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Can an EC pos bun always be a carrier?

Nicola3

Mama Doe
Soz...another question about EC. Can a bunny that has tested positive for EC, been treated with panacur still be a carrier of the parasite and pass it on to other rabbits?

I know you can have a rabbit tested several times and info says that if the results stay static it indicates an inactive infection. How can you be 100% sure that this bun will not infect other buns it lives with? Even if the EC test shows static results can the bun still infect other negative buns?

Thank you,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
Once again *in theory* no because the rabbit is testing positive for antibodies and not EC spores.
 
Hi Sooz :wave:

Thank you :D

Is there any definitive way of determing whether a rabbit is totally clear of EC? I read all the time on here about rabbits never totally being clear of EC and having to go on countless courses of panacur for the rest of their lifetime.

I'm worried about bonding Moffat (tested positive in Jan) with Primrose and Harvey (both tested negative) now as Harvey is such a delicate bunny. I have other bunnies that I can bond Moffat with but Harvey always loved her but I don't want to put him at any risk as he is a delicate boy with dental probs and has a delicate tum. Harvey has Primrose. Harvey and Primrose both get on well but she is very shy and when he is down in the dumps her nervousness rubs off on him. However Moffat is a very confident and funloving bunny who always brought a skip and a jump to Harvey when he was under the weather.

Maybe I should think about another EC negative rescue bunny who is equally as funloving and confident as Moffat and bond Harv and Primrose to her instead just to be on the safe side? I would hate Harv to catch EC on top of his other problems.

Thank you for all your help.

L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
From what I've read and heard from my vet, the Panacur controls the numbers of spores, but doesn't fully eradicate them, so it can resolve an active case, but an active case can rear its head in the future. Certainly my 2 bunnies (now I only have one), needed regular boosters of Panacur, and I've heard that others have too.

Hopefully a better treatment will be found one day. :(
 
That doesn't sound very positive then :cry: Thanks Sarah for replying. So does your vet say that EC spores cannot be totally eradicated just controlled?

Is there not any definitive way of knowing whether an EC infection has been eradicated?

I was hoping to bond Moffat (tested positive) with Harvey and Primrose who are both negative but if there's any chance that Moffats EC isn't totally eradicated I don't want to put Harv under risk as he is a very delicate bunny as it is. Such a shame though as Harv loves Moffat.

If anybody else has any theories please let me know.

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
He says controlled (and that's what I've also read). He definitely told me a year ago that it can come back. I've also heard of some bunnies being on Panacur constantly (obviously that's risky, due to side effects of the drug), and why would they need to do that if it could be eradicated?

My own view would be that I'd give any in contact or future in contact bunnies a 6 week course, just in case. Might be more than required, but better to be safe than sorry, maybe? :?
 
My own view would be that I'd give any in contact or future in contact bunnies a 6 week course, just in case. Might be more than required, but better to be safe than sorry, maybe? :?

I'd second that.

Sadly there is still not enough research to show just how effective Panacur is at eradicating spores and over what time periods.

I would say it's probably safer to assume once a carrier always a carrier.
 
Hi Sarah :wave:

Sounds like maybe it's best not to bond Moffat with Harvey and Primrose then :cry:

I mean if it's not possible to totally eradicate EC I could still be putting them both at risk of catching it.

Does your vet say that EC can be controlled but not eradicated...meaning that a positive EC bun, even after being treated, still harbours spores and it can become active again? I know EC spores can be picked up again from the environment they live in or have previously passed across but does your vet think that an EC infection can be activated again within the actual rabbit?

This is so confusing. Anybody else have any info etc?

Thank you for your replies.

Love,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
Sorry I'm so vague - I did a lot of reading online throughout last summer, so I'm not sure where I got all of this from. Not v helpful I know. :oops:
 
Thank you you two...you're angels :D

I will have a read later too....better catch up with my work :oops:

Perhaps later we can catch up again after reading. May not be able to post until 2moro now.

If anybody else has any more info please let us know.

Thank you,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
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