rabbit lethargic

Question
QUESTION: Hi, my rabbit is 4 years old and she is currently on baytrill for a suspected pasturella infection. She has been on it for 9 days now. She was put on it for sneezing. She has been doing well on it up until now. This morning she is acting lethargic and not eating, witch is very abnormal for her. She usually eats like a pig. Also, the big concern is she has urinated on her blanket in her cage. She has never done this before. She has been very good about going in her litter box. I am very concerned to what might be going on. She also has not taken her morning medicine. I put it on afew peices of lucky charms cereal and she gobbbles it right up. Could the medicine be causing her stomach problems?

ANSWER: Dear Dianne,

Baytril usually does not cause problems in rabbits.  I would worry that she might have a secondary infection, either because the bacteria causing her infection are not sensitive to Baytril, or because other resident bacteria have overgrown in the absence of those killed by the Baytril.  Please contact your vet immediately and let him/her know what is going on.  The signs you describe could be a sign of very serious illness that requires immediate treatment, and possibly another antibiotic.

Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

for some tips on how to stabilize her until you can get her to the vet for full examination and diagnosis.  I hope she will be fine.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for getting back with me. I talked to the vet and she thought maybe it was the cereal making her feel bad. Anyway, I stopped the medicine to see if any thing changed and she is back to her old self again running around and eating like crazy. She has not wet on her blanket again. I am really at a loss to what it really is that can make her feel bad one minute and the next she is happy as a lark. Well, I am just happy she is better right now. Thanks again. Dianne

Answer
Dear Diane,

I'm very glad she's feeling better!

But it's possible that the cereal was making her gassy, and *that* can really make a bunny feel bad from one minute to the next.  Pediatric simethicone can make a world of difference, if you ever suspect that's what's going on.

Take care,

Dana