BSAVA releases new Guide to Antibiotic Use in Rabbits

1 July 2025

The BSAVA alongside the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWA&F) have produced a new Guide to Responsible Use of Antibiotics in Rabbits.

There are unique opportunities and risks to the use of antibiotics in rabbits. Antibiotic combination therapy, which is discouraged in dogs and cats, can be safe and effective in this species. Careful selection of appropriate antibiotics, in terms of active substance, dose and route of administration, is crucial when treating rabbits due to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

The new guide complements and builds on the 2024 update to the PROTECT ME poster for rabbits. It provides advice on diagnosing bacterial infections, likely causal organisms, and appropriate antibiotic and non-antibiotic management. The guide covers dacryocystitis, ear disease, facial abscesses, enteritis, urinary tract disease, and upper and lower respiratory tract disease.

John Chitty, one of the authors of the new guide, added: “Choosing an antibiotic for rabbits is not simple. Their diseases do not necessarily mirror those of dogs and cats, and they do have gut sensitivities to certain antimicrobials. However, like dogs and cats, there are situations where antibiotics are not needed where we once thought they were. This is especially important in reducing antibiotic usage in rabbits and, of course, in reducing use of critically important antibiotics in them as well. We hope this guide will help practitioners to see when antibiosis is needed, what choices are available and how to sample and select the most appropriate drug if needed.”

The new guide is free to all and can be accessed at bsavalibrary.com/protectme.