to start enjoying my rabbits again instead of worrying!!