Seltzer is in the Hospital- Didn't Make It :(

[Whiskeylousmama]

Well this morning is one week after Seltzer came home from the vet for her spay, and this morning I had to bring her in again.

She didn't want to eat, and she had a bad bad case of poopy butt...

Turns out the vet had prescribed her amoxicillin, which can be lethal to rabbits. they are keeping her for a few nights to try to rebalance the flora in her GI tract.

I want nothing more than for my bunny to be home with her mama, but the doctors is definately a better place for her to be right now.

The vet told me there will be no charge for this hospital stay, and I have already arranged to have whiskey get baytril instead of the amox when she gets spayed next month.

I knew it seemed fishy he gave her amox, something told be not to give it to her, but then again, he is the doctor right?

Well, he has been wonderful except for this, so I am going to chalk this one up to everyone makes mistakes, but I will be double checking all medications and diagnosis from now on...

I can't wait until my baby is home... I miss her...:X

 

[naturestee]

Ack! Is she with the vet who did her spay now, or somewhere else? I'll put in another plug for Dr. Travis at the Sheboygan Animal Hospital. He's really good, and the other vets are decent with rabbits in a pinch.

IMO I'd have a hard time trusting a vet who prescribed amoxycillan for a rabbit. He might be good with cats and dogs, but knowing that rabbits can't have certain antibiotics is really basic.

ray:ray:ray:

 

[JadeIcing]

That from what I understand is one of the big no no. Hope she is home.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

naturestee wrote:

IMO I'd have a hard time trusting a vet who prescribed amoxycillan for a rabbit. He might be good with cats and dogs, but knowing that rabbits can't have certain antibiotics is really basic.

ray:ray:ray:

No charge? and I bet he isn't charging! I wouldn't have taken her back there! I'd have called and told him he could pay a good vet to care for her after his mess up! Does he even know what to do to take care of her? Do they know what kind of damage she might have from the amoxicillan?

Naturestee - as you can see, I totally agree!

 

[naturestee]

Oh, I thought I'd add that Whiskey doesn't need antibiotics when she gets her spay. No animal needs antibiotics for a routine surgery when they are healthy. The only ones I know that do that is the Sheboygan shelter vet when he's doing the reduced cost spay/neuters because he knows he won't see the animal again whether or not it heals well.

Is there someone at the clinic working overnight to take care of her?

And I agree with Bo- Darn skippy he better not charge for this!ssd:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Yeah! I've not heard of anyone really getting antibiotics for that. Overuse of antibiotics is abundant all over....... bunnies sure don't need anything to upset their systems.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry for you and Seltzer. How awful. I can't believe this "booboo":shock:. How much of the amox did she have, do you know? I am praying that she will be okay.

Hugs to you, keep us posted.

 

[Bunnicula]

naturestee wrote:

Ack! Is she with the vet who did her spay now, or somewhere else? I'll put in another plug for Dr. Travis at the Sheboygan Animal Hospital. He's really good, and the other vets are decent with rabbits in a pinch.

IMO I'd have a hard time trusting a vet who prescribed amoxycillan for a rabbit. He might be good with cats and dogs, but knowing that rabbits can't have certain antibiotics is really basic.

ray:ray:ray:

I agree wholeheartedly! I made the mistake of using our cat vet for our first 2 bunnies. Gingivere is still with us...but I think that Stewart would have had a longer life (than his less than 2 years) if we'd sought out a rabbit-savvy vet before it was too late.

-Mary Ellen

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

oh my hope everything turns out ok

i never new that amox was a no no, i dont know if i would be taking any more of my buns there again.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I hope we hear good news from you soon.

If vets don't know about amox. being bad - it's hardly common for people to know. I think that's the big issue with bunnies. We know we have to learn but what of those people out there who have bunnies and no clue?! They treat them as if they are a rodent and all - just baffles me.

Please keep us posted on Seltzer. I'll be keeping you guys in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[Haley]

Sending prayers for your girl.

