Clostridium

Question
History:
I'm was a foster caretaker until I ended up with rabbits
that could not find homes. They remain with us. No more space.
LingLing has lost the use of her back legs, believe to have been hit by a car.
Dislocation of a vertebrae (I been looking for a name chart of the vertebrae) near the 13th rib.
She wears a corset for support to use her wheelchair.
She and her brother /son? have been doing well for the last 1 1/2year. She has a light wheelchair and uses it 2-4 hours each day.
Has a vet with many rabbit years experience.
I have many years as a bio-engineer I make mistakes.
I want a second opinion.

At the advise of my vet.
LingLing was on timothy hay, water and Bene-Bac
for 4 weeks do to ISS(intermediate soft stool).
the results were intermittent.

I then made an appointment with my vet.
Ling Ling has an over growth of Clostridium.

5 days of metronidazole no change.
Now 7 days of 1/4 tablet(22.7mg)Baytril..........
Got the Gram-positive bacteria part.
Day one(1).
I would like your any information you can contribute
My vet is very good but sometimes you got to think outside
the box
Thank you
don  

Answer
Dear Don,

How was the Clostridium overgrowth determined?  This is very hard to do withotu culture and sensitivity.  Please read:

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

for an explanation of the condition you're seeing, which is known as cecal dysbiosis.  Its main causes are (1) incorrect diet, which you can check here:

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

(2) pain/stress from molar spurs or other dental problems:

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

and (3) pain/stress from any other kind of illness.  Since your bunny has mobility problems, and may have arthritis, this last one is not something to ignore.  If you suspect pain may be at the root of this, then trying a short course of metacam along with the probiotics will help you see whether pain relief offers improvement of the cecal dysbiosis.

Unfortunately, lack of exercise itself can cause chronic GI tract slowdown, and this, too, can cause cecal dysbiosis. The fact that she has limited mobility isn't going to help this situation, but you can help her with this by giving gentle abdominal massage, and--if she seems gassy--some pediatric simethicone to help it pass.

I hope this gets you started outside the box, and helps you get to the bottom (har) of this.

Dana