Maddison's ear infection

[chaplinaus]

So Maddie has what the vet calls a moderate ear infection. She has been on antibiotics for the past 3 weeks and we are due to go to the vet on Wednesday. The doctor said last time that surgery might be the next step but doesn't always cure it. She never scratched at her ear or made us think that something was wrong with her ear. We took her in b/c she was lethargic. She's back to her old sassy self now and still doesn't really do anything with her ears except groom them.I'm just wondering if surgery really is the next step. If she isn't in pain, I can give the meds to her for the rest of her life. Any thoughts or past experiences out there to help?? I of course know about best case scenarios, I'm looking for worst case advice.

Thanks,

~Austin~

 

[naturestee]

Surgery? What for? I haven't heard of that for ear infections before, unless there was an abscess.

Has the vet done a culture of the infection to determine which bacteria it is and which antibiotic would be most helpful? I'm not sure if this is possible, it probably depends on whether or not the infected part can actually be reached. But this would be a good idea if she's been on antibiotics for three weeks and the infection is still there.

 

[chaplinaus]

He was saying that he thought it might be in her middle ear canal and that if it was then she could have surgery to drain it. But it's not 100% curable which makes me think that she's ok taking the meds and if she's not in pain, why put her delicate bunny body through the stress of surgery? I'll ask about the culture... thanks!

 

[naturestee]

Also, ask if injected antibiotics might be more effective. Sometimes they help more because not as much is lost in the digestive tract, plus you can use different antibiotics such as penicillin as an injected medicine. You can't givethat to a rabbit orally because it's often fatal (severe side affects in intestines), but it's safe for injection.

 

[JadeIcing]

chaplinaus wrote:

He was saying that he thought it might be in her middle ear canal and that if it was then she could have surgery to drain it. But it's not 100% curable which makes me think that she's ok taking the meds and if she's not in pain, why put her delicate bunny body through the stress of surgery? I'll ask about the culture... thanks!

They wanted to do this for Ringo but he wasn't well enough to put under. It took oral amtibiotics and ear ones to eventually clear it all up. I had to clean his ears twice a day for months. His was real bad though.

Cultures will help determain the best meds to fight it.