Recently, one of our customers, Tammy Niquette, contacted us with a tragic story. Unable to visit her regular vet who was on vacation, she took her rabbit Cadbury to a back-up vet because of an ulcerated hock. This vet prescribed the antibiotic amoxicillin (trade name Clavamox), which is commonly used to treat dogs and cats.
A few days later, Tammy noticed Cadbury was lethargic and had stopped eating and drinking. She and her husband began force-feeding him. They could see his intestines moving and hear gurgling and growling sounds. Soon he had diarrhea and was urinating everywhere. Tammy contacted Cadbury's regular vet as soon as he returned, telling him of Cadbury's symptoms.
"They asked what medication was prescribed to him and administered. I told them he was last given Clavamox. They actually did not believe me at first because they were doubtful that any veterinarian would dispense that medication to a rabbit! Cadbury's veterinarian told me that amoxicillin is toxic in rabbits, that this was an emergency situation and that he had to be seen immediately.
I was shown how to properly dispense subcutaneous fluids at home. Cadbury had to be closely monitored daily for his food intake, etc. The diarrhea subsided, he began eating approximately 1/3 of his normal diet, but was he was defecating small fecal pellets everywhere.
Three days later, I noticed Cadbury was shivering, lethargic and had a stiffened posture. I immediately introduced water, greens, 25ml of SQ fluids and placed him on a heating pad. It appeared as if he had difficulty swallowing, was in shock, and experiencing severe discomfort. I called Cadbury's regular veterinarian at 7 a.m. and made an emergency appointment for Cadbury to be seen at 8 a.m. Cadbury died at 7:45 a.m. in my husband's arms just before being placed in the pet carrier."
Oral penicillin and it's derivatives (amoxicillin, clindamycin and erythromycin) should never be prescribed for rabbits. These antibiotics kill by destroying the good bacteria in the gut. Death can occur shortly after administration of the drug or up to three weeks after the drug has been taken (as in Cadbury's case). Years ago stories like Tammy's (and therefore warnings about amoxicillin) were much more common. Even though rabbits are becoming more popular as house pets, there are still plenty of vets who don't know much about rabbits and won't admit it!
Tammy asked us to share her story with you in hopes of saving other rabbits. We think she is very brave. "It is unfortunate that Cadbury's untimely death could have been prevented if we were more educated on how to properly treat exotic pets such as rabbits. I would encourage rabbit owners to learn more about the care and health of their rabbits. Credible education materials can be found on the House Rabbit Society's website."
Educate yourself so you can advocate for your rabbit. If you're not comfortable with the care being provided, don't be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion. Ask your vet to consult with another vet or a specialist if your rabbit isn't responding to treatment. Your rabbit's life depends on it!
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