Pasturella

[lolanu]

Okay, this is terrible and you guys can berate me all you want, because I deserve it.

Yesterday, probably 3ish I had Gizmo the 10-year old bunny in my room, as we currently only have two rooms to our name, sharing a house. My dad wanted to deep clean his other rabbit's cage and let him run around, so we put Giz in my room, due to the fact he's used to having free roam. He didn't poo or sneeze, and I'm pretty sure pasturella isn't truly airborne, but he flicked some rabbit poo out of his potty before he left. I scoured the room and thought I got it all, but apparently not. Miette found a piece and I saw her holding something, investigated, and saw her about to take a big bite out of the rabbit nasty. I stopped her before she managed to do more than test, but she definitely touched it. I don't know how old it was and it had been about four hours since Gizmo was in the room, definitely not warm and damp in there. I'm already going to go and get some Baytril to get her on just in case, any other suggestions? And no, Giz is not coming back in here.

 

[ticklechin]

Feces is not the usual route of transmission, its usually nasal discharge or body fluids, but it can happen. Pasturella is a death sentance eventually for chinchillas, life long antibiotic therapy keeps the infection at bay for a time but it is not a cure and the chin will eventually die a pretty horrid death.

 

[lolanu]

Exactly what I'm worried about. I know rabbit poo is pretty dry, but better safe than sorry. We're getting Baytril today.

 

[ChinnyMom]

there must be a way to test for pasturella? would it be better to have a clear diagnosis before throwing baytril at a chin 'just in case'?

 

[Jaina_Organasolo]

The only thing I can add really is that they seem to be able to carry it (a bit like a Rabbit). I lost one of my first Chins to stasis and bloat (no idea what caused him to stop eating) and his autopsy showed slight redness of the bowel, cause of death was stasis but he also had pasturella in his lungs but had shown no symptoms at all. At that point, people had told me they didn't get it. The vet did not deem it to be the cause of death though.

 

[ticklechin]

The rabbit can be tested but it involves sedation and the results are often skewed. Before I would start baytril, the situation should be presented to a vet and let the vet make the decision on any treatment. We have some real issues with baytril resistant bacteria and the main reason is throwing at anything.

 

[lolanu]

Makes sense. My chinchilla vet doesn't get back until Friday

 

[Riven]

I would not give Baytril, simply because even if it was exposed to Pasturella Bayril will not cure it or prevent it from manifesting. If it was known to kill it, then to me it would be worth the course.

 

[ticklechin]

To be honest I don't use baytril anymore, I use chloramphenicol for heavy duty use and flagyl for dental or head infections.

 

[lolanu]

Sorry for the incomplete thought. My (very futile) hope was that, if she had contracted it, to catch it somehow before it settled in. Wasn't thinking, more of an AAHHH! moment. So far she has not shown any signs aside form sneezing once, which isn't very condemning. How long would pasturella take to "settle in"?

 

[lolanu]

Ah, thank you Ticklechin. I'm not sure if my vet just used Baytril because she'd heard about it most, probably.

 

[ticklechin]

14-21 days is the incubation period-if this was my chin and this happened I personally would not worry since the bunny showed no symptoms, yeah it would be in the back of my mind but I would not stress out.

 

[lolanu]

Stressing is what I do! Thank you guys for you advice... odds are I'll watch like a hawk anyway, but yes, Gizmo has never shown any illness AT ALL during his long years. Cross your paws!