Cefa Dropssafe for bunnies?

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Winnie2007

Winnie2007

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Nov 12, 2008
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Location
, Illinois, USA
Wanted to know if anyone has given the drops to their bunny without problems the full 10 days. I was given the drops today for the snuffles for my two bunnies and have read here that it can cause problems and might not be safe. Do you think I can get my money back from the vet? Should I change vets? Any suggestions/advice would be very much appreciated. I don't want to lose my buns. Thanks! :?
 
AAAAAACK!!!! DON'T GIVE IT!!!!!

It is a cephalosporin drug which is related to penicillin which CANNOT be given orally to a rabbit .
A rabbit's GI tract cannot tolerate this type of drug ; it would wipe out all the good bacteria in the gut and cause total disruption of the GI tract.

If you post your location we may be able to find another vet for you that knows how to treat rabbits. Your present vet doesn't.
it's good that you asked before you gave it.
 
Oh no, I already gave them one dose before checking this out here. I just found the forum. What now, is this going to cause damage? Will the vet give me the money back? I really don't want to hurt my buns. Help!:X
 
If you gave one dose you need to watch both of them carefully for diarrhea. Do you have access to another vet clinic that could treat them ?

They need a probiotic like benebac or probios which is sold in farm stores. it has an organism like in yogurt ( but not yogurt ) that is called lactobacillus casei and other live cultures which will establish the good bacteria in their guts. That you could get yourself.
if taken to an exotics vet they would be given extra fluids and probably drugs to make their bodies excrete the drugs faster

there is info in here but much of it requies veterinary care

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1803&aid=2581


Most important is to watch for diarrhea.

it would be a good idea also to get a electrolyte solution like pedialyte and give them some by syringe or let them drink it themselves.
 
Is there a better vet you could get help from? At least one you could call?

You should definitely get money back for the drugs.

My recommendation would be to get some Benebac (vets or pet stores) and give one dose, maybe every few hours or so. One dose is usually 1 gram or so for medium or small sized buns, I'd give double for something big like a New Zealand. Push hay and fluids.

:pray:
 
It's amazing to me that with the internet and stuff availble today that any vet would ever do something like this. As others have stated, Cephalosporins are safe only as an injectable....I have been using a newly available one called Convenia. One dose probably won't do a lot of harm. I would use Bene-Bac (and all of you know that I use this stuff a lot...really beneficial) for several days. It might be easier if you use the powder version since it can be sprinkled on food. The paste can be a little challening for some rabbits. Hydration....keep them drinking. Lots of hay...really push the hay. And watch them closely. I suspect your impact will be minimal.

Did the vet diagnose "snuffles"? No such thing. That is a term from the dark ages of rabbit medicine where very little was known about rabbits (wondering if we are still in the dark ages sometimes). All of you know that I have the upmost respect for vets....but if one diagnoses "snuffles"....we are going to have a chat. And a chat with the vet is my suggestion to you. I would need some explanations. If this vet isn't theowner or chief of staff...I would request them and the practice manager be present for our little discussion. And why just ask for yourdrug money back? I have no patience for things like this from professionals. I lost my cool with a doctor that gave....umm, howshould I put this???...STUPID information and caused the unnecessary death of a wild cottontail. I suggested he stick to treating stuffed animals. I better go feed my squirrels...this is raising my blood pressure.

Good vibes headed your rabbit's way!

Randy
 
Sorry to have gotten you upset! I should have done my homework before giving the stuff to the buns. Thanks so much for taking the time and giving me much advice on what to do.
 
Don't worry! Thank Goodness you found the forum!

Randy is a rehabber and deals with all sorts of animals all the time! He's got a heart the size of the world and I know it bothers him (and all of us here) that a vet doesn't do their homework/guesses at caring for rabbits.

Keep us posted on the bunnies!
 
I need some more info on what would be the correct treatment for the buns, so I know if this other vet is doing the right thing.

Both buns sneeze a lot, especially Buster (lionhead dwarf). He stands on his hind legs, repeatedly sneezes and there is also some discharge. Is the only way to find out what antibiotic would be helpful to do a culture? I assume that is pretty pricey? They cannot just be given Baytril or some other antibiotic, without knowing what bacteria is causing the symptoms? Is there any way it might get better on its own if they get a lot of TLC? What else could I do to help them? I am pushing the hay.

 
A culture would be most accurate, but some people do treat without that. Zithromax, I believe, is an oral medication (can someone please clarify that because that's plucked out of my very broken brain), and the cephalosporin's like what you were told to give orally should only ever be given by injection. This is a very unhelpful reply, it started off to be potentially useful but I just woke up and my brain got fluffy along the way and I forgot the rest of what I was going to say.

What I will say though is that you trusted your vet and you didn't do anything wrong by doing that, he was at fault, and you are very lucky you found the forum, so please don't blame yourself or feel like this is your fault or anything like that.
 
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html
This article will help you know what to ask the vet to know if he knows what he should about rabbits.
if he doesn't answer these questions correctly and yet says that he knows rabbits chancs are that he is not a good vet.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2164281_pick-good-rabbit-vet.html


http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=475&S=5&SourceID=43


here is a list of drugs that can be given to rabbits safely...some are more effective than others, however, Flashy is right that a culture should be done although the vet may want to start the rabbits on a broad spectrum antibiotic before the test come back
these are generic names so they may have a brand name alsobut you should find out what the generic name is before just giving it
for ex. the drug azithromycin is the generic name for Zithromax which is the company name but it is the same medication

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm

these are the unsafe generic names or derivatives of these drugs
http://www.medirabbit.com/Unsafe_medication/dangerous_antibiotics.htm

Don't be afriad to speak up for yourself as you have had one experience that could have been a disaster...
 
We're in Western Illinois, Macomb area, used to live in the Chgo SW suburbs (had a lot more options there), there are only 2 vets in town
 
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