Babette is getting lower respiratory again

[Maureen Las]

Well I just don't get any rest.

Gabriel is doing great (after I spent an enormous amount of time counting poops) this weekend.

Today I just heard Babettemaking a hacking noise that indicates that the lower respiratory is coming back.
This is my plan. I had to talk to the vet about Gabriel so I brought up Babette (I had planned on taking her to a woman vet in Winona ) I brought up Zithromax. Dr. Gary told me that he had never used it on a rabbit but that he would like to try another 3 weeks on baytril orally instead of Cipro (he feels that sometimes Cipro is less effective.) I persued the zithromax asking him if he would consider it if the baytril doesn't work. He said that he would.. so I'm going to take Babette to him right now instead of Winona. I told him that I would sign a waiver holding him not resposible if the zithromax hurt her (he didn't respond to that one)
He said that babette could have something else going on (like a tumor) and needs an x-ray. I know this is true and I am beginning to think that there is something else wrong with her other than pneumonia. She is 7 and a half yrs old and has really slowed down a lot.

What am I going to do if she dies and Beau is alone. ?

I have thought of this for so long ..the fear of Babette leaving Beau alone. He is totally dependent on her and because of his mouth problems he really deosn't have a very fun life. I don' think that he is totally comfortable a lot of the time. Anyway I am taking her to Dr. gary on Wed at 3pm
The amount of money I am spending on my animals is getting out of control bad.

 

[Haley]

Oh hun Im so sorry we missed this! How is your girl doing? How did the appt go?

It could just be a stubborn respiratory infection. If all you guys have used is baytril is could just be resistant.

We did Xrays on Max when he had breathing issues and the bronchitis did show up on the Xrays. Hopefully it will show something for Babette.

What about Nebulizing? Have you looked into that?

Have her teeth been checked?

 

[Maureen Las]

Thanks Haley

I know I was not overlooked intentionally ..the title was probably the same as a recent post.
Good news..her xray showed nothing negative..no tumors masses,etc

By the time I got her to the vet her breathing was normal (she had been on IM baytril since Sun. )

he thinks that she has an infection of the trachea based on my description of the sounds that she makes.

He said that Cipro is not absorbed as well as enrofloxicin (baytril. I am not giving her injections nowas I am very frightened of making her sore or creating abscesses.
She is on oral baytril for 3 weeks WITH the option to try zithromax if the infection doesn't clear. He went to his textbooks ,is hesitant about zithromax, but is open and did listen to me talk of Randy's experiences.

he wants to try baytril as he feels the dose was not enough and he wants to make sure that it won't clear with that. before moving on to something new. I am happy that he is open..

Babette is eating and drinking ..the poopy butt is gone but I did hear a little squeak from her last night so I am not sure the baytril is going to clear this.

No one here knows how to nebulize including me. If it is in her trachea and not her lungs I am not sure that it would help.
She is comfortable and basically doing pretty well.............but because of Gabriel's stasis last week and my old cat"s recent urinary tract infection My anxiety level is very high.

3 sick ones all in a row is like being a mother I guess.

 

[cmh9023]

Hi Maureen,

I'm glad to hear she's doing ok! Regarding nebulizing...my cat had bad respritory issues and got nebulization when he was in the hospital. When he got out, the vet told me to continue with "homemade" nebulization by steaming up the bathroom with a hot shower. We did 20-30 minute steams for about 2 weeks and it really helped. Might be something to try if it is related to her breating, but, like you said, if its a trachea infection that wouldn't really help.

P.S.- I have two little blues eyes staring at me as I'm typing this. Can you guess who it is??

 

[Maureen Las]

I think a little white angel named Vivienne Violet!

There has recently been a lot of posts on EB about steam treatment..some people had negative experieces when adding certain oils to the waterr using too much steam for too long.

I have a little vaporizer from Walgreen's that I did have running but I don't think that she needs it right now. I just used plain H20. I had to turn itoff part of the time because i was afraid the cats would burn themselves.

I got Babette in about may 2000 when I was still in Chicago. She was about 2 months old. She's been with me so long that I truly am having a lot of fears about her age and condition. I'll post her picbecause with so many its hard for people to keep them straight.

