Home Remedies For Pasteurella

[LolaTheLop]

New mommy here! I adopted Lola- a 10 week old Holland Lop about 6 days ago. Right away I knew she had the snuffles so I took her to the vet ASAP. He prescribed her 6 penicillin shots (1 every 48 hours.) I tried to give her the first one today on my own and needless to say it was very difficult. I don’t think I got any medicine into her, just ON her. I usually like to go the natural/herbal route when treating myself and I figure why not do the same for her. The vet did not do a culture and I’d hate to give her medicine if it will not cure her for sure. I’ve read a lot about pasteurella and I’ve heard conflicting things, with some saying that it isn’t something you can really cure but more like something that you can control. I’m wondering if there are any natural/herbal home remedies that would be safer for my rabbit. I hate the idea of injecting a foreign chemical into her body if there is a safer, more natural route.

Also, if I do decide to stop the penicillin shots and try something else- should I save them anyways? Are there any other reasons I would need/use them in the future?

[jerseygirl]

I would complete the course since you’ve started. provided she isn’t showing any adverse reactions. Stopping early could make the bacteria (if responsible) become resistant to penicillin.

I don’t have any advice on home remedies. Do take care with these though. “Natural” doesn’t always equate with “safe”.

What are her symptoms? Could it be anything in the environment?

 

Edit to add:  I remember Penicillin being horrible to inject. If some does get on the fur, take care to wash it off. You don’t want a rabbit ingesting it when they groom themselves, Are you drawing the needles yourself or did they give you each dose already drawn?

[Bam]

I agree with Jersey, once started, a course of antibiotics should always be followed through unless there are adverse reactions. If you start on abs then stop, you may have killed off the bacteria that are very sensitive to the abs, but a few tougher ones may remain. They can then multiply and keep evolving without having to compete with the very ab-sensitive bacteria, and next time you try the same abs, it may not work. That’s how bacterial-strains resistant to abs develop. (You may of course be aware of this, but many people may be reading this thread since we have many members, so I explain anyway).

The immune-defense of a young bunny isn’t fully developed, so they’re more prone to certain infectious diseases than adult bunnies. Give her lots of good quality hay, it helps her tummy to develop the good bacterial flora that is essential for bunny health (not just tummy-health).

That said, it’s not quite known why some rabbits are sensitive to pasteurella while so many other rabbits can carry pasteurella in their nasal cavities all their lives without ever getting the snuffles. There are many different strains of p. and some are more virulent (able to cause disease) than others. There may be hereditary components that make some rabbits genetically more sensitive than others, there may also be environmental factors like food and living arrangements and changes in diet and/or living arrangements, loneliness, boredom or stress from too much noise or other pets etc. I’d say it’s all important for the immune-defense. It’s probably not a myth that people who get their nutritional needs met and who have meaningful things to do and good friends to hang out with are healthier. Of course for a rabbit a meaningful thing to do can be very different from what a human considers meaningful. Stuff like destroying a cardboard house or chewing the bark off an apple-twig may be very rewarding for a bunny. As well as just lounging in the same room as her human, doing absolutely nothing.

[LolaTheLop]

I will finish her antibiotic course as scheduled. Her runny nose seems to be clearing up. That is about the only symptom she had besides some sneezes here and there. She seems to be doing really well here at home, and I think her case of p could’ve come from the fact that she was from a breeder who had her in a small cage with all of her brothers and sisters who also seemed to have had a runny nose. The cage seemed very dirty and not well kept- not to mention it was outside (in MN). Her home here must seem like a luxury hotel to her! She is eating and pooping regularly and seems to be a very happy bunny. Thank you for the advice!

[Bam]

I’m so glad to hear it =) It seems more than likely that she got this from the breeder’s. Lucky girl who got to come live in your “luxury hotel”!

[jerseygirl]

Very strong urine smells and wood bedding etc can certainly cause running nose. Hope all is good soon.

[LolaTheLop]

I have a follow up question! So after looking up some tips and tricks, I got the shot in her today with the first try no problem. This is her 3rd. My question is, since she missed her last dose two days ago (got ON her and not in her) will the medication still be effective? Should I talk to the vet about getting one more to replace the one she missed?

[Bam]

You could call and ask, but generally if a person forgets to take a dose of abs, you recommend them to just keep on taking the rest of the course as if nothing happened. Not to double the next dose etc. There should always be a margin.

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