Baytril question

[Maureen Las]

michelle86 wrote:

I think the only way to make sure he gets the baytril is to give it some way in a syringe. If I tried to give him it in carrots or raisins, it would probably go to waste, because I wouldn't be able to force those things like I could with something in a syringe.

If it was me I would go buy a bottle of sugar free coffee flavoring syrup. this is the syrup that you ask for when you go to a starbucks or caribou and say that you want a shot of caramel, hazelnut, etc etc in your coffee.
We do have a compoundingpharmacy in this town ; I might askthe pharmacist if i could buy a little flavoring . You might call some drugstores and ask to talk to the pharmacist?

if your rabbit is improving (sounds like it) I would keep giving the meds until you talk to the vet.

 

[michelle86]

I tried making him like the syringe.... I just put some juice in it, he loves apple juice, and he absolutely refused, even though there's no medication in it. I don't think there's any way I could ever flavor this and have him like it. He just has a horrible aversion to this syringe now.

 

[Maureen Las]

that's sad....

 

[BethM]

When Nick got Baytril, I got the type the vet ground up to make a suspension. It sort of smelled like pellet food, but I don't know if it was flavored or not. Nick *hated* it. On the difficult days, when he would fight and fight the syringe, I would smear whatever I couldn't get him to take on the tops of his paws, so he was forced to clean it off.

The vet also suggested squirting it into the middle of a chunk of banana, or smearing it on top of a banana slice, but I didn't try that. He won't eat a treat when he's in the "torture room." (What I call the guest bathroom where all bun treatments are done.) If I gave it to him in his pen, Amelia might have tried to steal it.

 

[michelle86]

So this morning I noticed that Ben's stools are much lighter in color than normal. He also seems to be having fewer. I also noticed he has hardly touched his pellets and hay. Before yesterday he was eating fine. And the last time I filled his bowl was yesterday morning. I expected to refill his bowl this morning, but I didn't have to. And the majority of the hay I gave him yesterday is still in there.

He still goes nuts for his treats and I fed him a small piece of peach and he liked that. So I don't know why he's not eating his pellets. Possibly because I'm giving him 30 mls of other food with his medicine per day?

I also have not noticed much of a decrease in the level of the water in his bottle. He has a huge bottle though.

Any thoughts on any of this? I am going to call the vet this morning about giving him the baytril SQ (I kinda doubt they will let me) but would like to hear any suggestions from you guys first because I am also going to mention the changes in his eating behavior and poop.

Thanks!

 

[michelle86]

I just went and checked on him and he pooped outside of his litterbox. Which is unusual. And they were those light brown colored ones.

 

[Flashy]

It sounds like it playing havoc with his gut and he is struggling to deal with it. Often pellets are the first thing to go when they don't feel great, but treats and hay remain, and then they gradually filter out, so if he is eating some things then that's good, but obviously not great because he has stopped eating normally.

He needs a good vet today.

 

[michelle86]

I just caught him eating wood pellets. I use wood pellets for his litter rather than shavings. Maybe the baytril is making him confused? After kherrmann3 said that it causes hallucinations it has stuck in my mind every time I give the poor guy his medicine it's going to make him loopy

 

[Flashy]

I don't think it's a sign of being confused, more of being uncomfortable. It would be worth finding a way for him to not be able to get to the wood pellets because that will add to the stomach troubles. Maybe cover them with hay, or use something else, or put some sort of covering over the top.

 

[michelle86]

I called the vet, but he wasn't available but I was told he'd call me back. Hopefully soon.

 

[Maureen Las]

I would guess that the baytril is wreaking havoc on his gut and possibly causing him all these problems.

next question

Do you have any other vets in your area that you trust are good with rabbits?
I just feel that the manner in which these meds were handed to you was really reflective of either a bad vet tech or possibly a less than desirable vet.
you really don't want to give baytril subqutaneously as it is an extreme irritant to the tissue.

You would need to give it itramuscularly which requires some skill but is possible if the vet teaches you.


if you stick with this vetI would insist on a med change . if they want to use baytril have them grind the tablets. This isnot tasty but also doesn't have the offensive alcohol preservative in it.
baytril is a veterinary drug only and would make a human confused but not a rabbit. I agree that he is probably eating the wood pellets out of discomfort. possibly his tummy has a burning senstion

 

[michelle86]

The vet hasn't called yet. I'll will ask about getting the tablets instead when he calls though.

I just caught him eating some of his pellets! So that is good. And earlier I got him to drink water out of the syringe so he'd get some fluids.

 

[michelle86]

No more Baytril for Ben!!!! The vet is going to see what other antibiotic he can give him.

 

[Flashy]

That's good

What country are you in? Someone may be able to suggest something that you could suggest to your vet.

 

[michelle86]

Maine, USA

 

[michelle86]

Okay guys, this is what they prescribed. Trimethoprim. It's a children's liquid antibiotic, and I have to pick up the prescription and pick it up at a regular pharmacy.

Has anyone used this on their bunnies before?

 

[Maureen Las]

It's commonly used for rabbits. it's a sulfa drug
it should already be in a suspension
ask him if it's flavored and all that...

I'm still irritated that your bun and you had to have a weekend from hell because of their baytril.:grumpy:

 

[michelle86]

So I got the Trimethoprim. It's grape flavored! Hopefully he will like it. Or I might just do this: ullhair:

It smells good though. The prescription is for 1.2 ml twice daily for 10 days, so it is a longer course. And buying drugs at a regular pharmacy is way cheaper than buying them at the vet's by the way. $4 for 25 ml of this stuff, vs $21 for baytril which was 11 ml.

 

[JadeIcing]

michelle86 wrote:

So I got the Trimethoprim. It's grape flavored! Hopefully he will like it. Or I might just do this: ullhair:

It smells good though. The prescription is for 1.2 ml twice daily for 10 days, so it is a longer course. And buying drugs at a regular pharmacy is way cheaper than buying them at the vet's by the way. $4 for 25 ml of this stuff, vs $21 for baytril which was 11 ml.

Trust me I know. I buy my Ringos meds at work SOOOO much cheaper.