Zac - Strange Reaction

Yo Forum Folks

Can I run this by you to see what you think :?:

Yesterday it was so lovely I decided all the Bunsters would go out for a Spring Frolic in the Garden - Buffs and Cagney were fine t- they know the routine and they both had a lovely time munching spring grass. They both came in later (albeit after Mum had rustled up every trick in the Book to get that Naughty Buffy back in :!: :roll: ).

Later during the Afternoon it was Zac's turn - since being with me from last October he has been a House Bunn - I popped him outside in a Play Pen to start with accompanied by some of his toys and dens - thought something with his own scent on would give him a base to run back to as he was in unfamilar surroundings - after half an hour I opened the Pen for him to explore which he did - had a binky, munched fresh grass and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself - he was out for around an hour.

Later during the evening he became very quiet (not like Zac) and his breathing was raspy :!: - I tried to keep calm - he'd eaten his tea and had some fresh Hay and water since coming in so I felt a little happier with this - but his breathing was still noisy with just a very occasional sneeze - no discharge at all though. I gave him 5ml of Baytril just before I went to bed.

This morning he seems fine again :!: :!: - Breathing is better and no sneezing (so far) I've given him some more baytril with his breakfast and his breathing seems fine again :?: :?

Could this be something to do with the grass and being outdoors yesterday do you think :?:

I'll keep an eye on him during the next day or so and if I'm still worried I'll pop him to our Vets just for a check up.

Soz rambled on a bit here folks but if any of you know what could have caused this - you'd defo stop a bunny mum pacing the floor :wink:

aaww glad he is ok again now Lany.. sorry dont know what it could have been.. unless he got something up his nose? bit of grass maybe.. who knows.. Maybe someone will have some ideas.

Hayfever?

Do Rabbit get iT?


Sounds strange but you never know

Maureen

Yea, sounds to me like he might have gotten something up into his nasal cavity. Maybe ring your vet and discuss what's happened?

It sounds like an allergy , or that Zac got something up his nose...pollen perhaps? Bunnies can get hayfever too, and we have several bunnies here who start sneezing when the blossoms start appearing on the trees and shrubs.
Lany if it only happened once, then I would not worry, it was probably just a one off thing :wink:

I had a horse with hay fever, which was a nuisance, as I had to soak all her hay for 12 hours before feeding it to her. :?
If Zac has not sneezed whilst indoors, then you can safely assume it is just a pollen in the air outdoors he is allergic to.

Adele said:

I had a horse with hay fever, which was a nuisance, as I had to soak all her hay for 12 hours before feeding it to her. :?
If Zac has not sneezed whilst indoors, then you can safely assume it is just a pollen in the air outdoors he is allergic to.

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We had a few of those at a stables where I worked. We'd soak the bales in a big bathtub, but because I was new, I was always made to haul them out again. A mental breakdown (well, you know what I mean) and a wrist injury later, I told them where to proverbially stick it, and left...*whistles*

Maaike_Butter said:

Adele said:

I had a horse with hay fever, which was a nuisance, as I had to soak all her hay for 12 hours before feeding it to her. :?
If Zac has not sneezed whilst indoors, then you can safely assume it is just a pollen in the air outdoors he is allergic to.

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We had a few of those at a stables where I worked. injury later, I told them where to proverbially stick it, and left...*whistles*

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:lol: :lol: and being in the line of fire of a HORSE SNEEZE is defo not to be recommended - unless you have a space helmet on for protection. :lol: :lol:

Thanks folks for all your reasurring replies - he's been fine all day - back to his usual self - his breathing is back to normal - no rasping noises so I feel much better now thanks -

He's due his Mxyi booster on Wednesday so I'll get Debroach to have another listen to him then just to be on the safe side.

Bunsters eh! - never a dull moment :wink:

Didn't know whether to say anything or not, but doesn't 5ml of Baytril sound quite alot? Is he a very big bunny?

