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RWAF conference - my notes Part 2

JayUK

Mama Doe
Part 2

Richard Saunders BSc(Hons), BVSC CBiol MiBiol DZooMed (Mammalian) MRCVS

Senior Clinical Training Scholar in Rabbit & Zoo Animal Medicine Bristol Zoo Gardens RWA/F Veterinary Resident.

Brainstorming E.Cuniculi. Are we tilting at windmills?

This was a very interesting talk, and seemed to be an update of what we now know versus what we knew a year ago and so on. I haven’t been to an RWAF conf before, but I got the feeling that ths is something that Richard does each year. Richard made no claims that we were much nearer to finding the right treatments, and that there is still a lot of ambiguity and trial/error in treating EC.

Again, I was listening to this a lot, because I don’t know a whole load about E.C., so these are just my jottings, which I’ve tried to formulate.

EC has more in common with Funghi

It’s Zoonotic – can affect humans with immune suppressing diseases, such as HIV

Diagnosis: Difficult.
Often a rabbit is just not quite right.

EC is not prevalent on wild rabbits
Test look for anti-body responses
In a study, 52% of domestic rabbits were seropositive (Showed a positive reaction to a test on blood serum for a disease).

At 4-6 weeks old, rabbits at their most vulnerable – eyes bulging/rupturing – kits in the womb can get this (cataracts). Kits can spread spores for 90 days after being born.

Tests:
Two test – IgM and IgG – IgM is relatively new. You can read more about these here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20153117

IgM antibody rises in 7 days, making a diagnosis about when rabbit should be treated with Panacur difficult

IgG indicates if the brain has been affected, and as this is usually when we see signs of EC (head tilt and dragging legs) – although neither of these are exclusive to EC

One test is no longer enough for a true diagnosis. Best testing is either IgG, twice, four weeks apart, or IgG and IgM together.

Signs:
Renal disease
Urine scolds
Neurological effect to hind end (dragging)
Head tilt. – This was interesting, he talked a fair bit about it – I didn’t realise that there are no neck muscle issues with head tilt. The rabbits brain is simply saying that ‘this’ is the right way up, so the head has moved accordingly – so they are seeing the right way up, just not looking like it. He said that head tilt shouldn’t be a reason to euthanise.

Diagnostic tests:
Kidney biopsy
Brain Biopsy (not possible on live rabbit – will kill it – used for PM only).
PCR (prominent chain reaction) using a DNA trace
Urine (not faeces) test
Head tilt – Skull X Ray
X-ray whole rabbit (spine)
CT Scan
MRI Scan

Drugs of choice:
Panacur – AT present, the only drug to support effects
Bone marrow suppression

Panacur – treatment and prevention doses are affected by your rabbit’s environment.
He found that the 28 day course did leave some rabbits still susceptible, but after 42 days, they were clean.

Metacam – Should be used, but in sever cases, there may be role for short term steroid use. – I got the impression from all the veterinary speakers that steroids for rabbits should be a lst resort, and can easily make a problem a lot worse.

Metoclopramide – it’s also an anti-nausious drug, used fr travel sickness in people, so can help with extreme cases of balance problems

Valium – to calm down a spinning rabbit.

Baytrill – EC creates immune suppression, and Baytill can help with this.

We talked about boarding and rescues. A rescue said that when she has a bun in for a bonding, and then the new pair go home, she recommends that both rabbits are given Panacur for 28 days afterwards. Frances H-B was sitting in on the talk, and agreed that this was a good idea, so did Richard.

If the rabbit in boarding is sharing grass space that other rabbits have used, this increases risk.

In hutch boarding, the hutch should be cleaned with Ethanol to clear infection.

The spores die in 4 weeks

Someone brough up that Lapizol and Panacur are not licensed for rabbits. Panacur is a brand name, that’s all. Owners who are treating regularly can ask for the non-brand version, for cats and dogs, that comes in a litre bottle, and is a lot cheaper.

How to rule out EC - X ray the skull
How to rule in EC IgG and IgM test

GOTO Part 3
 
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That's really interesting. They are using a new drug in the US for EC and it's interesting that has not yet reached over here.

I was also interested in this bit

The rabbits brain is simply saying that ‘this’ is the right way up, so the head has moved accordingly – so they are seeing the right way up, just not looking like it.

Does that mean the rabbit would not be disorientated then? so therefore, rolling, and all those other things wouldn't be seen? Just maybe a bunny trying to get used to his/her limbs feeling different?
 
That's really interesting. They are using a new drug in the US for EC and it's interesting that has not yet reached over here.

I was also interested in this bit



Does that mean the rabbit would not be disorientated then? so therefore, rolling, and all those other things wouldn't be seen? Just maybe a bunny trying to get used to his/her limbs feeling different?
I couldn't answer that categorically. There are so many different presentations for EC and obviously different severities. Although the eyes are seeing right, the ears are obviously not aware of this, so there will be balance issues, it's just how bad they are that needs help, or not.

Richard gave a really interessting explaination: They (whoever they are!) did a small study on a few people and gave them glasses that made them see the world upside-down. First day, they spent all day falling over. After sleep, they put the glasses back on and the next day were walking upright as normal.

Following day they took the glasses off, returning vision to normal, and everyone spent the day falling over! Following day, no glasses, everyone back to normal :)
 
Panacur - treatment and prevention doses are affected by your rabbit’s environment.
Any more detail on what was said about this? What are the relevant factors?

Given how widely used Panacur is, this could be very useful.
 
Any more detail on what was said about this? What are the relevant factors?

Given how widely used Panacur is, this could be very useful.

Like I said, I was trying to listen and write, so i didn't get every detail. These notes are not a full synopsis of what was discuseed, just the bits I wrote down. Sorry, but I have no more info on that there.
 
RWA vet conference-- Ec--- How long do spores persist in the environment--grass and o

Just spotted your very helpful thread Jay UK- Thank you for those excellent notes. I have been searching the Ec posts and links to try to find how long Ec spores persist in the environment. Forgive me if I have missed something--

There must be a lot of members like me who have bunnies outdoors with large areas of paved, wooden, and grass surfaces which cannot be disinfected. After a recent very sad bereavement where Ec had been one of the health issues, I have cleared everything that can be discarded or bleached, and the grazing corral, paving and housing area is now unoccupied with weather proofing side pieces removed to increase air circulation. I was hoping a couple of months in the cold air would make these quarters safe for other rabbits.

You mention 4 weeks-- do you know if that means spores only last 4 weeks in the general environment? Or were you meaning that after disinfectant the spores take 4 weeks to clear? Because, obviously, I can't disinfect most of these surfaces.

I'm also interested because to be sustainable I have been taking used hay and stuff to garden waste at the dump, and also am composting some at home. I keep the compost bins away from other rabbits and use the finished compost on other areas of the garden. I have assumed that that would minimise the risk of Ec spores infecting other rabbits.

Our vet practice doesn't seem to be able to give definitive answers on these details.

Best wishes, Shebunkin
 
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