And, as others have mentioned, if I were you I would definitely find a new vet.

 

[lagadvocate]

Oh my goodness, poor little bun! I certainly hope that he is recuperating well and you can get him home very soon.

I take my buns to a vet who I found 5 years ago through the HRS. It's actually a group of vetswho thus far have provided adequate treatments. But, ever since I learned how ridiculously fragile the rabbit's physiology is, I've sort of made it a habit to double check everything that the docs do or prescribe.

I use mattocks and medirabbit as well as a textbook and sometimes I'll even run the treatment by another list on the net. Of course my vets don't know that I do this as I wouldn't want to insult them or jeopardize our relationship. It just gives me peace of mind and, to me, that's worth a few extra steps on my part...even if they are not really needed most of the time.

Get well soon, Seltzer!!!

 

[Maureen Las]

You know I feel really angry that a vet would prescribe amoxocillin.:X


Everything I have read tonite (also on Etherbun) seems to be the result of uninformed vets who either are ignorant or can't admit lack of knowledge.
I sure hopethat this little bunny does OK now and NO a rabbit does not need antibiotics after spay/neuter.

You should not have to pay for anything related to this surgery

Oh I wish so much that she gets well and can come home to you..then you will have the time to find another vet. :nono
We allsend good vibes and prayers to both of you ray::hugsquish:

 

[pla725]

Sorry for your loss. I would talk to the vet about what happened. You might want to educate this vet about not using amox so they do not make the same mistake with another rabbit. Of course after you calm down from your loss.

None of my rabbits had antibiotics after spaying or neutering. They had pain meds for a few days.

This makes me wonder if this is not the only time this vet prescribed this medication.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I've been very upset about this situation. I would find out exactly who gave the bunny the amoxicillan, why and all that. It still will not replace Seltzer but somewhere, someone is negligent in this - and it really seems to fall on the vet himself. If it was a tech - the tech was most likely under his direction or he didn't oversee the tech as he should have.

 

[ra7751]

Just have a quick comment or two on this thread. I don't feel this is the time to go into great detail but just for future reference and discussion.

1->There should be no need to administer antibiotics post-op with limited exceptions. Doing so only increases the possibility of developing resistant bacteria.

2->Amoxicillin can be safely used in a rabbit under the correct conditions. A general "all call" that this drug is universally unsafe is inaccurate and may possibly cause someone to decline a correct diagnosis and treatment protocol as prescribed by a rabbit savvy doctor. It would not be my first choice as a treatment..nor would it be my second....or even a third choice. But in today's environment and evolving infections....sometimes it is the only course of action.In this case, apparentlyit was either atragic mistake or lack of knowledge. But I think an in-depth discussion is inappropriate at this time.

I also agree with a couple of the posts that this situation should be discussed with the vet when it is more comfortable for you to discuss it.

Again, our rescue conveys our condolences to Seltzer's family. May she have a safe journey...binky free little angel.

Randy

 

[pamnock]

We should clarify that Amoxicillin, like Penicillinis never safe to give orally.



Pam

 

[Bo B Bunny]

pamnock wrote:

We should clarify that Amoxicillin, like Penicillinis never safe to give orally.



Pam

So they can have injectible or what?

 

[naturestee]

Yes, injectible penicillin is safe and is often used for abscesses as well as other problems. The problem with the oral stuff is that the first bacteria it comes in contact with are the beneficial onesin the gut- which are necessary for rabbits. When those bacteria are killed off by the antibiotics, the intestines shut down= a very bad case ofGI stasis. Injected antibiotics don't really affect the intestines, so they don't harm the beneficial bacteria.

 

[ra7751]

I would like to add to Pam's statement. As per her post, it is never safe to give these drugs orally. Amoxicillin should be used only as a last resort against very resistant bacteria that has proven to be resistant to other safer drugs and shows to be sensitive to amox. These type drugs should always be injected.

Randy