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Bald Patch (pics) - Reaction to Cylap VHD Vaccine?

Rosie Rabbit

Rosie Rabbit

Mama Doe
Paddy and Benji had their VHD vacs yesterday and this evening I have noticed Paddy nibbling and grooming at his leg.

I've discovered there's a bald patch about the size of a 2p piece at the top of one of his front legs. I managed to get some pics of it - it looks clean and he seems pretty much fine in himself apart from over-grooming this patch. He's eating and moving about fine.

As I've heard about reactions to the Cylap vaccine, am I (probably) right to assume this is one such case? The bald patch is nowhere near where the vaccine was injected - can these patches occur on other parts of the body, not just near the injection site?

I was all set to take him to the emergency vet tonight, but I think that's probably not necessary. Should I take him to the vet in the morning? As I say it looks clean and the skin doesn't appear to be broken. Don't know if he would benefit from Metacam. Should it just clear up on its own? (obviously we'll keep a close eye on it).

I actually asked the vet yesterday if they ever used Lapinject, and she said they had done in the past, but they tend to stick to Cylap. I didn't pursue it, but I'll not be having the Cylap done again.

Any advice welcome, thanks :wave:

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Thats not the injection site though is it? I had a similar hairloss on Gizmo after he was spayed but, it was at the injections site on his shoulders/neck and there was scabbing aswell. Are you sure that's related to the vaccine or a squabble or grooming hairloss?
 
No, it's nowhere near the injection site. That what I'm not sure of - if the bald patches that buns can get after this are always near where the injection was administered, or whether they can appear elsewhere. :?

I'm pretty sure it's not as a result of a squabble or over-grooming, but I can't be 100% sure.
 
I thought bald patches as a result of chemical's would at least be near the injection site. Gizmo's were - personally if it were me, I would keep things as calm and normal as poss, clean it with cooled boiled water and dry it and keep an eye on it, if he is licking it it will aggravate it but, the skin isn't broken so I don't think it's panick stations, I wouldn't administer metacam for that either, I wouldn't administer metacam without vet's say so to be honest especially after a vaccine, thats a lot of chemical going round already without adding to it. Keep it clean and and eye on it but, I think it looks like it could be a coincidence rather than linked to the vaccine.
 
VickiP said:
I wouldn't administer metacam without vet's say so
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:thumb: My vet was very reluctant to give Alfie metacam when he was unwell the day after his myxi jab too. He said that it could possibly affect the immune response of the jab itself, leaving him vulnerable to myxi.

I would have thought the problem would be near the injection site too - I think it's the carrier they use for the vaccine which can cause a skin reaction.
 
Thanks for replies.

I would have thought any reaction would have been near the injection site too, to be honest. It may be something else to blame. :? Just wondering if anyone has had a skin reaction away from the injection site. Rosie once had a bit of a reaction to Cylap, but it was near the injection site.

I wouldn't give Metacam without speaking to a vet first - probably best not to give it so close to a vaccination as you say.

Will keep an eye on it and hope it doesn't get any worse. If I have concerns in the morning, I'll speak to a vet or get an appointment.
 
In my rabbits the reaction was not at the vaccination site, but in exactly the same place as on your picture, so I definitely wold say it is a reaction to the Cylap, Fort Dodge have in recent months changed the Cylap info sheet to say that UP TO 50% of rabbits may experience palpable skin reactions, with reddening and hair loss up to a few centimetres in diameter!
 
Is he a small bunny? I had three small bunnies have similar reactions. Badger went bald all over his side when he first had the Cylap vaccine. Took nearly a year to fully grow back. He weighed 1.4kg and I found the smaller the weight of the rabbit, the more fur they lost in more random places away from the site.
 
fionaw said:
In my rabbits the reaction was not at the vaccination site, but in exactly the same place as on your picture, so I definitely wold say it is a reaction to the Cylap, Fort Dodge have in recent months changed the Cylap info sheet to say that UP TO 50% of rabbits may experience palpable skin reactions, with reddening and hair loss up to a few centimetres in diameter!
Click to expand...

Very interesting - thanks for getting in touch and sending photos. Have replied to your email. :wave:
 
Sky-O said:
Is he a small bunny? I had three small bunnies have similar reactions. Badger went bald all over his side when he first had the Cylap vaccine. Took nearly a year to fully grow back. He weighed 1.4kg and I found the smaller the weight of the rabbit, the more fur they lost in more random places away from the site.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this - Paddy is small to average size at 2kg. He seems tiny to me but any bun is small compared to Rosie!

Sorry to hear about what happened to Badger. It's very interesting to hear what you've said about the fur loss in random places and it makes me think, along with what Fionaw has said, that the Cylap is the culprit.
 
I'd be 99.9% certain it is a result of the Cylap.

Could you request Lapinject next time ?

Cylap really is a very nasty vaccine.