Hiya - he is quite large - Bigger than a dwarf (no wonder my arms are longer now :lol: :lol: ) and my Vet has recommeded this dosage to be given initially on flare ups and then gradually reducing down to 2.5.
I guess all Vets have their own opinions on what works best and I have read various measures for bunnies.

I've stopped the dosage anyhow now as he is fine today - my initial worries last night were that his breathing also sounded quite bad but he will be thoroughly Vet Checked on Wednesday or sooner if needed.

Oh good, I'm glad to hear he is feeling much better!

LINDO :roll: :roll:

Apologies is 0.5ml I've been giving Zac - Just been down to check the measure - what am I like - I think I was panicing so much last night with his breathing - what am I like eh! - no wonder I can never reconcile our bank statement :!: :!:

Thanks for that. :wink:

This mini man (pictured here at christmas - incase you wonder about the hat :lol: ) cannot go out at all at this time of year without sneezing fits and rashes, as he is allergic to beech tree pollen. So I'm guessing your bun just got something up his nose !

Hi Lany,

was the Baytril administered orally or by injection?

If oral, it is meant to be given on a weeks course & not stopped before this as it will make any bacteria present more resilient & it the Baytril will not work next time.

Just a thought.

Bunnyboarding said:

Hi Lany,

was the Baytril administered orally or by injection?

If oral, it is meant to be given on a weeks course & not stopped before this as it will make any bacteria present more resilient & it the Baytril will not work next time.

Just a thought.

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Hiya Cheryl - should I continue the 0.5m dose then until I see my Vet on Wednesday even though he seems to be back to normal :?: - I just wondering if it was just an Allergy reaction I might have been a bit hastey popping him onto Baytril.

Baytril (enrofloxacin) is a Prescription Only Medicine and, as such, can only be prescribed by a Veterinary Surgeon for the treatment of a specified animal. Please don't give any antibiotics without being directed to do so by your Vet.; inadvertently giving the wrong dose could potentially be dangerous to your pet - also not completing the full course of treatment is ultimately leading to the spread of strains of bacteria which are resistant to existing antibiotics (like MRSA in humans!).

Hi Lany,
I'm glad Zac is better today. The spectre of snuffles is a worry :? If you have started him on baytril you should continue at least until you see the vet as if he did have any bacteria present you would not want to just have killed off the weaker ones leaving the stronger ones to multiply. If you continue you should kill off the rest of any that were present and not cause any exra resistance. Pasturella is often present even in a healthy bun, so shifting the balance towards a more immune group of bacteria would not be a good thing. The vet will be able to say when it is safe to stop. I think a minimum course is 5 days, but I'm not a vet, so ask the expert. If the vet has said previously that you can decrease the dose after you see improvement that should be fine. Maintaining the effect long enough is the key I beleive.

bunnynurse said:

I will double-check tomorrow, but I believe Baytril (enrofloxacin) is a Prescription Only Medicine and, as such, can only be prescribed by a Veterinary Surgeon for the treatment of a specified animal. Please don't give any anti-biotics without being directed to do so by your Vet.; inadvertently giving the wrong dose could possibly be dangerous to your pet - also not completing the full course of treatment is ultimately leading to the spread of strains of bacteria which are resistant to existing anti-biotics (like MRSA in humans!).

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Don't worry Bunnynurse all sorted now, I've already taken advice on this - there are times when (if you are experienced in Bunny health care) as many of the folks on here are that you just cannot wait for Veterinary Intervention - Yes it is a Prescription Only drug but this is Prescribed by my own Vet who knows I have three House Rabbits and on a rare occasion I have to use my own judgment and that of the many rescues which I come into contact with who treat Rabbits on a daily basis - some of which I may well trust more than my own Vet come to think of it.

Please Don't feel that I'm being harsh here but My Vet trusts me to administer Medication as and when required - I also have stock of Prepusid and Metacam for just that same reason.

