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Forum DIET & CARE E.coli – Help?

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    • deadgirl
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        Hi! This is my first post on the forum. Sorry if I’m posting this in the wrong place. A quick introduction – I’m Marie, living and studying in Ecuador with my year old lionhead, Casper.

        Sorry to rush an introduction, but I’ve been worried about my bun lately. 

        He has a past of E.coli. He’s been treated several times with many different antibiotics, but it always seems to come back. The only symptom he ever shows is droppings containing an orange to dark red mucus on them, cecotropes mixed with hard droppings, or everything mixed together. This will happen at least once a week when the infection is “active”. It will go away for months – and then randomly come back, and I’ll treat him again. 

        Five weeks ago he had some mucus again, and I told my vet. He said he’d get something stronger. In the five weeks it took my vet to bring in the medication, he left mucus behind about once a week. Yesterday it finally got here. Not only was it NOT for rabbits, the dosage was also wrong. I haven’t spoken to my vet since. But I know exactly what he’s going to say – he’ll get something else. I do not have more weeks to wait for something that may not even work. I’ve decided to treat him with antibiotic from the past, because it’s truly the only thing that’s ever been effective. 

        As you may assume, we do not have rabbit savvy vets here. I have tried contacting every vet, and next I’m going to contact the “breeders” of my bun in the first place. The vet that treats my bun is a cat and dog vet.

        He has had a slight change in behavior lately which is why I’m truly worried this time around. His cage has 4 floors, and the base – now he’s taken a liking to the base now that I’ve set up a nice bed down there. I’ll go in his cage to pet him and he will close his eyes and almost sleep. He’s very secretive about sleeping. But now, he’ll lay down with his eyes closed – I’ll even move him and he’ll allow it. He doesn’t seem very alert about the noise around him. He use to wake up instantly when seen by me or a loud noise. He’s never done this in the past. He is very comfortable with me and allows me to handle him and is very loving in general. But I doubt this is the case now. It’s almost as if he doesn’t care. I almost feel as if I could shake him while he’s in this position and he still wouldn’t care. However, as soon as he smells pellets or treats he’ll become alert again and start standing and sniffing. 

        Maybe I’m being too paranoid but this is the only thing out of the ordinary. When it’s play time he acts like himself again. He even continues to play with his toys on the other floors. Only when he is in his bed he acts lethargic, sometimes I’ll even see his jaw move. Basically – I’m just worried if he’s not feeling well or in pain? 

        I’ve tried to read everything I can online about E.coli but there isn’t a lot. I’ve tried different forums and so much research in general with no luck on helping him permanently. Sorry this was so long, thanks in advance! 


      • LBJ10
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          There are mixed things going around about treating e.coli infections. What is the antibiotic you’re using?


        • deadgirl
          Participant
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            Update. Today I spoke to my vet and explained I cannot use what he gave me. I told him I had given him the previous and most effective antibiotic from the past. It’s a powder you mix into a liter of water and give. It doesn’t have a name, but I can list the composition.
            Oxytetracycline …
            Sulfamethazine 12.0g …
            Trimatropim 10.0g …
            Saccharin 1.0g … 0.01g
            Excipients q.s. … 100.0g
            The vet suggested we stop with all antibiotics. So I didn’t give him his last dose.


          • LBJ10
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              Okay, so it’s a triple antibiotic. The reason I ask is because Albon (sulfadimethoxine) has been used more or less for e.coli infections. There are mixed opinions on this though. Some say antibiotics can be helpful in some cases, others say you should focus more on supportive treatments (treating the symptoms).


            • JackRabbit
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                I can’t offer any treatment advice, but am curious . . . do you have any idea how your bunny got the e coli infection to begin with?


              • deadgirl
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                  He has no symptoms to help with, just random tiny drops of mucus on some droppings.
                  I’m not too sure myself. It’s most likely because he use to come into contact with his liter as a baby. My vet and I have discussed countless times how he keeps contracting infection, or what I’m doing wrong in the first place. I’ve tried changing water source, cleaning bowls, bottles, cage, literbox, carpet, surroundings – everything, even minimizing grass and veggie intake. He seems happier today.


                • LBJ10
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                    My guess is that it probably isn’t him being reinfected each time. He probably has it in his system and it is being suppressed by his immune system. It probably resurfaces when he becomes stressed.

                    I’m not a vet or anything like that. My guess is based on my biology background. There is no where you can go for a second opinion? Perhaps you could write in to that online vet. What’s her name?


                  • LBJ10
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                      Dana Krempels on All Experts. I knew I would think of her name. LOL


                    • Sarita
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                        LBJ10 – Dana is not a vet but she has alot of experience. It would be worth contact her though.


                      • LBJ10
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                          She’s not a vet, but I guess she has a PhD (professor). Thanks for the clarification, Sarita. So a doctor, but not one of those kind of doctors. LOL Sorry, Big Bang theory. Well anyway, yes, she might be worth contacting. She might be able to offer more information on the subject.

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                      Forum DIET & CARE E.coli – Help?