Benji and the VHD reaction - recurring

Those of you who remember our little English Spot that had such a vile reaction to the Cylap vaccine might have thought it was all over and done with. So did we.

After many weeks of steady improvement in the wound to his bib, which had healed over somewhat lumpily but with good hair regrowth, he has today stripped himslef to the bone again. He started in earnest about three hours ago and it is now a bloody mess.

I don't have any Metacam to give him, nothing, so will have to wait until the morning.

He is not well at all, very jumpy and agitated, he itches all over, miserable and grumpy. He has been in boarding for a week and uncharacteristically bit the owner there at the start of his stay. I noticed last night that he was a bit uncoordinated, his back legs seemed a bit weak and he was very jumpy with us. He often takes a few days to adjust to change of circumstances and we put it down to that. He spent today under the bed, won't play, doesn't want fuss.

We are completely disheartened, because we had already said that if it all started up again we would consider the pts option because the wounds he gets are so awful it doesn't seem fair to continue indefinitely. I am going to have to carry him round the vet tomorrow and take their best advice, but I fear the worst

:shock: OMG how awful are you serious about PTS, it's definately the reaction to the vaccine not another illness coming through ? No mites or anything like that?

No, it's the Cylap.
He has a hole in his front the size of my palm, and that is the work of the last few hours.
I will of course get him checked over for anything else, but we know what it is. The vet did actually warn my husband he thought it might keep coming back. Looks like since they had this happen they have been doing their own research, and now know more than we do.

I am so gutted about it, I could weep.

Could you ask your Vet to refer Benji to a Specialist ?
I would expect the Vaccine Manufacturer to pay.............................

That sounds awful

Wishing you well at the vets today.

Rather than try and catch him on my own and walk him round there - he is utterly stressed out already - I walked to the vets this morning and got him some Metacam. Depending how he is this evening, we may take him in.

He's hiding under the bed again but he lapped up the Metacam anyway, he likes it. He's had a personality change, he bit my husband this morning! He was only giving him food, too.

The vets didnt charge me again - they never had. I am still awaiting reimbursement from the manufacturers forthe last referral we paid for, they did say they would pay it.

The specialist's only idea was to cut out the bad bit and sew him up - it had begun to heal on its own so we didnt have it done. Not sure if we did the right thing now

He's going for his feet now.
I have no idea where we go from here, or if there is anywhere to go.

You can actually hear him ripping his own skin, it's awful

Is an operation still an option?

PoorBenji said:

He's going for his feet now.
I have no idea where we go from here, or if there is anywhere to go.

You can actually hear him ripping his own skin, it's awful

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In this situation I wonder if a corticosteroid is needed :?

Could you give the Specialist a call, or ask your Vet to do so ?

What is a corticosteroid - what does it do?
I don't know if an op would help - this stuff seems to have got deep into his system.

PoorBenji said:

What is a corticosteroid - what does it do?
I don't know if an op would help - this stuff seems to have got deep into his system.

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Well in Rabbits corticosteoids should be used with extreme caution as Rabbits are very sensitive to the possible adverse side effects - ie suppression of the immune system and ulceration of the GI tract. However, in certain circumstances their use is justified. They work as an excellent anti-inflammatory and they are also part of the treatment protocol for both acute and chronic allergic reactions.

Maybe an antihistamine might be of use too :?

Thanks.
Is that an oral therapy? Creams are useless - they just seem to annoy him more and he licks them off anyway.
I have to say, just been on the phone to OH and he thinks the bun has suffered enough. It's his call - he is his rabbit really.

PoorBenji said:

Thanks.
Is that an oral therapy? Creams are useless - they just seem to annoy him more and he licks them off anyway.
I have to say, just been on the phone to OH and he thinks the bun has suffered enough. It's his call - he is his rabbit really.

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It'd be a long acting injection

I really would try to get the Specialists opinion on this before calling it a day

His breathing is now very strange, and he is very listless. Monging out like he is on another planet, interspersed with bouts of furious skin-eating.

OH has just taken him to the vet. I'm not sure if he will ever come home.

PoorBenji said:

His breathing is now very strange, and he is very listless. Monging out like he is on another planet, interspersed with bouts of furious skin-eating.

OH has just taken him to the vet. I'm not sure if he will ever come home.

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Please update us when you can xx

This is so sad and very very worrying for all pet owners who have that vaccine administered to their animals, I am feeling really shocked and uneasy now about Cylap side effects. Poor poor little fella

Oh no im sorry to hear about Benji, i really hope the vets can do something or maybe as mentioned previously get him referred to a rabbit specialist practice, sending vibes to poor Benji

I'm afraid he didn't come home.
OH saw a different vet, who said he had seen this recurrent type of reaction, rarely, in the past.
His legs were starting to spasm, he thought there would be permanent damage. He also thought it had affected his lungs, hence the breathing difficulty.

I'm absolutely gutted - and I have never seen my husband cry like that But it really had to be done. One little chap can only take so much.

PoorBenji said:

I'm afraid he didn't come home.
OH saw a different vet, who said he had seen this recurrent type of reaction, rarely, in the past.
His legs were starting to spasm, he thought there would be permanent damage. He also thought it had affected his lungs, hence the breathing difficulty.

I'm absolutely gutted - and I have never seen my husband cry like that But it really had to be done. One little chap can only take so much.

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I am so dreadfully sorry

Benji is pain free now.

That Cylap Vaccine is evil

RIP Benji xx

Oh my gosh, I am so terribly sorry

I cannot believe that Cylap is still allowed to be used these days and that many vets deny any problems with it