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Rearguard 'Flystrike' its that time again!!!

winnies angel

Mama Doe
Well summer is here and I thought as we have a lot of newbies to just post this to encourage or learn people about 'flystrike' as not a lot of people know much about it when first getting a bunny.
Flystrike is a very heartbreaking thing to watch. One of my buns Sweep was pts because of it, she had it first time and the vet has to remove top layer of skin across all of the buns back. Then it scabs and you know yourself how painful this would be well imagine having your whole back scabbed and outside with the air blowing into raw skin etc. It only takes few hours for eggs to hatch so you go to bed get up and maggots have hatched and are already eating your bunny alive from outside and inside! (they crawl up bottom)
Reargurad is what protects the bun you dab it on there hind quarters throughout summer months to protect bun against flies laying maggots and eating into your rabbit. You need to apply it every 10-12 weeks at a cost of £15
You must still check buns bits everyday though! And keep good hygiene in living area also.
http://www.hoppybunnyrabbit.com/a_z.html
 
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But overall you should really be encouraging a proper diet (not you I mean the people who read your post :))so runny poo's aren't even a problem, however bunnies have VERY sensitive tummies and we can all make mistakes - God knows I know I've accidently upset my buns tums alot of times it's hard to get just right.
 
Sorry to tell you NO its not!
Flystrike is caused by flies landing on bun and laying eggs any fly may just stop for rest on your rabbit.
Although it is more common to happen to elderly, incontinant bunnies. Or any bunny with a cut on there body where flies can smell the sore they will lay there eggs into. Just aswell I done this post!
 
And also to stress the importance of cleaning litter trays daily. Any soiled bedding will attrack flies, which you want to avoid.
 
We are quite lucky as Biscuit is a house bunny so can check bottom every day, and we change her toilet twice a day at least and have set up a fly zapper.

We have bought rearguard just in case though.
 
Where can I buy rearguard from, or does it have to be administered by a vet?:?:

Rearguard is prescription only, some vets administer it others let you do it at home.

Personally after speaking to the manufacturers I no longer use Rearguard.

I wouldn't put unnecessary chemicals on a healthy rabbit that is able to keep itself clean, but it is no use to my incontinenet rabbits as they have to be bathed regularly and this just washes the Rearguard off :?
 
Rearguard is prescription only, some vets administer it others let you do it at home.

Personally after speaking to the manufacturers I no longer use Rearguard.

I wouldn't put unnecessary chemicals on a healthy rabbit that is able to keep itself clean, but it is no use to my incontinenet rabbits as they have to be bathed regularly and this just washes the Rearguard off :?

Ooo I wonder what I have then, as didn't get from vet, will have to go home and check.

I agree with you though, I have never used I feel it is very important to make sure bunny doesn't have sticky bottom.
 
I wouldn't put unnecessary chemicals on a healthy rabbit that is able to keep itself clean

I agree with this. I don't rear guard my two. I also think kerry 123 is right as runny poos are a part of the problem. I know bunnies can get flystrike through open cuts or if their fur is left wet but my understanding is that a clean bottom is not nearly as interesting to them as a dirty one.

I think the most important thing is to keep litter trays clean, check bottoms daily (for maggots or soiled fur) and ensure a heathly diet with plenty of hay to avoid runny poos. Rearguard is good if a bunny is susceptible to flystirke (due to open wounds or incontinence) but I think the litter trays/bun checks/avoiding runny poos should be the first port of call and rearguard an insurance policy for susceptible buns.
 
I agree with this. I don't rear guard my two. I also think kerry 123 is right as runny poos are a part of the problem. I know bunnies can get flystrike through open cuts or if their fur is left wet but my understanding is that a clean bottom is not nearly as interesting to them as a dirty one.

I think the most important thing is to keep litter trays clean, check bottoms daily (for maggots or soiled fur) and ensure a heathly diet with plenty of hay to avoid runny poos. Rearguard is good if a bunny is susceptible to flystirke (due to open wounds or incontinence) but I think the litter trays/bun checks/avoiding runny poos should be the first port of call and rearguard an insurance policy for susceptible buns.


