Respiratory Infections in Rabbits
Pocket Pet · Oryctolagus cuniculus · typical adult weight 1.00–5.00 kg
3 cited drugs treat Respiratory Infections in rabbits: Azithromycin, Ceftiofur, Doxycycline.
Upper- and lower-respiratory bacterial, mycoplasmal, and fungal infection. Includes bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD) in cattle, pneumonia in companion species, and air sacculitis in birds. Antimicrobial choice often requires species-specific evidence.
The overview above describes Respiratory Infections across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to rabbits — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.
Azithromycin(Zithromax)
Antibiotic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 15–30 mg/kg | q24h x 15 days | 7-14 days | Respiratory infections (alternative) | Weak | Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcuť CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.841 (2026-08-01). — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Ceftiofur(Excenel, Excede, Naxcel)
Antibiotic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | 40 mg/kg | q24-72h (CFA depot only) | 7-14 days | Respiratory infections | Moderate | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — located 2026-08-05 in Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a); the earlier note claiming no held source contained this figure was wrong and has been removed. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 |
Doxycycline(Vibramycin)
Antibiotic| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 2.5 mg/kg | q12h | 14-28 days | Respiratory infections, Pasteurella | Weak | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.842, ref 166 = Morissey JM, Carpenter JW. Appendix: Formulary. In: Quesenberry KE, Orcutt CJ, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, 4th ed. Elsevier; 2021:620-630 (the same row appears there in Table A.1, p.621) — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Rabbits.a). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350 |
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.