Oxycare tablets-please help we are desperate-update 29/12/14

Hi all.
Unfortunately Fiva had surgery again on Christmas eve for another abscess and is now on Oxycare tablets. Has anyone any ideas how to get him to have them? We have tried crushing them and syringe feeding them but they solidify in the syringe. We have also tried putting the crushed tablets on his softened food covered with fibreplex but hes now decided he wont eat it. We really are desperate now :-( so any advice would be very much appreciated x

Could you crush them up tiny and put them in a spot of apple juice to syringe feed?

Hope he feels better soon?

Thankyou for your reply.
As soon as they get wet they solidify. Weve even tried using a recovery food syringe but that didnt work either. Im so worried about him now x

Can your vet not give you it to inject?

My understanding of that drug is that oral administration is not recommended as it is inactivated by the the calcium in the GI tract.

Hi Mightymax, thanks for your reply.
We have a very savvy rabbit vet who says hes had good success when used orally and who recently spoke to a lot of other vets at a seminar regarding antibiotic use in rabbits as our bunny is unfortunately pushing all boundaries and they aggreed with his use of the drug. Weve mixed it with pineapple juice and managed to syringe feed it as it didnt solidify.
We are back for a review on Monday so we'll see what the vet thinks then.
Thanks again for your reply...Ill mention your concerns on Monday x

Loftyfiva said:

Hi Mightymax, thanks for your reply.
We have a very savvy rabbit vet who says hes had good success when used orally and who recently spoke to a lot of other vets at a seminar regarding antibiotic use in rabbits as our bunny is unfortunately pushing all boundaries and they aggreed with his use of the drug. Weve mixed it with pineapple juice and managed to syringe feed it as it didnt solidify.
We are back for a review on Monday so we'll see what the vet thinks then.
Thanks again for your reply...Ill mention your concerns on Monday x

Click to expand...

You're very welcome

Great you have a good vet - and glad you managed with the pineapple juice.
These buns are sent to try us ...

Loftyfiva said:

Hi all.
Unfortunately Fiva had surgery again on Christmas eve for another abscess and is now on Oxycare tablets. Has anyone any ideas how to get him to have them? We have tried crushing them and syringe feeding them but they solidify in the syringe. We have also tried putting the crushed tablets on his softened food covered with fibreplex but hes now decided he wont eat it. We really are desperate now :-( so any advice would be very much appreciated x

Click to expand...

Poor Fiva, not the best way to have spent Christmas Eve

I would ask the Vet if it might be possible to administer the abx by injection. Not only would that probably be easier and less stressful for both of you, but oxytetracycline is not as well absorbed via oral administration as it is via injection. This is due to the fact that a Rabbits GI tract is never usually empty, one thing necessary for optimal absorption of oxytet'. So if given orally the drug only has a 60-80% absorption rate.If given orally then giving it with water is likely to be better than giving it with food as far as absorption rates go.

I hope Fiva is doing OK within himself at the moment xx

I too agree with asking your vet about giving it by injection. Oxytetracycline (which is the active ingredient in oxycare) is very commonly given to bunnies round here as a long acting injection, so one injection lasts 3 days, making it very easy and relatively stress-free to give. The brand usually used is engemycin LA (there is also one called terramycin I think), and the amount is really tiny as I think it's meant for sheep. But it's a very safe antibiotic when given by injection and I've always found it to be incredibly effective, and it's actually my vet's antibiotic of first choice for rabbits.

In the meantime, I would try crushing it up and mixing it in with a little mashed banana or porridge (or mashed banana in porridge). Another thing I used to do with Santa was crush tablets and mix them with a couple of drops of echinacea tincture and water until it was runny, and then syringe that. Echinacea is very strong smelling/tasting (but they seem to like it) so it might work. It's really tricky as you don't want to give too many unusual foods or too much sugar/starch at a time when a bunny is unwell, but a tiny bit might disguise the flavour enough to get it down him.

Have been back to the vets today. Vet is rather concerned about him. The abscess has now tracked to his ear canal. Vet has changed his antibiotics to flagyl and baytril along with continuing emeprid, flagyl and metacam as before. We have to call to update vet tomorrow as he is concerned about his gut. Im just hoping he will start to eat of his own accord now the oxycare tablets have been stopped.