Personally I would want the Vet to take a look at the reaction. Vet may say it's not the Cylap BUT I have seen the EXACT same thing far to many times to convince me. In some cases a NSAID is essential as the reaction can become widespread. My worst case involved the entire shoulder and half the back of a Bunny :cry:
 
Thank you Jane.

I'm certain it's as a result of the Cylap now too. I'm so annoyed with myself as I knew it could cause reactions but it's the vaccine my vet uses and I just went along with that without insisting on Lapinject. :( I certainly won't be letting anybun have Cylap again.

Paddy is now holding his paw off the floor a bit and therefore limping. :( The bald patch itself doesn't look any worse (and it's covered by fur, so if you didn't look for it, you'd just see him limping). He is eating and drinking normally, although there's quite a lot of uneaten caecotrophs in the tray.

I am waiting for my vet to phone me back at the moment and will try and get Paddy seen later today.
 
Sorry to hear this and hope the reaction doesn't get worse.

Interesting the comments about Metacam, as my two always needed both Metacam and Metoclopramide after their vaccinations. Theirs was Lapinject. I hate to think that it stopped the vaccine from working properly. Still, as you know, they became so ill that I stopped vaccinating them altogether.
 
Thanks Sarah. I have spoken to my vet and she wants to see him, so we've an appointment at 5.10pm. Will update later.
 
Thanks Sarah. Well, we're back from our vet. The vet had obviously had a look at the Cylap Data Sheet before we saw her and by her own admission hadn't looked at it recently, so wasn't aware of the latest information regarding adverse reactions.

I think she was quite shocked to discover that the manufacturers are now saying that up to 50% of rabbits can suffer adverse reactions and has said she will speak to them herself and report what has happened with Paddy. She's also said that she'll make sure her colleagues in the Practice are aware of the problems with Cylap. There was a vet student in with us today so she will now know as well. The vet will be happy to use Lapinject next year with our buns.

I knew lots of people have had problems with Cylap (and am still kicking myself for not asking for Lapinject) but I wouldn't have know about the recent updates to the Data Sheet if fionaw hadn't pointed me in that direction - so thanks Fiona! :wave:

Our vet was very apologetic that we've had to go through this with Paddy and we weren't charged anything today, which was good.

Paddy was unfortunately a bit stressed out by the vet visit and examination, and is still holding his paw off the ground. Hopefully that will be OK again in a day or two. The bald patch isn't looking any worse thankfully. We were advised to give him Metacam, which we have done. Vet said it's only steroidal drugs which can interfere with the efficacy of the vaccine, and of course Metacam is non-steroidal, so no worries there.
 
Rosie Rabbit said:
Thanks Sarah. Well, we're back from our vet. The vet had obviously had a look at the Cylap Data Sheet before we saw her and by her own admission hadn't looked at it recently, so wasn't aware of the latest information regarding adverse reactions.

I think she was quite shocked to discover that the manufacturers are now saying that up to 50% of rabbits can suffer adverse reactions and has said she will speak to them herself and report what has happened with Paddy. She's also said that she'll make sure her colleagues in the Practice are aware of the problems with Cylap. There was a vet student in with us today so she will now know as well. The vet will be happy to use Lapinject next year with our buns.

I knew lots of people have had problems with Cylap (and am still kicking myself for not asking for Lapinject) but I wouldn't have know about the recent updates to the Data Sheet if fionaw hadn't pointed me in that direction - so thanks Fiona! :wave:

Our vet was very apologetic that we've had to go through this with Paddy and we weren't charged anything today, which was good.

Paddy was unfortunately a bit stressed out by the vet visit and examination, and is still holding his paw off the ground. Hopefully that will be OK again in a day or two. The bald patch isn't looking any worse thankfully. We were advised to give him Metacam, which we have done. Vet said it's only steroidal drugs which can interfere with the efficacy of the vaccine, and of course Metacam is non-steroidal, so no worries there.
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I am pleased to hear that your Vet did not just dismiss the suggestion !!

I hope Paddy will soon be better :)
 
Good for your vet. Sounds like a positive appointment. :) Thanks for the information on the Metacam and vaccinations too.

Hope Paddy is feeling better soon. x
 
Jack's-Jane said:
I am pleased to hear that your Vet did not just dismiss the suggestion !!

I hope Paddy will soon be better :)
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Thank you Jane. :)

I think our Vet felt bad that she wasn't up to speed with this problem and was sorry that we'd had to take Paddy back, so I think we've all learned something. I did mention RU as being a great source of bunny info and knowlegable people!

I just feel so annoyed with myself for not asking for Lapinject and putting my little bunster through this. I'm afraid I wasn't aware of the extent of the problem with Cylap myself until this happened yesterday. I'll not be having it given to a bun again, that's for sure.
 
SarahP said:
Good for your vet. Sounds like a positive appointment. :) Thanks for the information on the Metacam and vaccinations too.

Hope Paddy is feeling better soon. x
Click to expand...
Thanks Sarah. The vet was very honest with us - she's a really nice person, and at least now all the vets in the Practice should be aware of the issues with Cylap.
 
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