slowly calming down but still scared

[wendyzski]

Pepper has pasteurella.

Think of it like having an FIV-positive cat - she can't have contact with other buns (good thing she doesn't want to) or cats, and her immune system is compromised.

She may coast along with only an occasional flare-up needing medication, she could struggle with chronic infections and abscesses needing treatment or surgery, she could end up just a bit less active and on antibiotics for life, or she could just get sicker and die.

If it is caught early, there is an 80% chance of recovery or simple management. I'm hoping that a month of mild sneezing followed by 3 weeks of the wrong medicine and a week of waiting for the culture still makes it "early" enough.

Since the most common antibiotic used for this doesn't seem to be working, we're trying another one (chloramphenicol). I have to be at work stu[idly early tomorrow, so I will have time to pick up the meds in the afternoon. Not sure that I'll be at gaming after all that.

So now we wait and worry.

Comments

[stormdog.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I'm sorry. That's so weird though! How did she get it? Any idea? I'll be hoping things go well for her.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

depends on who you ask.

It was once thought that most pet rabbits carried it but showed no symptoms. But some studies show the contrary. Since she was dumped, found by animal control, rescued, and then lived in a shelter for 9-10 months, she could have been exposed at any time and it could have been percolating away until stress or another infection caused it to flare up.

So basically, we dose her with antibiotics and see what happens.

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

***kind thoughts***/***keeping digits crossed***

[wifeofset.livejournal.com]

oh poor uppity girl! *squishes* I will keep all of my healthy bun thoughts heading her way

[caitriona27.livejournal.com]

*hug* It'll be ok. I responded to your post in Bunny owners too.

I have 12 buns and only 2 have Pasturella (actively). None of the rest have shown any symptoms and that includes the other 4 that live in the same room with them (different cages). None of the cats have any symptoms either.

Have had really good results with Baytril. We've only had to debride a few times and they came through with flying colors. They love strawberry banana yogurt after the baytril too.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

She was already on baytril for 3 weeks. She got better for a week or so and then started getting worse again. So I asked them to do a culture because whatever it was, baytril wasn't doing it. That's when they confirmed pasturella. So it's likely a baytril-resistant strain :(

We're starting the new meds tomorrow, and I'm flailing to find someone to dose her while I'm out of town for 2 days over Memorial Day weekend - it's a convention in Columbus and I've already got my plane tix so I can't take her with me.

[caitriona27.livejournal.com]

Ick. We haven't had to deal with the Baytril resistance on those 2. I do have a case of head tilt though that the ear infection was Baytril resistant.

*hug* I know how it goes trying to find a bunny sitter. Thankfully the one time we needed to do meds we were able to take him with us.

Good Luck.

[ashtalet.livejournal.com]

Well, that sucks. Unfortunately, I'm one of the many leaving town for Memorial Day.

[capi.livejournal.com]

Aw, Wendy!!

((((( huuuuuuugs )))))

That just sucketh!

*deeep sigh*

Do we know if we caught it early?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Not sure. I think we're "early" in that the symptoms were still mild to moderate. But not sure what has been going on for the last two months while we were using the wrong meds

[woody-whistler.livejournal.com]

Positive thoughts and prayers are going out for both Pepper and you!

[faireraven.livejournal.com]

*HUGS*

I know what it's like to have a pasteurella bun, honey... It can be manageable.

I hope that her system is just as feisty as she is.

Baytril didn't work?

I hope that she's okay...

*HUGS*

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Nopes. 3 weeks of it and she got better at first but by the last week she was even a little worse than when we started.

[faireraven.livejournal.com]

Beemer got treated for two months when I first got him.

I haven't had to treat an outbreak since (I did hear one sneeze a couple of weeks ago, but I think he got fluff up his nose. I haven't heard any other sneezes).

80% is good. While the Baytril didn't work completely, it *did* help things for a little while... Imagine if you hadn't gotten her treated?

*bunnysnuggles*

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Aww, poor bunny! I hope the best-case scenario is the one that works out!

[seamstrix.livejournal.com]

*much sympathy*

*big hugs*

*yummy greens for bunny*

[agladstone.livejournal.com]

Erin, my silver tabby was FIV-postive. She lived to be almost 19 years old and had no major illnesses until her kidney's gave out. That is fairly common in very old cats.

Guin, my other cat, had to get bi-annual vacines against FIV, but that was the only thing. She lived 6 months longer, making it until 2 months before her 19th birthday.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

yeah - this is similar in effect - you have a bun who can infect other bunnies, whose immune system is compromised and who may have serious flare-ups/

[ladyariyana.livejournal.com]

aww poor pepper bunny and Mommy... it is so hard to be a owrried mommy of a sick little one, furry or human!
{{{{bearhugs for mom}}}} ***ear scrithces for pepper***

hoping you find someone to take care of her that weekend and that this clears up and all is well after...

[gretchen2149.livejournal.com]

{{{gentle hugs}}} for both of you!