RearGuard Reaction? UPDATE Page 2 feeling better

Due to the humid weather there seem to be a lot of flies around. We have several vulnerable buns ,(one with bladder problems, one with a mending broken leg, a blind bun, and a very elderly bun!!) and rearguarded them all this morning .

This afternoon they are very 'low' - and one especially looks in actual pain. We have actually gone as far as washing off most of the RearGuard but he still has his eyes half closed and is hunched and is not interested in food (well - not as much as usual - I mean he will still eat a dandelion if put in front of him - but only if you really really try)!

I think he has probably licked off all the rearguard and it has gone into his tum where it has 'joined' the medicines he is already on for his bladder problem (actually urethera spasms).

Two of the others are looking very low as well and just sitting.

Has anyone else had Rearguard problems??

Personally, have never seen that kind of reaction when using Rearguard.

Have you spoken to your vet? Might be a good idea.

My boss told me she found her rabbit dead the morning after applying Rearguard for the first time...I have no idea if the Rearguard caused the rabbit's death, or whether it was just an unfortunate coincidence

abbymarysmokey said:

My boss told me she found her rabbit dead the morning after applying Rearguard for the first time...I have no idea if the Rearguard caused the rabbit's death, or whether it was just an unfortunate coincidence

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OMG!!!

I am really worried now. What could cause that????? Surely if that happened more than once they would have to take it off the market?

parsnipbun said:

OMG!!!

I am really worried now. What could cause that????? Surely if that happened more than once they would have to take it off the market?

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It would be difficult to prove though unless you had a full post mortem done.

Any bun who needs Rearguard probably isn't going to be in the best health anyway, so owners might not suspect the Rearguard was to blame.

I think a visit to the vet would be best. I've used rearguard on all my rabbits in the past and have never had any sort of reaction. Could it perhaps just be a coincidence?

I dont use Rearguard on any of my Rabbits as I have heard of cases of adverse reactions attributed to toxicity.
I would give the Vet a call if I were you.

What kind of toxic reactions????

We've already been t the vet twice this weekend - once with a normal appt (for bladder) and once an emergency for fly eggs on our elderly rabbit (hence the rearguard on the other rabbits!).

I mean that wouldn't normally stop me but it will only be the '24 hour emergency vets clinic' and some of them know less about rabbits than i do - and its £100 a time for going there an its pretty 'lucky dip' whether you get someone whose ever seen a rabbit before.

Have syringed him warm water and trying to stuff him with all the delicacies he likes (coriander, dandelion leaves, grass etc etc).

Am feeling petrified now.

Im feeling a bit nervous now - ive just put rear guard on kermit for the first time.....thinking i was doing the best....now i read that it could be fatal!!!!!!!!

ffs - im worried

I applied rearguard to my french lop and her partner, on recommendation from vets, as she was getting wet on her feet and back end and i was worrying about fly strike...i too am now worried, although they did not have any effects??

Have dragged the empty bottles out of the bin and notice it says 'rabbit may have depressed appetite for 24-48 hours after application. Although it doesn't say anything about looking hunched.
I mean how stupid is that?? It is essential that rabbits eat constantly - what is the point in giving them something that stops them eating???? Especially if one mainly gives it to older and at risk animals!!

and WHY does it depress their appetite????

Teasal seems to be alternating between eating and then sitting looking hunched, then eating his greens again.

If I take him to emergency vet they will just say 'is he eating at all' and I will say yes and they will charge me £100 and tell me to go home and 'watch him'.

cant ya find a vet who nos about rabbits hun sounds serious i really hope ya bunny gets better ****ViBeS**** Get Well Soon Bunny x

Hope your bun is ok today......my kermit (who i rearguarded yesterday) seems to be ok this morning....thank goodness!

He has scoffed his brekfast pellets and veg.

I have never had any problems with Rearguard on different buns over the years though
when I tried Xenex on my bun(when she had nodular myxi)she had a severe reaction to it with the nape of her neck looking like burn wounds-the Xenex does say try a small area first to see if theres a reaction and thank goodness we did! I shudder to think what would have happened otherwise! I'm sure it delayed her recovery from the myxi. I don't know if it depressed her appetite as she was barely eating in those days anyway. (She is fine now). I was shocked to know Rearguard could have problems too. Thankyou for that info.-Sue:wave:

Hope your bun will be ok.

The adverse reactions I have heard of were not prooven to be attributable to Rearguard but all occured within 12-24 hours of application of the product.
The reactions I have heard of were GI stasis and one 'sudden death'

Again, there was no proof that Rearguard was to blame and it would be best to discuss with your Vet any specific concerns you have about the product.
I have just made a personal decision not to use it

Well, touch wood Teasel seems a lot better this morning. We syringed water almost all night and he was eating quite a lot by 2am. He did a huge long string of smaller poos at about 6am so obviously the gut had slowed and was starting up again.

Its a bit hard to tell how peaky he is still feeling as he has been suffering with bladder/urethral problems at present anyway (hence Rearguard) but he is a bit more like his usual lively self and voluntarily eating his fresh willow leaves and weed selection.

The others we rearguarded are also better though still not totally 100 percent lively.

I think the problem is that a healthy bun that can twist run to its back and bum will instantly try and wash the whole lot off - and ingest it all.

As ever (!) the boys seemed to take it worse than the girls - Peaches and Thistle were fine, Teasal was a disaster and obviously in pain and going into stasis, Parsley was peaky and Blackberry was . . . well its difficult to tell as he is very very placid (blind and part deaf). . Anyone heard of 'man flu'!!

Off to collect more willow and weeds . . . (and check them all for the trillionth time).

I will NOT be rearguarding the rest of them now - could not stand another day of anxiously watching over the other 5!!

PS Just seen Jacks Jane reply re stasis - yes I think he was definitely into stasis. I guess the chemical they lick off themselves then plays havoc with the intestinal flora.

I rearguard Digger earlier in the summer. I read that it wasn't advised to use on elderly buns. I was worried as i had rescued him from the streets and was unsure how old he was.
He was miserable for about a week, but had to weigh up the fact that he is prone to a messy behind, and was worried he might get fly strike.