Cleaning and Disinfecting for E Cuniculi

As per my thread yesterday, Rosie is going to have to have another course of Panacur and in light of the new recommendations discussed at the RWA Conference, I'm looking for specific advice regarding the cleaning regime. I have ploughed my way through the very informative thread on Panacur started by Hugo's There a few months ago and it threw up a lot of very useful info.

Like others, when I used Panacur a couple of years ago, I wasn't aware that Virkon (which I normally use) didn't kill the spores and that only bleach (and boiling water?) would. So ... I'm proposing to clean food and water bowls and her litter tray daily with a bleach solution (is 10% enough? or should I use 30%?), then leave it for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Is this sufficient on a day-to-day basis?

Also, I know to pay particular attention to the cleaning regime on days 21 and 28. I'm guessing this means bleaching pretty much everything that can be bleached - cage, runs, etc. Should I also do this before starting the Panacur or just on days 21 and 28?

One problem is that Rosie lives indoors in a carpeted room with cotton rugs on the floor. I can't see how we could disinfect them properly, so I'm going to bin them and have her on the carpet which will be steam cleaned on days 21 and 28. Will this be sufficient do you think?

Should I bin things like her big cardboard tube? And can toys made of wood be bleached or should they go?

I know all this is an inexact science and it's pretty much impossible to be sure of eradicating all the spores, but I want to make sure I do the best I can. Sorry for all the questions, but I'd welcome your views.

Thanks! :wave:

I can't help but feel worried about using bleach - does anything else at all work to kill the spores?

Bleach releases small amounts of chlorine gas (and I find it hard to believe it doesn't continue to do so once dry), which would be bad for your bunny's health.

I can't find anything on bunnies, but cleaning ladies using bleach are more likely to suffer from upper-respiratory tract problems. (Scroll down for conclusion.)

http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/62/9/598

Bleach is the only thing.

As long as you leave it ventilated and to air for a while after dry, it is fine.

ETA: Diluted bleach

Only 1% bleach is necessary.

70% ethanol also works, but I don't think you can buy it in UK. Paper seems to imply the spores are easily killed. How did they reach the conclusion that normal disinfectant doesn't work?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=b94c5979856ffa6e0aaf57df1270094f

I read (and used) 10% solution, left for half an hour, obviously rinsed really well.

But you can only clean what you can to try to reduce the numbers of spores in the environment. It's never going to be totally sterile, as the spores can no doubt attach themselves to the feet pretty easily and get spread about. I'd personally just concentrate on the areas where there is urine and where she eats from, ie food bowls and litter trays.

edit: there is a possibility that F10 can kill EC, as it is 'sporidicidal'. However, it doesn't appear to have been tested against EC, so I assume it can't.

Furries said:

Only 1% bleach is necessary.

70% ethanol also works, but I don't think you can buy it in UK. Paper seems to imply the spores are easily killed. How did they reach the conclusion that normal disinfectant doesn't work?

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=b94c5979856ffa6e0aaf57df1270094f

Click to expand...

That looks like an interesting paper, if only I could read it! (usual story!) :roll::lol:

I always felt like leaving the bleach solution on for half an hour was probably overkill, to be honest, but that was what I read somewhere, so just stuck with it.

When Kermit has EC i threw out all his toys and cleaned his cage with stuff the vets gave me, cant remember what it was called but it was like less than 1% to be put in water.

Once that was finished i used bleach.

Thanks everyone I realise it's going to be impossible to eradicate all the spores, am just panicking (as usual :roll about trying to do it as best as I can.

Furries said:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=b94c5979856ffa6e0aaf57df1270094f

Click to expand...

That does look interesting - has anyone spent $31.50 on reading the full article though? :shock:

Could you cover the carpet in thick cardboard and change it completely on day 21 and 28. You can then also keep in down for many months to allow the spore which have got into the carpet to die with time.

I wonder if steam, ie a steam cleaner, is effective at killing these spores? If so you could use it on the carpets without a problem. It seems there is not much which can withstand extreme heat. Maybe worth investigating.

Iv mentioned this before, Trigene was given to me from my vets.

