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Middle/inner ear infection-please share your experience

kate_s

Warren Scout
Hi everyone

Please can you share with me your own experiences with inner/middle ear infections I've already posted in an early thread but I just wanted you to share and success stories and any learning points I'm battling hard but at the moment with no success. Thanks x x
 
If is you and not your rabbit, I can empathise :(

Steam works well for me. I find that, although it knocks me out a bit, Stemitil (an anti sea sick tablet) can help with the giddiness. Dr can prescribe antibiotics - it might take several weeks to clear properly. I had another episode 2 weeks ago and my right ear is still not right.

An extra pillow at night may help, too.

If it is for your bunny, though, I am not sure :lol: although, I still empathise!
 
Mostly I have dealt with otitis externa (outer ear infections), but over the years I have encountered a few cases where this has progressed to otitis media/interna. Seemingly due to the fact that the eardrums perforated and the infection spread. With those cases the longterm prognosis was less favourable :(

There are surgical procedures which can be attempted - a Bulla Osteotomy being one of them



But personally I am not sure I could put a Rabbit through such a painful high risk op' with a limited chance of it being successful. Recurrence of infections seem to occur. Maybe it would be different if the Rabbits involved were young and not already very ill. But in my experience when surgery is considered the Rabbit is already severely compromised by the infection. I cant say I would never agree to going down the surgical route, but so far it has never been appropriate for the Rabbits involved whom I have been caring for. They were either too ill already, very elderly or both.

Sometimes it is possible to keep the infection under control with longterm antibiotics, it really depends on the individual Rabbit- how advanced the infection is and how the Rabbit copes with the issues it can cause. It is the pain that ear infections can cause that is the major concern. As we all know, Rabbits hide pain. I have only had a couple of minor ear infections in my life and on both occasions frankly I wanted to rip my head off.

Good ongoing pain control is something that always needs to be factored into treatment. Sadly there are still some Vets who fall short on this and under dose as far as analgesia goes. Not ALL Vets of course, just some. When trying to manage a chronic ear infection in a Rabbit having a Rabbit Savvy Vet is an absolute essential.

I really hope that you will receive a more positive update about your Rabbit this morning.
 
Middle Ear infections... update please on your experiences?

Hi there. Been fighting persistent outer (and now probably middle) ear infection in my 9-12 yr old rescue rabbit for almost a year now. This forum has the most useful info I've found so far. Mainly, that a Bulla Osteotomy is a major surgery and very painful, and just staying with the antibiotic plan is probably the best. Anybody care to share experiences of either surgery or just the antibiotic route? thanks..
 
Hi there. Been fighting persistent outer (and now probably middle) ear infection in my 9-12 yr old rescue rabbit for almost a year now. This forum has the most useful info I've found so far. Mainly, that a Bulla Osteotomy is a major surgery and very painful, and just staying with the antibiotic plan is probably the best. Anybody care to share experiences of either surgery or just the antibiotic route? thanks..


Welcome to the Forum :wave:

I'm sorry to hear of your rabbit's health issues.

You may be best to begin another thread, as this is quite old and people may not see it so readily as a new one :D
 
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