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Disease transmitted through hay?

C

Cob-Web

Warren Scout
Is there a disease that affects rabbits that can be transmitted through hay?

I have been advised by another rabbit owner only to use specialist, medicated hay as there are bugs transmitted through ordinary hay that are currently affecting rabbits in some parts of the UK.

I've not heard of medicated hay before.....what is it? I have a bale of organically grown meadow hay from a local farm which I feed to Flopsy and Topsy (rabbits) and Salt and Pepper (guinea pigs).

So far, we have had no problems, but what should I be looking out for? What diseases can be transmitted through hay? :?
 
Myxi is usually spread by biting insects eg fleas - fleas can survive for many months in hay................
 
So, how do I avoid this? (I will have them vaccinated against Myxi and VHD) What is medicated hay - does anyone know?
signquestion3xd.gif
 
The stuff I'm currently giving to my bunnies is barn dried hay that's been dust extracted and medicated. Unfortunately no brand name, I picked it up at the local garage (they sell lots of plants, pet and equine stuff, mini garden centre i guess) in a rush because the bunnies had no hay only straw.

If you look at the packet it should say whether it's medicated or not.
 
IzzyTwig said:
If you look at the packet it should say whether it's medicated or not.
Click to expand...

the hay I use comes in bales, not packets :lol:

I prefer not to expose my pets to chemicals if I can avoid it, so using a treated hay, rather than something straight from the field, is contrary to what I usually try to do :?

If it is essential to keep them healthy then of course I'll use it, but I prefer to know a bit more about it - What is used to treat the hay? Does it leave a residue that the rabbits ingest?
 
I've never seeen medicated hay. What do they put on it to make it "medicated"? Surely good correctly stored hay should need any additives.
 
I've heard that bunnies can get diseases through hay, but as far as I know there is no hay in Auckland that can be guaranteed disease free. So we're just fingers crossed and hope for the best.
 
A bunnie (and any other animal) is exposed to bacteria and organisms that could cause a problem every day of their lives, I think its just taking it a little too far to start 'medicating' hay with chemicals.

Mine get any hay I think looks and smells fresh, it could be a bale of meadow from the local farm to a bag of timothy from a shop. The most common thing to be caught from hay is mites which usually only occurs in older, mustier hay. Its also relatively easy to treat.

I think we can become too paranoid about our rabbits (and other pets) sometimes, same with people who mollycoddle their kids incase a germ jumps on them!

Just my opinion though ;) :D
 
leanne said:
A bunnie (and any other animal) is exposed to bacteria and organisms that could cause a problem every day of their lives, I think its just taking it a little too far to start 'medicating' hay with chemicals.

Mine get any hay I think looks and smells fresh, it could be a bale of meadow from the local farm to a bag of timothy from a shop. The most common thing to be caught from hay is mites which usually only occurs in older, mustier hay. Its also relatively easy to treat.

I think we can become too paranoid about our rabbits (and other pets) sometimes, same with people who mollycoddle their kids incase a germ jumps on them!

Just my opinion though ;) :D
Click to expand...

I agree. There's a limit to how much you can do. Mine normally get just baled "horsey" hay. I just check that it smells fresh and sweet and isn't massively "sporey"!
I think its the same with us is sometimes they will pick up bugs from places. You can't erradicate them from everything. And so long as they're vaccinated against vhd and myxi and kept clean etc . :?
 
I agree, I personally think life in general is too worried about germs and bugs and what not - most of us ate mud and lived to tell the tale :roll: and I think it's the same with bunnies, my lot love their bales of hay and I'm not going to start buying into the latest panic.
 
Thank you :D

You have reassured me that I am not a neglectful bunny-mummy and will continue to get my hay in bales from the wonderful farm nearby ;)
 
leanne said:
A bunnie (and any other animal) is exposed to bacteria and organisms that could cause a problem every day of their lives, I think its just taking it a little too far to start 'medicating' hay with chemicals.

Mine get any hay I think looks and smells fresh, it could be a bale of meadow from the local farm to a bag of timothy from a shop. The most common thing to be caught from hay is mites which usually only occurs in older, mustier hay. Its also relatively easy to treat.

I think we can become too paranoid about our rabbits (and other pets) sometimes, same with people who mollycoddle their kids incase a germ jumps on them!

Just my opinion though ;) :D
Click to expand...

Phew, I'm glad you posted that just as I was starting to get all panicky about our farm bales.
 
Well the hay I'm using is medicated but I only realised after buying it (emergency buy). Truth be told as long as your bunnies are jabbed I don't think there's much to worry about if it's medicated or not, as long as it's good hay.
 
leanne said:
A bunnie (and any other animal) is exposed to bacteria and organisms that could cause a problem every day of their lives, I think its just taking it a little too far to start 'medicating' hay with chemicals.

Mine get any hay I think looks and smells fresh, it could be a bale of meadow from the local farm to a bag of timothy from a shop. The most common thing to be caught from hay is mites which usually only occurs in older, mustier hay. Its also relatively easy to treat.

I think we can become too paranoid about our rabbits (and other pets) sometimes, same with people who mollycoddle their kids incase a germ jumps on them!

Just my opinion though ;) :D
Click to expand...


I agree - so long as the rabbits are vaccinated against VHD and Myxi then I wouldn't start worrying about hay - if you do you'll also have to set up an exclusion area around the run etc in case a stray mouse with fleas gets in!
 
I guess like humans, bunnies need to be exposed to some things so they can start to build up an immune system?
 
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