More info on Rocky's issues.
My rabbit's symptoms are sneezing and drooling. He eats fine and acts normal otherwise. Initially, the vets thought it was snuffles. They both just assumed this and the poor guy has been on Baytril multiple times (once for six weeks!!) and then Chloramphenicol - neither of which worked. We moved Rocky to an exotic animal vet who happens to specialize in dentistry. This second/current vet did an in-office mouth check and spotted a spur on a top molar and tongue ulcer so we thought the drooling was associated with pain from that. He had already been treating him for what he thought was chronic snuffles even though a culture was never done. The only reason for this is that Rocky never has any discharge or runny nose. He could do a culture using a nasal swab but told me the infection is higher up in the sinuses and a swab wouldn't reach the cause of the problem. When Rocky was put under to remove the spur and check for other dental issues, the vet found a loose and infected tooth which he removed. Rocky was sent home with Pen G that we gave by injection every other day for 28 days. The sneezing stopped after about a week but drooling continued. When he got his recheck, the vet said Rocky appeared to have healed nicely. Well, apparently there's still infection as he began sneezing and drooling even more profusely. There was no longer an obvious pain source and that's when the vet declared that the sinus problem has likely been a dental abscess this whole time and surgical success would be iffy at best due to the location. We can drive Rocky 3 hours north for a CT scan to see exactly what we are dealing with. Honestly, since the surgical prognosis is not great, I don't see the point of spending the time and money or putting Rocky through any of that. I had read about non-surgical treatment with Bicillin (the Pen G he had been on previously) and posts by a past member on this board saying a combo of Bicillin and Zythormax was 100% effective for him when treating jaw abscesses. I'm now in search of details on the amount of each medication and the length of treatment required. PLEASE if anyone out there has this information, let me know!! My vet agreed to try treating solely with antibiotics. Rocky is currently on a new course of Bicillin .3CC every other day. The first injection was October 31. Rocky had stopped sneezing by November 7 and I was thrilled!! Just days later, I heard him sneeze once. The next day is sneezed a little more and now he's sneezing alot more though nowhere near what he had been prior to treatment and the drooling has not returned. So I'm left wondering why he is regressing even though he got his 12th injection this morning. I know everything will say I need to talk to the vet, and I will do that. My vet has never heard of using zythromax or any other antibiotic in conjunction with Pen G to treat a dental abscess. I don't know if the returned sneezing indicates that Pen G isn't working, that he needs a stronger dose, he needs an additional medication or?? The vet reiterates what I see everywhere - Abscesses are notoriously difficult to treat in rabbits and there just have not been enough studies done. Since the vet actually told me that this is the point at which most people euthanize their rabbits, I feel that it is up to me to try to find other options for treating Rocky. He's otherwise happy and healthy and I can't see ending his life while he's behaving so normally and not in any obvious pain. Even if we can't cure him, treating him with something that will improve his condition or keep him from getting worse will have to suffice. If anyone has any knowledge to share in this area, please do. I'm so worried now that I can't even sleep at night.
