To cull or try and doctor?

macksmom98 · Feb 27, 2016

I don't seek vet care for my rabbits unless I really think it would help and they are worth the $$$$. I have not had a reason to even consider it until now, but I grew up on a farm and we did a lot of our own vet care successfully. We have come across our first serious rabbit injury/illness. Our Buck with a weepy eye, then protruding nose, now has a slight abscesses cheek. I felt his nose again and it feels hard and bumpy, has dandruff still, and almost feels like a skin condition, sort of calcified. He is eating and drinking, but from what I have read this is probably an infected/impacted tooth or infection of some kind. I have been putting some Pen G directly into his eyes, and it seem to have helped that problem, to an extent. What would you do? Cull to end his suffering, try Pen G injections? If injections, how much and what dosage? I'll YouTube how to give the injection and have some basic vaccine training, but any advice would be appreciated. I read abscesses are very thick in rabbits, and hard to get rid of. Anyone have any experience to share? Right now I am think of trying to do something more to treat him myself because he seems comfortable enough. Thanks in advance for your help!

MaggieJ · Feb 27, 2016

Several years ago, we successfully treated a doe for an abscess on her side. This recent thread has a lot of information, including a link to our experience with Alice. We would have culled rather than treated, except for the fact that Alice had achieved pet status and was an excellent mother. According to my notes, the dosage we used was 0.5 cc per 4 pounds of rabbit.

help-nursing-doe-with-abcess-t29382.html

:clover:

macksmom98 · Feb 27, 2016

Thanks! My syringe is in ml, and another post said that it was 1-10lbs=1/4 ml so that is what I used today, and it seemed like a successful injection, we will see if it helps. I am really not sure if that is what is going on tho, or if its more of a scab. Its really not very swollen looking, and there is still lots of hair in most areas. I am going to include another picture, to see if anyone can help me identify. Somethings I read make me think it may be mites, but then all the symptoms in the sinus area seem like its more of an infection there. I am puzzled. I don't know if I should dust with DE or put some vegetable oil on the area that looks more like a skin condition or keep using the pen G for a few days or all of the above. I know hes not getting better and needs something..........

This picture is mostly of the hairloss and skin condition, its the other side that has the worse eye and seems a little swollen, but its hard to get pics of that due to his wiskers and all his fuzzy white hair

MaggieJ · Feb 27, 2016

I did a quick google search and it seems 1 cc equals 1 ml.

http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary ... r-cm3.html

Dosages vary with the source . . . the one I quoted was what was recommended to me at the time. But I've seen other dosages mentioned elsewhere.

If you don't see substantial improvement after a reasonable period of treatment, I would lean towards culling. Sinus problems are notoriously difficult to treat because of the lack of blood flow to the area.

ladysown · Feb 27, 2016

What would you do? Cull to end his suffering, try Pen G injections? If injections, how much and what dosage? I'll YouTube how to give the injection and have some basic vaccine training, but any advice would be appreciated. I read abscesses are very thick in rabbits, and hard to get rid of. Anyone have any experience to share? Right now I am think of trying to do something more to treat him myself because he seems comfortable enough. Thanks in advance for your help!

What would "I" do?

Given the history of poor health (aka poor immune system) "I" would cull.

If you wish to treat him to see if that will help.
Then do so. If treating with Penicillin it's generally best with rabbits to go with a long-lasting penicillin AND make sure you feed hay and if possible some probiotics as penicillin can mess up their gut.

My general thought is... if it's an abscess and he has a weepy eye.. that you're looking at pasturella that has gone systemic, and you'll be looking at continued abscesses.

macksmom98 · Feb 27, 2016

I am really paranoid about it being Pasturella. So far, no snuffles and no other buns have any symptoms at all. This leads me to believe whatever it is isn't catching, but I am still watching closely and he is quarantined. That is part of the dilemma tho, not knowing what it is, that it could be something that could spread and we would be helping our chances of keeping it under control by culling. Ladysown, what do you make of the hair loss on his nose? Look like anything you have seen before?