Nebulising for a rabbit with Pnuemonia. Anyone any experience please?

As title

I have a rescue bunny who I took from another rescue, his history is unknown to me. He showed symptoms of respiratory infection some weeks after having his neuter and then a few weeks later his combi vaccine. Vet believes most likely he was carrying infection or damage to his lungs which was not clear in pre-op check and that the two things combined, on top of having to come in here (so travelled for quite some distance) was enough to knock his immune system.

The baytril course did nothing and then we moved onwards to injectable pencillin and metronidazole, anti inflammatories but no improvement to speak off. He was admitted to the vets for xrays/scans and was shown to have damaged lungs/pnuemonia. He was kept in for IV abx and monitoring.

He came home last night as he'd shown little improvement but not gotten any worse. I think he is holding his own and have been discussing nebulising him to see if we can help 'whack' this thing.

So, anybody got any experiences please of nebulising for pnuemonia in rabbits or other treatments of pnuemonia, both successful and unsuccessful?

Thank you

I have had cases of pneumonia where nebulising appeared to offer some relief in symptoms. The Rabbits were also on various systemic meds including abx, bronchodilators and diuretics.

I have used Saline, F10, Gentamicin and Baytril in a nebuliser

Jack's-Jane said:

I have had cases of pneumonia where nebulising appeared to offer some relief in symptoms. The Rabbits were also on various systemic meds including abx, bronchodilators and diuretics.

I have used Saline, F10, Gentamicin and Baytril in a nebuliser

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Thanks Jane.

I'm working with Gill the vet to get the best way to treat and this is an option I'd like to try. So far we'd steared clear of diuretics as there wasn't shown to be any fluid around his heart, but something to consider if he doesn't improve and rescan. Gentamicin was mentioned.

He does seem to have a slightly better colour to his tissues today which I'm hoping means that he's getting more oxygen into his blood. Something might have improved.

How did you nebulise? In a pet carrier or other set up?

The Duchess said:

Thanks Jane.

I'm working with Gill the vet to get the best way to treat and this is an option I'd like to try. So far we'd steared clear of diuretics as there wasn't shown to be any fluid around his heart, but something to consider if he doesn't improve and rescan. Gentamicin was mentioned.

He does seem to have a slightly better colour to his tissues today which I'm hoping means that he's getting more oxygen into his blood. Something might have improved.

How did you nebulise? In a pet carrier or other set up?

Click to expand...

I used the mask whilst holding the Bunnies on my lap. If I had a Rabbit who was stressy about being held then I would make a nebulising chamber

'Santa' on here made one for her little Nethie Santa

Jack's-Jane said:

I used the mask whilst holding the Bunnies on my lap. If I had a Rabbit who was stressy about being held then I would make a nebulising chamber

'Santa' on here made one for her little Nethie Santa

Click to expand...

thank you, I'll chat to Alison too.

Anybody else with experience and happy to share?

There's a nebuliser newbie thread I started recently that may help - will try to find it.

I made a chamber by taping plastic over the ventilation holes in a carrier and draping stuff over the front to reate a sealed unit once the bun was inside. I poke the nebuliser nozzle through the front bars and tape it in place. Mulberry is having 20-30 mins in the nebuliser two/three times a day and it's definitely helping. :wave:



ETA Found it...

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...r-newbie-questions&highlight=nebuliser+newbie

Tinsel said:

There's a nebuliser newbie thread I started recently that may help - will try to find it.

I made a chamber by taping plastic over the ventilation holes in a carrier and draping stuff over the front to reate a sealed unit once the bun was inside. I poke the nebuliser nozzle through the front bars and tape it in place. Mulberry is having 20-30 mins in the nebuliser two/three times a day and it's definitely helping. :wave:



ETA Found it...

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...r-newbie-questions&highlight=nebuliser+newbie

Click to expand...

Thank you. My nebuliser arrives tomorrow from Amazon, vet has some drugs so hopefully we can start immediately.

Oh good luck - I do hope that it helps. Santa used to sit with her nose right next to the outlet so it definitely gave her enough relief that she actively sought it out. Everything crossed for your little one xxx

I have nebulised my Poppy before, My hubby got a plastic storage box with a lid and drilled some air holes and a hole for the neubuliser nozzle. We stuck her in, put the lid on and something heavy on top. We used a carrier for a while but couldn't get the nozzle to stay on as Poppy is a mega fidget and liked to scrap at the towel and would bash the nozzle off with her bum.
There is also no way she would stay still on my lap, far too nosey and into everything!!!

You might want to watch this video


I nebulized Mandy when she had pneumonia, but I really don't know if it helped her at all. What did cure her in the end was a strong and long antibiotics run.
It changes from bun to bun though, I heard some greatly improve upon nebulization, 2 or 3 times a day.