EC and living arrangements

Hi I posted recently about my rabbit Flump with v. weak back legs.

Vet doesn't know if it is an injury or EC so has been treating both since Monday (there has been no change). I have been giving my other 2 bunnies 28 days of panacur at the same time as a precaution.

Flump was separated for 48 hrs but I was concerned that stress may make it worse (if it is EC) so I put her back with them on Wed evening.

Took her back the vet today who gave more baytril/metacam and advised me to separate her from the others as panacur is not 100% reliable.

Should I do a temporary split or put them all together? One of her friends is not v. energetic and they spend alot of time snoozing so they won't be doing much running around (incase it is an injury) plus they have been around her prior to her showing any symptoms so if they were going to catch it, would they have done so by now??(I know that some 'have it' but don't show any symptoms).

I was just wondering what other members would do? Have her downstairs with me for now but feel so guilty I Don't want to risk the others but don't want her feeling sad.

honeybunny11 said:

Hi I posted recently about my rabbit Flump with v. weak back legs.

Vet doesn't know if it is an injury or EC so has been treating both since Monday (there has been no change). I have been giving my other 2 bunnies 28 days of panacur at the same time as a precaution.

Flump was separated for 48 hrs but I was concerned that stress may make it worse (if it is EC) so I put her back with them on Wed evening.

Took her back the vet today who gave more baytril/metacam and advised me to separate her from the others as panacur is not 100% reliable.

Should I do a temporary split or put them all together? One of her friends is not v. energetic and they spend alot of time snoozing so they won't be doing much running around (incase it is an injury) plus they have been around her prior to her showing any symptoms so if they were going to catch it, would they have done so by now??(I know that some 'have it' but don't show any symptoms).

I was just wondering what other members would do? Have her downstairs with me for now but feel so guilty I Don't want to risk the others but don't want her feeling sad.

Click to expand...

Hmm...confused me abit. If they have been together(there is a chance they all have it) and it could be E.C- i don't see a problem with them staying together if it's going to induce stress taking them apart.

Panacur may not be 100% effective but what does that have to do with it- is he suggestion you treat them all in different hutches?

I would treat them together- then disinfect the hutches. I'd also make sure the bedding is immaculate as it takes two days for EC spores to show up in the cage from the urine of a bunny, so if you are ontop of that- it won't be transfered to the others that way.

If the others seem okay it may be best to seperate them if they dont' have EC as the vet says-as they could possibly go on to contract it i would suppose- or it could become active in them. This could happen anyway regardless of if they are with the bun with the bad hindlegs.

It's entirely your choice- i'd err on the side of going with what the vet said,but you know your bun and if that particular bun needs support to survive , it may be worth the risk.

Very contradictory i know...

Get some other RU oppinions though

My personal opinion is that I would not separate a suspected e.c. bun from her friends unless they were bullying her.

If they already live together it is likely that they have been exposed to the e.c. (if that is what she has- she may well have had it from around the time she was born) and separating won't make any difference, other than to make her more stressed and unhappy and slow down her recovery.

I would treat them all as a precaution and do the bleach treatment on the cage and equipment and not worry too much- many rabbits have being exposed to e.c. but only a relatively small number ever display any symptoms xx

lilbun said:

My personal opinion is that I would not separate a suspected e.c. bun from her friends unless they were bullying her.

If they already live together it is likely that they have been exposed to the e.c. (if that is what she has- she may well have had it from around the time she was born) and separating won't make any difference, other than to make her more stressed and unhappy and slow down her recovery.

I would treat them all as a precaution and do the bleach treatment on the cage and equipment and not worry too much- many rabbits have being exposed to e.c. but only a relatively small number ever display any symptoms xx

Click to expand...

Thanks you put that much more eloquently than i could have ever managed But yes this makes total sense. I agree!!! x