Loftyfiva said:

Have been back to the vets today. Vet is rather concerned about him. The abscess has now tracked to his ear canal. Vet has changed his antibiotics to flagyl and baytril along with continuing emeprid, flagyl and metacam as before. We have to call to update vet tomorrow as he is concerned about his gut. Im just hoping he will start to eat of his own accord now the oxycare tablets have been stopped.

Click to expand...

I'm sorry to hear Fiva isn't doing too well right now.

I wish you all good vibes to help him get his appetite back x

Has the abscess been cultured at all, or is it inaccessible?

Thanks also for all the advice and support...we are really in need of support atm....our eldest daughter is expecting our first grandchild and may have to be induced tomorrow due to a potential liver problem...test results in the morning....baby is fine though. X

Loftyfiva said:

Thanks also for all the advice and support...we are really in need of support atm....our eldest daughter is expecting our first grandchild and may have to be induced tomorrow due to a potential liver problem...test results in the morning....baby is fine though. X

Click to expand...

Oh goodness, I do hope that all will go well and that the test results bring good news.

Hehehe...thanks Jack's-Jane....nothing normal about this family. ...shes movng about as much as possible to try and start herself before tomorrow morning lol. Hes a big baby and shes over 37 weeks now so we knew she could deliver any time...at least we got through christmas dinner lol.
On a positive note with Fiva, weve just syringe fed him softened ss pellets which he took without too much 'coaxing' and then he took off down the room. Then back in the run, hes just been trying to see what I was upto with the other bunnies In their setup rather than hiding in his shed. We both feel hes quite a bit brighter than earlier....fingers crossed.

Ill update both as and when news arrives x

Loftyfiva said:

Hehehe...thanks Jack's-Jane....nothing normal about this family. ...shes movng about as much as possible to try and start herself before tomorrow morning lol. Hes a big baby and shes over 37 weeks now so we knew she could deliver any time...at least we got through christmas dinner lol.
On a positive note with Fiva, weve just syringe fed him softened ss pellets which he took without too much 'coaxing' and then he took off down the room. Then back in the run, hes just been trying to see what I was upto with the other bunnies In their setup rather than hiding in his shed. We both feel hes quite a bit brighter than earlier....fingers crossed.

Ill update both as and when news arrives x

Click to expand...

Wishing you good luck with everything, baby and rabbit :wave:

Thanks MightyMax. I think a Baileys or two might be the order of rhe evening lol x

Loftyfiva said:

Hehehe...thanks Jack's-Jane....nothing normal about this family. ...shes movng about as much as possible to try and start herself before tomorrow morning lol. Hes a big baby and shes over 37 weeks now so we knew she could deliver any time...at least we got through christmas dinner lol.
On a positive note with Fiva, weve just syringe fed him softened ss pellets which he took without too much 'coaxing' and then he took off down the room. Then back in the run, hes just been trying to see what I was upto with the other bunnies In their setup rather than hiding in his shed. We both feel hes quite a bit brighter than earlier....fingers crossed.

Ill update both as and when news arrives x

Click to expand...

I think you may need a holiday after all this stress !!

I am glad that Fiva seems brighter tonight xx

Loftyfiva said:

Thanks MightyMax. I think a Baileys or two might be the order of rhe evening lol x

Click to expand...

Oooh Baileys - now you're talking :lol:

Hahaha the holiday would be great but Baileys I think it will be!!!! Lol.

But..........We....have...a ...pile ....of....poo!!!! Woop! Woop! Woop!

I gave him a love and told him what a clever boy he is...his reaction was priceless.....'oh dear! Shes off!.....yes I had a poo!!!! Hahahaha x

Loftyfiva said:

Hahaha the holiday would be great but Baileys I think it will be!!!! Lol.

But..........We....have...a ...pile ....of....poo!!!! Woop! Woop! Woop!

I gave him a love and told him what a clever boy he is...his reaction was priceless.....'oh dear! Shes off!.....yes I had a poo!!!! Hahahaha x

Click to expand...

Welcome to the poo obsessed club !! :lol:

MightyMax, have you tried the chocolate orange Baileys....its just gorgeous, so smooth and subtle x