Exactly what I wanted to say :D worded brilliently
 
Where can I buy rearguard from, or does it have to be administered by a vet?:?:

You get it from vets. There is other things avilable but you have to put them on every week this is the best one I personally think as its every 3 month.
It is a hassel takes 2 to do it. You dab it on like a shoe polish bottle. Your supposed to use one bottle per rabbit BUT as mine are pretty healthy I use 1 bottle between both and still have some left as they get older I will a bottle each.
I feel protection is far better than cure.
As I said my girl Sweep got it back then we knew nowt about it. She got cleaned out everyday she had run of garden were we bad owners because she got it? She even got her bot washed everyday after the first time and reargurad reapplied that was after she had been to groomers to have hair removed so we could make sure she wasn't dirty.
She did get it again HOW?? but we said it wasnt fair so she was pts the maggots were on her head this time tiny babies it was horrible. So I held her kissed her goodbye. We even asked the vet if it was the right thing to do her answer was "once they get it it means that there must be a problem somewhere what we wont know about and that they will always get it"
If we had have been told that the first time we wouldnt have made her suffer the treatment.
Vets know far more now so obv they would find out what the problem is and treat it but I still reargurad for peace of mind.
 
The problem is rearguard would not help a bunny with an open wound as only the area you apply the rearguard to is protected and you can not apply it to open wounds.

This is why i spoke to the manufacturer as i have a bunny with abscesses and they said it would be no help to her at all :(

And as I said before it is no use to incontinent buns or those that need daily bum baths as they cannot keep clean as it just washes the product off

So all in all I can't see the point of it :?
 
You get it from vets. There is other things avilable but you have to put them on every week this is the best one I personally think as its every 3 month.
It is a hassel takes 2 to do it. You dab it on like a shoe polish bottle. Your supposed to use one bottle per rabbit BUT as mine are pretty healthy I use 1 bottle between both and still have some left as they get older I will a bottle each.
I feel protection is far better than cure.
As I said my girl Sweep got it back then we knew nowt about it. She got cleaned out everyday she had run of garden were we bad owners because she got it? She even got her bot washed everyday after the first time and reargurad reapplied that was after she had been to groomers to have hair removed so we could make sure she wasn't dirty.
She did get it again HOW?? but we said it wasnt fair so she was pts the maggots were on her head this time tiny babies it was horrible. So I held her kissed her goodbye. We even asked the vet if it was the right thing to do her answer was "once they get it it means that there must be a problem somewhere what we wont know about and that they will always get it"
If we had have been told that the first time we wouldnt have made her suffer the treatment.
Vets know far more now so obv they would find out what the problem is and treat it but I still reargurad for peace of mind.

Of course you were not bad owners, you did what you could to look after your bunny and I am so sorry that she got flystrike it really is horrific:(

However if you washed her bum everyday as it was mucky this would have also washed off the Rearguard :(

This is what I don't like about Rearguard, it lulls you into a false sense of security
 
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The problem is rearguard would not help a bunny with an open wound as only the area you apply the rearguard to is protected and you can not apply it to open wounds.

This is why i spoke to the manufacturer as i have a bunny with abscesses and they said it would be no help to her at all :(

And as I said before it is no use to incontinent buns or those that need daily bum baths as they cannot keep clean as it just washes the product off

So all in all I can't see the point of it :?

Everyones entitled to their opinion! I just thought it was a good idea to warn people about 'flystrike' as many newbies won't have heard about it.
My vet recommends it to all her buns so I personally will go with her opinion and as I have experinced it myself I feel peace of mind is great also.
Mine have no effects from it and I'd rather not take chance of them getting it when I could have prevent it though.
 
Of course you were not bad owners, you did what you could to look after your bunny and I am so sorry that she got flystrike it really is horrific:(

However if you washed her bum everyday as it was mucky this would have also washed off the Rearguard :(

This is what I don't like about Rearguard, it lulls you into a false sense of security

I did say after groomers,and bath she was reapplied with rearguard eveyday. But for them to be on her head there was obv something inside her that was problem that we didnt know and vets didnt know.
 
I didn't know it was safe to apply Rearguard everyday, I thought the instructions were to apply the whole bottle on one bunny and reapply every 10 weeks or so :?

i think it is great that you have highlighted Flystrike :) I just don't want people to think you can apply rearguard and then forget all about it and think your bunny is safe thats all :)
 
Vets at time said it was fine because your washing it off through washing bun. Dont know now what they would say as technology and rabbit knowledge have moved on a lot.

Personally I think its time to invent easier applicator as it really is stupid but I also get my share off protection :lol:
 
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