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New meds for Mimzy - Ketoconazole - need advice

MimzMum

Wise Old Thumper
So Mimzy has been dealing with a number of issues lately that he's been taking baytril for almost two months again. We are now rounding off that medication, but as he continues to have trouble with a waxy/yeasty buildup in his ears, his vet has given him ketoconazole orally to try and clear them up.
She is not on staff for the rest of the month as she attends uni, so I thought I'd come here and see what advice I might stir up regarding the ketoconazole...I have used it on my dog, Jenna, with disastrous results (too much for her liver she vomited several times and had tenderness in her abdomen after one dose)...we've used ear drops on Mimzy with ketoconazole in them and he's not really responded, so I am wondering, with 0.4 mls metacam twice a day, the 0.1 ml baytril twice a day until it is gone (perhaps another week?) and now adding the specially compounded 1 ml ketoconazole...could this be too much for his system? What should I look for if he's having a reaction? And can the keto be safely given at the same time I dose him with his other meds or should I separate the doses? (He only needs it once a day I think.) Also is it okay to give it with food or should I not do?
Many thankies in advance! :) xx
 
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I haven't got any medical knowledge :oops: I hope you don't mind me posting still - but just wanted to send some love and ((vibes)) for Mimzy. Xxx

Hope someone with the know how will be along to help soon... :wave:
 
Thanks Schez :)
I just realized I goofed the dose, it's 1 ml a day of ketoconazole...just edited it.
 
Well I was surprised that one of my vets returned my call, they are usually too busy on weekends to do this, not that they don't try.

She said taking the baytril and ketoconazole together shouldn't be an issue. She also said just to watch and see if he got lethargic and stopped eating, typical danger signs for bunnies. I also got permission to break his dose into two 0.5 mls if he has too much trouble siting still for the full 1 ml all at once. He is already cranky with me for his two baytril doses each day and although we got this in a fruity base so he isn't tasting more chicken/beef flavoring I am certain he will give me plenty of starch over the new med.

Anyone who can tell me if there's anything further I should watch out for regarding reactions to ketoconazole in rabbits I would be very grateful, thanks! :)
 
I admit I would be very nervy about giving ketoconazole orally. But that may be based on previous bad experiences after the administration of a similar anti-fungal. It was given as an ear drop, but may well have been ingested as the two Rabbits groomed themselves. Both suffered severe hepatic reactions :cry:

It is stated as being a drug that can be used in Rabbits, but for me I would need a lot of convincing to give it orally. In fact I would need a lot of convincing to give it at all.

I know this applies to humans, but

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/DrugSafetyUpdate/CON300403
 
Thank you Jane. I have to admit, I am wary and wish I had brought up that Jenna had this medication and was horribly ill from it...in fact it may have sensitized her system long before she had the reaction to the dog treats and steroids and subsequently fell ill with vasculitis.
I'm pretty certain it was either ketoconazole or metronidazole they gave her, (we were treating a yeast infection in her skin), after one dose she was violently ill. She threw up and had a tender abdomen right around her liver for at least a few days.

Now as I totally trust your experience, I am too frightened to give this to Mimzy, even though it's only 1 ml a day for 14 days. He's older than Jenna and already has a lot for his system to process. But we have to get the yeast in his ears under control and the topical antifungal was not helping.

Can you recommend something else that would work? I will of course bring this up with my vet, but it will be at least a month before I can bring Mimzy back to her, if not more depending on our weather/road conditions and her availability. :(

I suppose I can keep trying his topical, but I really haven't seen a difference when we've used it before and he hates it. :( In fact, now I'm really concerned because he usually washes his ears furiously after I insert the drops and they go everywhere...could those make him ill if he swallows them?
I know it's got to be something in this house that is causing yeast overgrowth on the animals...I would guess it's the bottled air/moisture we deal with all winter...as it affects even the human family. No real way to reduce it till spring however, because we can't ventilate without opening doors and windows...no fun at -40 F.

Thank God this is our last winter here.
 
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