New member - some advice please!

Hi sorry but was just wondering whether there is anyone out there who can give me some advice?Sorry if this is has been answered else where!. :wave:

Feel really bad at the moment for my little ones - have three rabbits - two older females and recently introduced a boy. My older girl Thumper had a chest difficulties prior to the introduction so I know that my new little boy Spike didn't pass this onto her.

Recently my other girl Flump has been wobbly on back legs - sometimes looks like she has slightly more difficulty with her right leg but overall she appears 'drunk'. She also poos on my carpet even though she is litter trained. She is eating and drinking as normal and trying her best to get around but looks really bad
Feel guilty incase my new fella passed it on or it developed cos she was recently stressed because we were decorating her room (she hates change) and she had to be put somewhere new with the others.

Went to vet who admitted that she didn't know what the problem was. Therefore she is treating her for everything -baytril, metacam her for possible spinal injury (she's a jumper) Vet didn't mention e cuniculi until I went on about it and thought that it wasn't that and just 'keep an eye on the others' .... Vet didn't even want to give me panacur to the others as a precaution until I insisted :evil:

She eventually gave in - got panacur for them all and have disinfected their living area - altho flump is now separated(according to vet to keep her leg still incase it is a spinal injury).

Sorry for length of the description of what has happened!
1)Do people agree that it sounds like EC? - in my heart I think it is
2) Should I be keeping her leg still or allowing her time to walk around gently on my rug to develop her leg muscles?
3) When will she be able to be reintroduced back to her group? She loves being around other rabbits the most

Sorry for the essay! Thanks for any advice in advance

I've no advice/experience but I think I would have asked all the questions that you have already asked your vet and got the panacur etc to be on the safe side.

Someone more experienced will be along shortly. I hope she recovers soon.

Did your vet do any bloods?

Vet didn't take any bloods - she really didn't seem too know what to do .. I had actually left the consultation room when she came out and said that she had changed her mind and would treat for EC too.

Never asked the questions listed either (silly I know!) so now I feel like I don't know what to do for the best until the vet sees her again on Friday

You can always call your vet tomorrow to ask them the questions, don't beat yourself up. We all think of questions when we come out and I am always ringing back or calling in to check on things . Sometimes it is hard to take it all in at the time.

It might be worth asking for bloods so your vet knows what she is dealing with.

For now I would keep her confined in case it is a back injury until you can get some more advice from someone who has experience of this.

I would post what town you are in and ask for recommendations to a rabbit savvy vet in that area.

If you are introducing a new rabbit then it is advisable to Panacur for 28 days anyway. While doing the course of Panacur you need to clean very carefully, also the cleaning tools - dust pan and brushe for example, and also do a bleach clean with a 10% bleach solution of 2 particular days in order to break the cycle of reinfection, now I can never remember which days they are! but someone will tell you I am sure - might be 21 and 28 but please check I usually get it wrong!

If bunny does have active EC then a longer course may be necessary and metacam should also be given to minimise longterm damage.

Saying all that there are other things that can cause a bun to be wobbly of course - ear infection for instance.

Thanks!I'm in the merseyside area.

Never heard of EC before this and was never advised by vet to have them treated regularly - but now everything (including the brushes) have been cleaned and will do so around 21/28 day mark.

Will mention to vet about using metacam/panacur for longer.

Should I be encouraging her to move about?(help her legs?)
Will she be able to move back in with her friends? - she is v lonely. (they are being being treated with panacur and showing no signs).

I would keep them altogether personally to avoid breaking the bond but I don't know if this is correct medically.

would have thought if they were all in together then they are all at equal risk and as they are all being treated at the same time that would be ok. ??

Some bunnies who are exposed to EC don't get it while others do- I think it depends on their immune system.

The problem with blood tests is that it usually only shows if they have ever been exposed to EC not if its active. However I believe there's a blood test called a titre test (?) that does show if EC is active in bunnies showing symptoms. Do a search on here or google for E cunniculi and I'm sure it will come up.
sue:wave:

Thanks Sue

Just feel v. indecisive at the moment - want to make sure that I do the right thing:?

I'm going back with her Fri (she left their pen Mon morning and is staying in separate area for now).

Will it break their bond dramatically if I leave reuniting them until Friday after I have spoken to the vet?

Thanks

we have similar problem winston has started struggling with his back left leg I put it down to spine but vet is treating him for EC and all the others are having emergency treatment also just incase. I would try and keep them together as stress can trigger EC and obv bun will be scared anyways and the other bun will keep them comapny.

sorry cant advise much more as we havent had it before. Get ordering panacur from vetsuk only £5, but vet should give syringe stuff for a good month for all buns.

Thanks for everyone's advice

I have kept her by herself for 48 hrs to prevent further damage to a possible 'injury' but think that I am going to put her back in with others in case it is EC and being lonely makes it worse.

My little boy is waiting to be neutered so I might have to put him in the large cage attached to the pen when I am not watching them (he mounts the others at times - sometimes they ignore him, but may try to run away from him .. i obviously don't want her running around too much in case its a spinal injury).
I will remove toys that are meant to be jumped on for the moment also.

Fingers crossed that I am doing the right thing :? .. I just keep looking at her all lonely downstairs .. she would rather sit with her friends than me! After all medicine I have had to give her .. I'm not her favourite person at the moment!

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=272551&highlight=bleach+cleaning

Take a look at this link which confirms the days for bleach cleaning are 21 and 28, this must be exact not around day 21 and 28.

All areas that can have come in to contact with rabbit unine directley or indirectley ie from being on paws/fur or via cleaning brushes etc need to be cleaned with the bleach solution leaving it on for a few minutes, rinsed and dried.

Inbetween these days pay close attention to cleaning in general.

On this thread you will find another link in Jacks Janes post to useful information regarding EC.

I would have a good look around RU reading threads regarding EC using the Search facility at the top of the page.

I would also start another thread asking for a rabbit savvy vet in your area.

Are the females neutered? What age is the male that is awaiting neuter?

Thanks for the link.


Just about to do another clean in their bedroom before I reintroduce her - will definitely do it on the other days too and keep them off the garden until 4 week period has gone (although they will hate this!)
They are all being treated as a precaution with panacur so I'm hoping that they will be all ok.

Girls are all neutered - he has got around 3 weeks to go until he is neutered. He will be 5 months then. They get on really well and it is really cute to see them all lying in a row on my rug by the TV!

Agh! that's a relief that they are neutered! 5 months for a boy though is quite old, most vets will do them at 12 weeks if their "bits" are visable and they are up to weight.

No they won't thank you for not allowing them outside! Could you put the run on a patio area that you could scrub down?

I panacured my 2 when they had been boarding as is recommended, I did let them on the lawn but I just moved the run around to fresh areas often and didn't put them back to the same areas again until the relevant time had passed. I also gave them their litter trays in the run so they weed in there.

Keeping the grass short to allow UV light from the sun is also thought to help kill off nasties to some degree.

Even if she has been away for a short time they may still not be happy, I think it is best to do the reintroductions on neutral territory really :?

Thanks for all your advice

Might speak to vets when I go back on Friday with her about him being neutered sooner although they mentioned around the 5 month mark.
From his previous visits to the vet (for his jabs) they could see that he might be ready - I was just concerned about his young age when he has the op.

Worried about the neutral territory thing though when they meet up again as they go everywhere in my houseI'm sure that they will get along (fingers crossed!)