Forty pet rabbits with clinical signs of bacterial upper respiratory tract disease were included by 2 veterinarian investigators in France. All animal received a solution of marbofloxacin (Marbocyl® FD, Vétoquinol) by oral route at the dosage of 7 mg/kg, twice a day, for 14 days and were followed-up for 28 days: on D0 (inclusion day), D3 (optional), D7, D14 (treatment end) and D28. Microbiological analyses were performed on D0, D14 and D28 from nasal swabs. They included isolating bacterial strains, sensitivity tests to marbofloxacin, enrofloxacin, danofloxacin, cefalexin, gentamicin, doxycyclin, oxytetracyclin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and marbofloxacin MIC determination (for pathogenic bacteria only). Clinical parameters followed up were rectal temperature, general condition, facial appearance, carpal and metacarpal appearances, appetite, dyspnoea, sneezing, nasal discharge, dacryocystis and epiphora. General tolerance was also assessed.

At inclusion, all rabbits presented with sneezing and nasal discharge, as requested by the protocol. The major part of them also presented with moist facial, carpal and metacarpal appearances. Appetite as well as general condition was reduced for less than half of the included rabbits. Dyspnoea and ocular signs were rarely found.

Twenty-eight pet rabbits fully met the protocol and were analysed in the Per Protocol sample. Almost 86% of them responded to the treatment, of which 96% were clinically cured. Four rabbits (14.3%) experienced therapeutic failure on D14 and three (12.5%) relapsed clinically on D28. Two rabbits presented with slight gastrointestinal disorders, which however did not require stopping the marbofloxacin treatment.

Great majority of Pasteurella multocida isolated on D0 disappeared with marbofloxacin treatment whereas the isolating rate of Bordetella bronchiseptica was the same before and after treatment. Other pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Moraxella spp., Micrococcus spp...) were found whatever the sampling time. A lot of contaminant bacteria were isolated in most of the samples.

In conclusion, the solution of marbofloxacin administered by oral route at the dosage of 7 mg/kg, twice a day, for 14 days appears to be a good therapeutic option, which has no serious adverse effect and is not life-threatening as could be other antibiotics, to treat upper respiratory disease in pet rabbits.