 

[Maureen Las]

 

[naturestee]

Maureen, the conversation on EB regarded an herbal treatment (with some suspicious ingredients) used with the steam in an enclosed space, didn't it? Plain steam won't hurt, I used that to help my kitty Lily when she had a URI. Just like with us, it seems to help loosen the muck in the nose and throat and make it a little easier to breathe for a while.

I'm glad Babette is feeling at least decent. I hope this clears up!

 

[Maureen Las]

It seems like this person placed the rabbit in a carrier and set her in front of the herbal steam concotion..forced steam.....

anyway thank Angela ..I didn't read all the responses but just bits here and there..enough to confuse me temporarily.

 

[naturestee]

Yeah, just stay in there and watch her. If she gets upset take her out. But just plain steam should be ok.

And for anyone else reading this, check the safety of all herbal treatments through other online or medical sources before using them.

 

[Haley]

Maureen- I think even if the infection isnt just in her lungs it would still be useful to try nebulizing. Its a direct dose of meds that they breathe in- very effective.

I think I may have posted this before but heres the link on it: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=16807&forum_id=10

Scroll down to the bottom for pictures. I did this with Max for a while. I would be more than happy to walk you through how to make the chamber and everything. I bought a large tupperware bin big enough to fit Basil and Max comfortably together ( I knew Max would be too scared on his own ).

If thats too overwhelming right now, try the steamer. I used one with Max and put some Vicks Vaposteam directly into the water. He loved it and would sit in front of it. You can put an NIC gate in front of it if youre worried about them burning themselves on the steam.

Letme know if theres anything I can do to help. I know its overwhelming.

*hugs*

Haley

 

[naturestee]

That's a good idea! That way you know if she likes it or not, unlike that poor bun in the carrier.

 

[Maureen Las]

Thanks Angel and Haley

When babette is on the meds ALL her respirtaory symptoms disappear. She seem normal right now in terms of her breathing, no sounds of any kind. It is only when I take her off the meds that the infection comes back full force and worse.

If this should happen after her 3week course of oral enrofloxicin then I will definitely use steam but allow her to leave the steamy area if she wants to.

If it should return after the 3week tx it will prove Randy right..baytril can be used a couple times before it is loses itsability to kill resistant bacteria.

 

[ra7751]

Just a brief comment....we never use steam. We always use cool mist. It does seem odd asyou would think the steam would be better....but we have dealt with quite a few LRIs and every one of them did better on cool mist. But after thinking about it...I have some sinus issues. I did the closed door bathroom steam trick and it seemed a bit stifling....like I was almost gasping for breath. But the cold shower just seemed to feel better. So I tried it on the rabbits and got good results. Must do more fact finding on this. And we also use a diuretic(lasix) to disperse some of the fluids that can hang around in the lungs during a LRI.

Randy

 

[Haley]

Maureen, any updates on Babette? Ive been thinking of your sweet girl ray:

 

[TK Bunnies]

Oh no!! I hope every thing turns out okay!!!

sending good vibes:

-TK

Vibes -----> :rainbow:ink iris::inlove::bestwishes:

:clover::bouquet::magicwand::balloons:

 

[Maureen Las]

Babette is about the same..the vet placed her on 2 additional weeks of baytril (oral). She shows no symptoms other than anoccasionallittle squeaky gasp when she has to exert herself. her respirations are normal and she has no discharge at all from her nose or mouth. She has a good appetite and is pooping normal.

She does let me pet her which is totally not normal; I always referred to her as my "snob" bunny because she would put her head in the air and hop away anytime I tried to pet her.
I am not concerned about her when she is on meds but when she is taken off I will be a wreck.
I just feel that this will reoccur as it did before.
It is at this point that I expect the vet to let us use azithromycin or at least another antibiotic.
For awhile I was thinking that maybe she had bordatella but ,you know, I think I just worry about everything

I have to admit that having her sick just "spoils" my life. I know that all of you know what I mean. I wake up in the morning and feel OK and then I remember that Babette is sick and I kind of get " punched in the stomach"

Anyway I hope that she gets better but I guess I have to remember that not every bunny has a long lifespan.
Thanks for asking about us