Antimicrobial Agents

Antimicrobial Agents

This page provides a reference list of commonly used antimicrobial agents in rabbits, including recommended dosages, routes of administration, and special notes.

A

• Amikacin*

- 2–5 mg/kg SC, IM q8–12h - 8–16 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q24h - Decreased toxicity when given once daily; for IV use, dilute in 4 mL/kg saline and give over 20 min - 10 mg/kg SC, IM q8–12h6 - 1.25 g/20 g methyl methacrylate, place in bone after surgical debridement of jaw abscess

• Azithromycin*

C

• Cefazolin*
• Cefotaxime*
• Ceftazidime*
• Ceftiofur*
• Ceftriaxone (Rocephin, Roche)*
• Cephalexin*
• Cephalothin*

• Chloramphenicol*

- Use in food-producing animals is prohibited in the United States

• Chlortetracycline*
• Ciprofloxacinb (Cipro, Bayer; Ciloxan, Alcon)*

D

• Difloxacinb (Dicural, Fort Dodge)*

- Dose appropriate for E. coli infections - 5 mg/kg IM, IV q24h

• Doxycycline*

- 2.5 mg/kg PO q12h - 4 mg/kg PO q24h

E

• Enrofloxacinb (Baytril, Bayer)*

F

• Florfenicol*
• Furazolidone*

G

• Gentamicin*

M

• Marbofloxacin*
• Metronidazole*
• Minocycline*
• Moxifloxacin*

N

• Netilmicin (Netromycin, Schering)*

- For IV use, dilute and give over 20 min - 6–8 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q24h

O

• Ofloxacinb (Ocuflox, Allergan)*

- Urogenital, skin, respiratory infections - 20 mg/kg SC q8h

• Oxytetracycline*

- PD; anorexia and diarrhea at 30 mg/kg, IM q8h; tissue irritation can occur - 15 mg/kg IM q8h - 25 mg/kg SC q24h - 50 mg/kg PO q12h - 1 mg/mL drinking water

P

• Penicillin G*

- Do not give any form of penicillin orally to rabbits - *Benzathine form*: Achieves lower serum levels than other forms, effective only against highly susceptible organisms

 - 42,000–60,000 U/kg IM q48h  
 - 42,000–84,000 U/kg SC q7d × 3 wk  

- *Procaine form*: Rabbit syphilis

 - 40,000 U/kg IM q24h for 3–5–7 days  
 - 42,000–84,000 U/kg SC, IM q24h  
 - 60,000 U/kg IM q8h  

R

• Rifampin (R)/Azithromycin (A)*

- Staphylococcus osteomyelitis

• Rifampin (R)/Clarithromycin (C)*

- Staphylococcus osteomyelitis

S

• Silver sulfadiazine cream (Silvadene, Marion)*

- Does not cause diarrhea if ingested

• Sulfadimethoxine*
• Sulfamethazine*
• Sulfaquinoxaline*

T

• Tetracycline*

- Therapeutic levels not achieved even at 800–1600 mg/L; 250 mg/L not effective in clinical trials for pasteurellosis - 50 mg/kg PO q8–12h - 50–100 mg/kg PO q8h - 250–1000 mg/L drinking water

• Tilmicosin (Micotil, Elanco)*
• Tobramycin (Nebcin, Lilly)*

- Pasteurellosis; use cautiously; associated with anemia and leukopenia, several rabbit and human deaths reported

• Trimethoprim/sulfa*

- May cause tissue necrosis when given SC

• Tylosin (Tylan, Elanco)*

V

• Vancomycin*