Fed up! UPDATE Pasteurella

Well after 2 or 3 days of it starting to look like Milo was on the mend we've taken steps back and now are having massive snotty sneezing fits again! We're five days into a 9 day course of Baytrill and back where we started! He's been taking the medicine fine (with some bribing) and I'm so fed up!!!
I've signed him up to a different vet in the hopes that we will get somewhere! It just feels like the vets ive seen so far have no clue whats wrong they just have a glance over him and prescribe antibiotics! Is this normal? Is there no way they can actually try and diagnose what is wrong?!
I've had Milo for over 2 weeks now and there have only been 2 days he's not been on meds- the first two! I'm starting to worry the poor guy is gona be snotty and sneezing for the rest of his life?! Does any one else have or has had a bunny like Milo? Is there light at the end of the tunnel ?

Aww no, poor little milo! Sending him lots of vibes!!

I don't have any advice sorry, but all I can suggest do you possibly use wood shavings and is your hay dust free? As maybe this could be aggravating him? And maybe making his sneezing worse? As my little man used to sneeze the odd time initially, but since changing his hay he's been fine!

But really hope someone can help give you some advice & get your little man well again xx

We use wood shavings in his hutch but he sneezes more out of the hutch! I will check his hay! Xx

Baytril might not be the correct antibiotic for Milo. Some Vets will take a swab and send it off to find out which bacteria they are dealing with. I wouldn't use shavings - it irritates the respiratory system. If Baytril is the right abx it can take a long time to clear the bacteria.

What would people recommend i used instead of wood shavings?

Pip&Milo said:

What would people recommend i used instead of wood shavings?

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I use Megazorb as a base layer to absorb the wee and then I cover it with a thick layer of hay. There is another product called Aubiose, which some people use and is similar to Megazorb.

I have had Baytril prescribed for a rabbit with early signs of upper respiratory infection and it has cleared it, but you do usually need a long course in order to completely clear the infection.

I have also had Baytril, together with Duphapen injections, for my trio of rabbits who had pasteurella infection in their lungs. It cleared the infection, but again it was a long course of Baytril.

I've also had a rabbit with respiratory infection which didn't respond to Baytril and we had more success with a different antibiotic (Marbocyl) plus Duphapen injections (it's a penicillin so for rabbits it has to be via injections and never by mouth).

Baytril is the antibiotic which is licensed for rabbits, so it the one that most vets will try first, in order to adhere to the prescription cascade, before then going onto trying other antibiotics.

I would make sure that the vet examining him also listens carefully to his lungs and doesn't just concentrate on the nose/eyes. Upper respiratory infections have visual signs such as sneezing, snotty nose, weepy eyes. Lower respiratory infections are hidden and don't start to show signs until the condition is advanced. It's always advisable to check the lungs when bunnies are sneezy/snotty, if the infection does start to track downwards, then you have more chance of catching it early.

I hope Milo starts to respond to the treatment very soon.

Hi guys thanks for all your vibes. We had a much nicer vet today,I'm really glad I changed over!! Milo is still not brilliant and the vet says it's most definitely pasteurella that's causing his sneezes. He listened to his lungs and thankfully they sound completely clear! He has upped our Baytrill to twice daily and recommended a tiny bit of juice to help him want to take it! If the baytrill hasn't had an effect after the next 2 weeks we will go to injections (i don't remember the name but he says its cattle medicine!) but he is hopeful the baytrill will work. He's a little worried that Milo isn't really gaining much weight so gotta give him lots of lovely food to eat! (In fairness that could just be novice me not giving him enough pellets/veg etc). He was wonderful with Milo and Milo loved him which was great! He hopes that as Milo gets a bit older and his immune system gets stronger he will be able to fight off the bacteria but also warned it could keep on affecting him forever. He was pretty clear that we are focusing on controlling not curing!
Anyway lots of love and strokes for my little guy now <3