Sick bunny - which medication would help?

[AltonaAcres]

Hey ya'll! I have a sick Holland Lop doe. She is on the older side, 5 or 6 years old, she has had 10+ litters for me. Anyways, several weeks ago I noticed she was sniffling, but thinking it was just a minor case of sniffles I did not give her anything. However, these past few days she has gotten worse and worse. Her poor little nose is covered in dried mucus (I try to gently remove it, but she is pretty sassy ), and there is thick white mucus in both of her nostrils. You can hear her breathing from several feet away from her hutch. I don't really want to spend a ton of moola on her at the vet since she's past her prime, but I also don't want her to suffer until she miraculously recovers. Does anyone know of a medication or a home remedy that might help her? (I tried ACV in her water already) Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you don't know if it is a virus or bacteria there is no way to know what would be an appropriate medication.
What state are you in?

 

[CatWhisperer]

Sounds like she’s worked long and hard for you. Time to give back a little. Take her to a vet or end her suffering.

 

[cassie]

ACV won't do squat. Are there any antibiotics available at the feed store? Get one and try it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

ACV won't do squat. Are there any antibiotics available at the feed store? Get one and try it.

Antibiotics are not the answer if one doesn't know there are bacteria involved. It could just as easily be a virus.
An animal that sick needs to go to a veterinarian.

 

[cassie]

Antibiotics are not the answer if one doesn't know there are bacteria involved. It could just as easily be a virus.
An animal that sick needs to go to a veterinarian.

Antibiotics will either help or they won't. They are unlikely to hurt. If it is a virus the vet doesn't have much that will help either except maybe steroids, plus most vets know little or nothing about rabbits anyway. The cost of one vet bill, particularly from a small animal clinic, will buy you an awfully nice rabbit. From a practical standpoint, unless the animal is a cherished pet, it just isn't worth it.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Thank you for your opinion @cassie. What do you think about using Penicillin?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The damage done by prophylactically giving antibiotics is how super bugs are made.
That is a danger to all of society.

 

[cassie]

The damage done by prophylactically giving antibiotics is how super bugs are made.
That is a danger to all of society.

When a critter is sick and you are giving antibiotics to treat an illness that is hardly prophylactic.

 

[cassie]

Thank you for your opinion @cassie. What do you think about using Penicillin?

I don't know. Penicillin was always my fallback medication, but my experience is with goats, not rabbits. I don't recall ever having to treat any sick rabbits. I would think either tylan, tetracycline, or penicillin would work. If you use an injectable, give it under the skin and give it for a full five days.