"TriGene ADVANCE is certified using EPA approved and EN protocols as:

Bactericidal
Fungicidal
Virucidal
Mycobactericidal
Sporicidal"

You can buy it from many places online including this place (just quickly typed it into google)

http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/trigene_v_2158.html

This might be the thing Kermit was talking about too, you add one part trigene to 100 parts water, so is VERY economical, and its shelf life is quite long too. I add it to a spray bottle, which you can buy at places such as pound shops or holiday things like boots, then spray EVERYWHERE especially cracks etc. Hope this helps.

janice-arc said:

Could you cover the carpet in thick cardboard and change it completely on day 21 and 28. You can then also keep in down for many months to allow the spore which have got into the carpet to die with time.

Click to expand...

I hadn't considered that - thank you - but it's quite a big room so not sure how practical it would be. Also Rosie eats any cardboard and develops stasis :roll: so we'll probably use the steam cleaner on the carpet instead.

HCB said:

Iv mentioned this before, Trigene was given to me from my vets.

"TriGene ADVANCE is certified using EPA approved and EN protocols as:

Bactericidal
Fungicidal
Virucidal
Mycobactericidal
Sporicidal"

You can buy it from many places online including this place (just quickly typed it into google)

http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/trigene_v_2158.html

This might be the thing Kermit was talking about too, you add one part trigene to 100 parts water, so is VERY economical, and its shelf life is quite long too. I add it to a spray bottle, which you can buy at places such as pound shops or holiday things like boots, then spray EVERYWHERE especially cracks etc. Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I use Pet Virkon for general disinfecting, and TriGene sounds like a similar type of thing.

I wonder though, even though it says it's sporicidal, if it has been specifically tested on EC. :? As far as I was aware, only bleach and boiling water were effective. But will look into it, thanks :wave:

Hi all

I've just been reading this post because I'm in the same situation and face the daunting prospect of trying to sterilise 8 bunnies indoor living areas :shock:

Re: Trigene, a good friend of ours runs boarding kennels and uses Trigene (which we thought we could nick some from!) HOWEVER she says that it must be totally dry before bunnies come into contact as even though she's used is diluted down, she's experienced dogs reacting with sore paws when they've been in contact, naturally I'm worried as bunnies paws aren't as hardy as dogs.

What she now uses is Safe4 http://www.safe4pets.co.uk/safe4pets.php which can be left wet and has caused no problkems with the cats and dogs. However she doesn't know whether it's suitable for rabbits. I've looked at the website and can't see a reason that it wouldn't be (has no phenols etc) but what do you think?

Re: Science Direct article, if anyone want's a copy of the full article please PM me your email address and I'll send it on It's handy working in a library sometimes

After you have used diluted bleach - Use some vinegar as it neutralises the bleach. You will still need to rinse really well and air tho - Also using usual animal disinfectant will remove any smell.

I did a major clean on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 (as Jet was showing active signs I done a 6 week course), I especially cleaned hard on days 21 and 28 as per advice.

I threw out any cardboard toys etc and put towels and other toys on a very high temp wash.

I also steam cleaned the carpet on the stairs etc.

This thread is very useful to me too as one of my bunnies has EC and head tilt and I am preparing for the deep cleans on day 21 and 28.

I'm going to throw out the rugs the bunnies currently live on and bleach and steam the floorboards below and am then planning to get some impermeable fabric such as a soft pond liner to go underneath the cage just in case there is anything left in the floorboards.

For my info does anybody know how long the spores can remain dormant for?

I don't believe that Trigene kills EC, although would obviously be interested to hear otherwise.

I think the spores stay active for 4 weeks.

Thanks everyone for your input.

We have spent the weekend steaming and bleaching thoroughly before beginning the medication - hopefully it will do some good. Next big clean day 21!

Rykat said:

Re: Science Direct article, if anyone want's a copy of the full article please PM me your email address and I'll send it on It's handy working in a library sometimes

Click to expand...

Thank you, I'd be very interested to read the article. Will PM you. :wave:

I'm sure the Safe4 product would be safe to use with buns, but am not sure it would be effective against E Cuniculi. Unless specifically tested against EC, I tend to assume it won't kill the spores, just to be on the safe side. Good to know about it though - thanks.