Sore / irritating ear / baytril - what else to try?

As above really. Rosie is very well in herself although still has abscess on her foot. Looking in her ear tonight, I can see she is scratching it and it looks so sore

As have said before, I am going away on Monday, so will take her back to the vets tomorrow - want to be prepared with suggestions if there are any? Might add the baytril still has a week or so to go.

Abscesses usually require depocillian injections to clear them. My Rosie as I posted about before had a tooth root abscess that was controlled with depocillian I imagine a paw abscess would be the same?? I think the ear infection would respond to depocillian also. Yes it's very stressful if u r heading away and worrying that they will get sick. I feel for u. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will be along soon. If Ear looks sore I would be wanting something more than baytril now at this stage. Sending vibes for ur Rosie x

cara said:

As above really. Rosie is very well in herself although still has abscess on her foot. Looking in her ear tonight, I can see she is scratching it and it looks so sore

As have said before, I am going away on Monday, so will take her back to the vets tomorrow - want to be prepared with suggestions if there are any? Might add the baytril still has a week or so to go.

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If it's an abscess, perhaps it should be lanced and drained in order to allow the infection/pus to be released? Pus in rabbits is usually thick and won't be absorbed easily by the body.

cara said:

As above really. Rosie is very well in herself although still has abscess on her foot. Looking in her ear tonight, I can see she is scratching it and it looks so sore

As have said before, I am going away on Monday, so will take her back to the vets tomorrow - want to be prepared with suggestions if there are any? Might add the baytril still has a week or so to go.

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Do you mean that her ear is looking sore, or her foot ?

I would speak with the Vet about opening up the abscess on her foot, debriding it and packing it with medical grade manuka honey. Although I expect Rosie will lick the honey off pdq ! The abscess would need to remain open and cleaned out once or twice a day and then re-packed with the manuka honey.

As nickybunny1 mentioned an injectable antibiotic such as Depocillin is often of more benefit for treating abscesses, it can also be effective in the treatment of ear infections.

If it is Rosie's ears that are looking sore then the Vet does need to consider additional treatment which may include ear drops, ear canal cleaning etc. I am assuming that she is already on Metacam or a similar non steroidal anti-inflammatory ?

Thank you for all your replies.

Because I am going away on Monday, I am really, really stressed over this. The timing is awful - what to do for the best? Firstly it is her ear which is sore. Actually, her foot does not look sore, or seem to be bothering her.

The ear started with a debilitating ear-infection and the baytril initially had an amazing effect. In fact the ear infection may well have gone - its hard to say for sure. However, Rosie is scratching her ear and it does look sore (we are using xeno by the way, preventative for mites, which she has had).

We finished the initial course of baytril, and everything looked great However, her ear did look a little gunky to me (not sore at that point) so went back to the vets and she was started on it again (gap of 2 days). Oh, by then she also developed the abscess. The baytril still has several days to go, so should we continue and see if it works eventually? I don't mind doing that, but the course finishes whilst I am away (away for 12 days), and I am terrified that everything might escalate whilst I am away!

Rosie is on daily metacam anyway due to old age aches and pains. Thing is, talking about lancing and cleaning twice a day ... I am not sure this is practical in boarding? What would you do. Rosie is a very happy bunny in herself .... eating, drinking, pooing etc!

I am not a health expert but my advice, in the light of you going away on Monday, would be to try and get on top of her ear problem . Did she have ear mites? as you say you are using Xeno - are you still using it and is that what you are meant to be doing? I have never used this so don't know. I hope you can get something sorted out especially with regard to her ear before you go away. Do you live near someone knowledgeable in rabbits who could care for her while you are away?

Rosie and her ears ..... I think because of Rosie's age and agility, Rosie has from time to time had mites so we treat preventively with Xeno. However, on this occasion, what I thought was mites was prob an (invisible) ear infection which presented with a poorly rabbit not eating and with balance problems. Baytril had a great effect, thankfully. Yes, we are still using Xeno - monthly.

Rosie and her partner Teddy are going into boarding, which is actually an animal rescue (all kinds of animals) / pet hotel so they will know a fair deal about Rabbits to be fair, but I still feel she ideally would have a 'one on one' kind of care .. but this isn't going to happen but I am very grateful she is going where she is. I just want to do right for her beforehand ... Think will go back to the vets today for advice.

cara said:

Rosie and her ears ..... I think because of Rosie's age and agility, Rosie has from time to time had mites so we treat preventively with Xeno. However, on this occasion, what I thought was mites was prob an (invisible) ear infection which presented with a poorly rabbit not eating and with balance problems. Baytril had a great effect, thankfully. Yes, we are still using Xeno - monthly.

Rosie and her partner Teddy are going into boarding, which is actually an animal rescue (all kinds of animals) / pet hotel so they will know a fair deal about Rabbits to be fair, but I still feel she ideally would have a 'one on one' kind of care .. but this isn't going to happen but I am very grateful she is going where she is. I just want to do right for her beforehand ... Think will go back to the vets today for advice.

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That sounds to be a sensible decision in the circumstances.

cara said:

Rosie and her ears ..... I think because of Rosie's age and agility, Rosie has from time to time had mites so we treat preventively with Xeno. However, on this occasion, what I thought was mites was prob an (invisible) ear infection which presented with a poorly rabbit not eating and with balance problems. Baytril had a great effect, thankfully. Yes, we are still using Xeno - monthly.

Rosie and her partner Teddy are going into boarding, which is actually an animal rescue (all kinds of animals) / pet hotel so they will know a fair deal about Rabbits to be fair, but I still feel she ideally would have a 'one on one' kind of care .. but this isn't going to happen but I am very grateful she is going where she is. I just want to do right for her beforehand ... Think will go back to the vets today for advice.

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I hope the vet can help you. It sounds like Rosie's ear is being more troublesome than the abscess on her foot? Perhaps a longer course of Baytril, if that helped?

I hope you get things sorted before you go away

MightyMax said:

I hope the vet can help you. It sounds like Rosie's ear is being more troublesome than the abscess on her foot? Perhaps a longer course of Baytril, if that helped?

I hope you get things sorted before you go away

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Yes, are right - at the moment it is her ear that is irritating her rather than her foot. I have an appointment at 17.45, so will see what the vet says.

cara said:

Yes, are right - at the moment it is her ear that is irritating her rather than her foot. I have an appointment at 17.45, so will see what the vet says.

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Thinking of you - hope it was a productive vet visit?

MightyMax said:

Thinking of you - hope it was a productive vet visit?

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Very worthwhile, thanks :wave:

I have to say, the new (more expensive!) vet is proving to be, potentially, a good move ! She was again, very thorough. She didn't think Rosie's ear was quite as inflamed but took scrapings. She also tried to drain the abscess, which wasn't productive but at this stage, as I am going away, she did not want to open it up fully. Rosie didn't appear to feel a thing.

We are going to continue on baytril until I return, as again, she was concerned a new antibiotic might not be a good thing right now, as I am going away.

She also rang me up this evening with the result of the scrapings and it seems Rosie has mites! (and not for the first time). The preventative Xeno is obviously not doing the trick. So back tomorrow for the first of 3 (I think) injections.

So, all in all, it is not as bad it could be and I feel very reassured Rosie has been back to the vets. I feel I have done all I can - apart from cancel my holiday. AND .... as I mentioned in another thread, the new vet is more expensive ... BUT she did not even charge me the full consultation fee but only £18 plus extra for meds, so I think this is very reasonable. Am liking the new vets Pity Rosie doesn't feel the same .. she is very stressed by all the visits But needs must

Thanks for asking :wave: