Penicillin for a nursing doe?

[fuzzy9]

Well, our good luck recently wasn't so lucky after all. My favorite doe that just gave us 7 nice kits the other day, is sick. I'm positive this is stress related to the extreme weather change, and the stress of kindling all at the same time. We went from temps near 100 degrees, being afraid we were going to lose her due to heat, and then down to temps in the 60's and cold. She was in labor, and kindled all at the same time. I think the weather transitions were just to much for her.

I'm positive this is more than allergies, or dust, she is sick. My gut says to cull, but for some reason my husband thinks this is a very unique situation, and wants to try her on antibiotics. I think he knows this is my favorite doe, but I'm more concerned about the rest of the herd.

She's in quarantine by herself, with her kits. I have put Tetracycline (I think that's what it's called.....the yellow powder mixed in water) in her water with some sugar, but she won't drink it. So I'm wondering about injectable penicillin? Would it be safe for her, and her kits? Would it even work for her at this point? She is quite congested, and sneezing alot.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Use the injectable tetracycline-- IM, in the big leg muscle. The water mixture is, quite frankly, bitter tasting. Make sure she has some plain water available, and also give her some Gatorade-- my rabbits always drank the orange flavor right up. Propel water- the berry flavor, is also a favorite-- and is loaded with B vitamins and C-- all needed/useful for stressed animals!

 

[fuzzy9]

Thanks Terry! I was hoping I'd hear from you! Got a call into the vet right now.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I hate to be the one to say this but the stress of pregnancy/kindling can bring a latent pasteurella infection into the full blown illness...if you plan to treat her then I say take her to the vet and have a culture done to see if that is what it is. I hope it's not....

 

[fuzzy9]

Don't be afraid to offer any information, it can only benefit, and thanks for doing so! I'm already wavering on my decision to treat. If we set goals and guidelines, we need to stick with them, and I know my husband is just thinking of me in his decision. I have 3 weanlings I will be bringing in from a friend in a week, and I'd prefer not to be messing around with this. I think for us, with what we have coming up, our best option is to cull her, and her kits. Unfortunately, I think it's just the nature of the business, and a good reason not to get so attached.<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:05 am __________<br /><br />Well, we didn't cull her just yet. She's going to stay in our quarantine area, and raise her kits. We did get her to drink the tetracycline. She's going to be culled once her kits are weaned, and then we'll raise the kits for freezer camp.

Can someone tell me please, what is the residual period for tetracycline?

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Has not been set for rabbits, but my information] leads me to believe that 60 days would be the best time frame (if injected)-- you want to determine withdrawal time from the of the last dose-- and tetracycline is tricky-- larger doses hang around longer.

 

[fuzzy9]

We did get her to drink the tetracycline powder in water, it was the water bottle, it has a bit different end on the nozzle, and she was pulling instead of pushing on it. I add sugar to it, so she loves it now that I put it in a different bottle.

I went back on some notes that I had from my vet, I remembered I had asked him a while back, and he told me one month residual for the powder.

Thank you!

 

[arachyd]

If you're not in a rush to cull her give her some time to recover. The stress of kindling combined with weather change could have brought out some illness she was carrying in remission that might not be contagious as well as something as potentially serious as pasteurella. I'd give her a month at least to recover if she survives the first week. Wean the kits a bit early and set her off by herself till she's better. Until you're sure it isn't contagious don't sell or give away any of your rabbits to others. Don't handle anyone else's rabbits either. If you do end up keeping her and this happens with her next kindling you should cull her unless you're willing to keep her as an unbred pet.

 

[fuzzy9]

So, my little Cali doe has stopped eating, even her favorite hay. I've got several things offered to her, but she's just not eating. My fear is for the kits however, they are only 13 days old. I've been offering them hay everyday, and they are nibbling. Would sure love to save the kits! I'm going to try to supplement, long enough to get them eating better hopefully. I've given Cali some raspberry leaves, hoping she'll at least eat those.<br /><br />__________ Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:05 pm __________<br /><br />Just checked her, and she did eat the raspberry leaves I gave her, and some of the grass I picked for her. I tried giving her oatmeal, and a bit of molasses on some pellets, but she's not having that either. I don't notice that she's drank any water either.

 

[MaggieJ]

You might try a few other greens... a few leaves of dandelion, plantain or clover may perk her interest in food. Something a little sweet, like watermelon or apple. Is she still drinking?

Try the kits on kitchen oatmeal as well as hay. If momma eats it, so much the better. Make sure the kits know where to find water as they may not be getting much milk. Sometimes kits will take a mush made of oatmeal with goats milk or bunny formula on it, but be careful it doesn't sour.

 

[fuzzy9]

She's drinking very little, Maggie. She's not eating pellets, or any of the other things I've given her, but she is eating all the greens I'm giving her. I'm giving her small meals, several times a day.......dandelion, raspberry leaves, grass, and I have a nice little patch of clover out the back door. She's trying so hard, but I honestly think it's her time. She's so thin, and her eyes are starting to look off.

Her kits aren't as far along as I'd like, but they are eating hay, and greens too. I tried them on oatmeal, but they didn't want it yet. I'm supplementing them so they are getting some, and I did try them with momma this morning, and they must have gotten something from her, they seem a little more satisfied. I will keep supplementing them myself though, till they are stronger, there's two that I'm not thinking are going to make it, but we'll give it a try.

Is a.m. and p.m. enough for supplementing? I'm giving about a dropper full to each.

Last night I wrapped them in a towel, and put them in a tub, then set them beside me on the couch so I could feed them one by one. My kitty, Kitten, was just fascinated! It was so funny! He came and sat right beside them, and two had wiggled out of the towel, and were crawling around. His eyes were HUGE! :lol: I'm not sure if he was thinking "MMMMM......LUNCH!", or "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING?" :lol:

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm sorry about your doe... It does sound as though she probably won't make it.

I've had a kit as young as 17 days do just fine without mom's milk. She wasn't getting formula either because I could not get to a store for goat's milk. She had oatmeal mush with water and a touch of sugar, access to dry oatmeal (which he took several days to get interested in) and hay and greens. Now that I think about it, she grew up to be a very nice doe who was nameless for so long that we ended up calling her Jane Doe. She's raised her first litter and is looking great.

Marilla, our spoiled darling moggie, is always completely offended if I bring any critters into the house. She ostentatiously ignores them - except to scoot by their cage as though they have some loathsome disease. :lol:

 

[fuzzy9]

Thank you Maggie. I should know better than to get so attached, but she's just such a sweet doe, and is always so happy to see me. I think the humane thing to do for her, is to cull her.

I think that's definitely a calico cattitude thing!! LOL! Patches would so have done the same thing. She hasn't even acknowledged their existence yet, she could really care less! :lol:

Kits are eating greens, and I'm going to try the oatmeal mush thing right now. I'll let you know how it goes!

__________ Wed Jun 22, 2011 10:28 pm __________

No luck, none of them wanted the oatmeal mush, so I gave them a little more formula, and some greens. I'll keep trying them with it though.

I had to snap a couple quick cell pics of my "helpers" though. :lol: My two moo kitties, Kitten and Lucy. Kitten is on the left, and Lucy the right. I found out that Kitten is not fascinated with them, they scare him! :lol: I had them in the tub on the floor while they were eating their greens, and he was hissing and growling the whole time! He was to much of a sissy to check them out, only Lucy was brave enough to come up, and see what was in the tub. :lol:

Baby bunny butts!

 

[MaggieJ]

Nice cats! Definitely Holsteins!

Try putting some of the formula on oatmeal to make mush... nice wet mush. I just used a plastic jar lid for a bowl. Leave it with them for an hour or so... it won't sour in that time. They may need time to find out what it is. If you can get them taking their formula from a dish, with or without oatmeal, it will cut your workload a lot.

 

[fuzzy9]

I'll give it another go. I have gotten some of them interested in water though, they had a nice big drink today!

 

[MaggieJ]

If they will take water from a dish, they should soon take the mush. :goodjob: