# Antibiotic use in nursing rabbits



## ThunderBunny (Nov 6, 2013)

My doe that just gave birth 2 days ago has developed ascesses on her belly again (was really dumb of me to breed her again):smack . Usual course of action whould be to give her sub-q penG injections but she is nursing and hand feeding would take too much time. Should I wait and see what happens and wean babies early @ 4 weeks.:shrug: . Anyone have any suggestions.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

You can use tetracycline. I found a few people who had done that when my doe had mastitis. It's not the strongest stuff but it will help with small infections and keep it from getting worse until you can wean the kits. I've weaned at 2 weeks many times. The first was my first doe to get mastitis who was also violent so rather than treat her since mastitis likes to reoccur I put her down and fed her 2 week old kits on pellets soaked in goat kid formula. I had another doe prolapse her uterus and only survive to day 10 after birth and gave her kits soaked pellets as well just runnier than the 2 week kits. I haven't lost any doing that. You just have to clean them up with a damp paper towel once a day especially if you start quite young because they will push in to the pile or spoonful of food and get it all down their fronts until they learn to sit around the dish or I start with a lid to eat.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

You sure it's abscesses? Where are they and what do they look like? Could be inflamed mammary tissue. If her kits are fed, I'd just let 'em grow out and keep a daughter to replace her. Just about any antibiotic can be used during lactation that would be available to you, but keep in mind using antibiotics on animals that ferment their feed can be detrimental to their health. Abscesses are walled off and will not allow antibiotics to penetrate, so they are usually best treated by allowing to come to a head, lancing, and then thoroughly cleaning the site.


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## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

To balance antibiotics and a feed change at the same time, I've balanced the POSSIBLE stomach unbalance with the pro-biotic powder sprinkled on their feed.

For me tetra. works great for eyes issues. Pen-G works great for other stuff.

There is a link on mastis here, I just ran into it for my first time this year. So if you find it's mastis rather than abcess..this thread may help.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/li...frustating-nursing-doe-problem-any-ideas.html


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## ThunderBunny (Nov 6, 2013)

Ended up trancing Snow Bunny today to have a good look at her belly...its looks and feels like 2 blocked milk ducts on 2 different nipples. She doesn't flinch when I touch them and they are not blue or hot to the touch so it doesn't look like they are infected....put the 2 runts on her as they had empty bellies and were really skinny and voila no more blocked ducts....going to keep checking her and after this litter no more for her. She has become a house bunny now. I have a replacement for her from one of my other does. Thanks for all the info everyone.


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