Zac is absolutely fine this evening and will be getting his through Bunny MOT with my Vet on Wednesday.

bunnynurse said:

I will double-check tomorrow, but I believe Baytril (enrofloxacin) is a Prescription Only Medicine and, as such, can only be prescribed by a Veterinary Surgeon for the treatment of a specified animal. Please don't give any anti-biotics without being directed to do so by your Vet.; inadvertently giving the wrong dose could possibly be dangerous to your pet - also not completing the full course of treatment is ultimately leading to the spread of strains of bacteria which are resistant to existing anti-biotics (like MRSA in humans!).

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This is correct, and you make some very good points, for example that you should give a whole course of Baytril each time.
However, Vets do at their discretion give out Baytril for Rescues and individuals to have on stand by a home.
For example. if you have visited the Vet and your bunny has an ongoing condition (Snuffles, kidney / bladder problems) then to save the bunny getting stressed each time it is taken to the Surgery, some vets do allow you to buy Baytril to give as the condition flares up.
It is down to each Vet and individual pet owner to weigh up the pros and cons of keeping Baytril at home.
As long as the Vet explains the importance of giving proper dosages, and to return the rabbit to the surgery if the Baytril is not helping, or the rabbits condition worsens, then I do not see a problem with sensible rabbit owners administering drugs themselves.(just as long as you have consulted a vet somewhere along the line).
I have 34 rabbits, and if I visited the Vet each time one sneezed, or got gut statis then I would be at the surgery constantly. :? I usually phone the Vets for a chat and they advise me over the phone, and instruct me to use the drugs that I stock on site.
I guess other Rescues and Sanctuaries do the same thing, having multiple bunnies in their midst.

There could be a number of reasons for a rabbit to start sneezing:

*bacterial infection: this would require a course of antibiotics;
*viral infection: antibiotics do not work on viruses!;
*foreign body: this would need to be removed and antibiotics may be needed to prevent any infection if the foreign body had caused damaged to the nasal cavaties etc.;
*allergy: again, antibiotics do not work!

Only your Veterinary Surgeon can DIAGNOSE the cause of the sneezing and advise the correct course of treatment. Even myself as a fully trained, qualified, experienced and RCVS listed Veterinary Nurse would be acting illegally if I was to do so.

If your Vet has already given you Baytril for a recurring condition in a particular animal then your are acting under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon and within the law i.e. a Vet needs to have been consulted at some point previously.

bunnynurse said:

There could be a number of reasons for a rabbit to start sneezing:

*bacterial infection: this would require a course of antibiotics;
*viral infection: antibiotics do not work on viruses!;
*foreign body: this would need to be removed and antibiotics may be needed to prevent any infection if the foreign body had caused damaged to the nasal cavaties etc.;
*allergy: again, antibiotics do not work!

Only your Veterinary Surgeon can diagnose the cause of the sneezing and advise the correct course of treatment. Even myself as a fully trained, qualified, experienced and RCVS listed Veterinary Nurse would be acting illegally if I was to do so.

If your Vet has already given you Baytril for a recurring condition in a particular animal then your are acting under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon and within the law i.e. a Vet needs to have been consulted at some point previously.

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Sorry Bunny Nurse I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one! -

I can see where your coming from and as mentioned before you raise some very valid points but I don't feel you can apply a strict Text Book approach to individual animal care.

I re advise as previous that my Vet has given me a stock of Baytril, Metacam and Prepusid for "general" administration - thereby by doing so surely if you want to quote "legals" - my Vet has been consulted and is therefore acting within the law as you put it as she has already been consulted.

I have a brilliant relationship with my Vet and I definately wouldn't want to be without her expertise and have in the past worked with them to produce quarterly Rabbit News Letters specifically dealing with health concerns and general welfare.

Also as mentioned above if the many Rescues/Sanctuaries were not allowed to use their own judgement in administering medication when necessary then I honestly feel that many bunny lives would be put at risk as we all know how quickly Rabbits health can go down.

I will always do what I feel is in the best interest of my animals and if deemed necessary an Emergency Call would have been made on Saturday
and as you know Zac is already booked in on Friday with my Vet for his bunny MOT even though he now appears to be absolutely fine so I do not take my responsibilites lightly.

Despite our non-agreement here I do wish you good luck with your Veterinary Nursing I think you all do a great job.