Boosting Immune System

Hello

I have used echinacea and goldenseal in the past to help bunnies when they are low to help fight infection etc.

Does anyone have any tried and tested immune boosters to help our critters through tough times? Aloe Vera? Astragalus? Grapeseed Extract?

Thanks in advance for any help!

I have a snuffles bun and we use Red Raspberry leaf tablets (we sprinkle the contents of a capsule over her food) as well as putting echinacea in her water along with rabbit vitamin drops that we get from pets at home. Hope that helps.

Thanks Laura.

Where do you get the raspberry leaf? I always associated that with inducing pregnant women, but if it works as an immune booster as well I will definitely try some

I sound like an AviPro sales woman today but it has the prebiotics and probiotics which help the cut too function and in turn improve immune system.. Plus there's other vitamins in there.. The natural ones sound great too.. I've used colloidal silver in Leila's water before as well which certainly had no ill effects

Mighty Max could you just check that aloe vera is safe for rabbits? I'm sure I've seen somewhere that it isn't.
Also while colloidial silver is excellent used topically, I'm wary of taking it by mouth. Silver can't be excreted once absorbed, so it gradually accumulates in the organs & skin. It takes a long time to cause problems but it's caused a lot of probs in humans who take it continuosly.

I also use echinacea + golden seal extract for my snuffles bun Benjie who's a bit nervous. It works by suppressing cortisol levels produced by stress. It's the higher than normal cortisol which is a major cause of gut slow down & stasis as well as suppressing the immune system.

Do you have a snuffles bunny?

I find it incredibly difficult to get a uniform opinion about what herbs really do.

I'm currently trying a course of "bronchial formula" a mix of hyssop, mullein, elecampane, thyme, liquorice & coltsfoot, but I've only used it for a week.

ETA I've just seen your other thread - it's an abscess problem. Yes flushing with colloidial silver is an excellent idea, but not giving it to drink.

Yeah I wouldn't use it longterm but for a little boost I'm pretty sure it's fine.. I just did a couple of drops in water.. Haven't heard of many human side affects other than blue tinge to skin?

Dawn&Leila said:

Yeah I wouldn't use it longterm but for a little boost I'm pretty sure it's fine.. I just did a couple of drops in water.. Haven't heard of many human side affects other than blue tinge to skin?

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There's a bit of debate about it in humans, & presumably other mammals because it can't be eliminated once it's absorbed internally. The only problem comes with daily use for a long time. Yes, it deposits in the skin, but also within the eye & other organs. Another problem is that we don't know how many people use it long term, to assess how common the side effects are.
There is also debate whether it is effective when taken internally. It is certainly highly effective used topically.
Rabbits have much less "reserve" in their organs than we do.

I tend to use wikipaedia for subjects like this where there is a lot of debate on both sides.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_uses_of_silver#Adverse_health_effects

Something else specifically helpful for rabbit abscess comes to mind.

There are some major differences between rabbit abcesses & ours.
a) The wall is thick, & has finger like projections which are difficult to remove entirely. the indective bacteria can live in the wall remnants, effectively protected from ABx.
b) Rabbit pus doesn't liquify. It's more of the consistency of cream cheese, so it can't run out easily.
c) Rabbits heal up a cut in their skin very quickly, trapping infection inside.

Surgery aims to remove as much of the abcess wall as is possible, & usually removing an eliptical area of skin, to keep the cavity open.

Manuka honey has been very successful when placed inside the cavity, & flushed out & renewed daily.
In all these methods, I feel the important thing is to find one which doesn't stress your bun.
Minimising stress will have the best effect on the immune system.

I use 'immue system booster' for rabbits from Galens Garden. I'm sure it helped my bunny lots this year : ))

I buy a big bottle of red raspberry leaf tablets from Holland & Barrett it works as an anti-inflammatory.

OOOH I use lots of things!
The wonderful thing about bunnies and herbal medicine? You don;t need to chop up fine or make a tisane, you can simply feed the 'medicine' to the rabbit as nature intended!

I use willow if i think somebun is in discomfort
Cleavers is good for the lymphatic system so is always given to my buns during an illness/infection and for a while after.
Plantain and mallow I use for poorly tums
Slippery elm bark for when i need to syringe feed somebun
Yarrow is excellent for inflammations
Rosemary is excellent for skin and hair
Sage is very antiseptic
Lavender is excellent for the respiratory system
Raspberry and ladies mantle wonderful for girly problems
Cornsilk I find invaluable for urinary problems.
There isn't much that nature hasn't provided for, especially if you are lucky enough to know where to look!
As for a general tonic, I think a wide variety of wild plants is the best tonic for any bun.
I feed my animals as species appropriately as possible and the buns are easy in this respect

thumps_ said:

Something else specifically helpful for rabbit abscess comes to mind.

There are some major differences between rabbit abcesses & ours.
a) The wall is thick, & has finger like projections which are difficult to remove entirely. the indective bacteria can live in the wall remnants, effectively protected from ABx.
b) Rabbit pus doesn't liquify. It's more of the consistency of cream cheese, so it can't run out easily.
c) Rabbits heal up a cut in their skin very quickly, trapping infection inside.

Surgery aims to remove as much of the abcess wall as is possible, & usually removing an eliptical area of skin, to keep the cavity open.

Manuka honey has been very successful when placed inside the cavity, & flushed out & renewed daily.
In all these methods, I feel the important thing is to find one which doesn't stress your bun.
Minimising stress will have the best effect on the immune system.

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I agree wholeheartedly about minimising stress! I have used manuka honey for many years, keeping the wound open and flushing and cleaning three or four times daily.

Thank you

Geoff's people said:

OOOH I use lots of things!
The wonderful thing about bunnies and herbal medicine? You don;t need to chop up fine or make a tisane, you can simply feed the 'medicine' to the rabbit as nature intended!

I use willow if i think somebun is in discomfort
Cleavers is good for the lymphatic system so is always given to my buns during an illness/infection and for a while after.
Plantain and mallow I use for poorly tums
Slippery elm bark for when i need to syringe feed somebun
Yarrow is excellent for inflammations
Rosemary is excellent for skin and hair
Sage is very antiseptic
Lavender is excellent for the respiratory system
Raspberry and ladies mantle wonderful for girly problems
Cornsilk I find invaluable for urinary problems.
There isn't much that nature hasn't provided for, especially if you are lucky enough to know where to look!
As for a general tonic, I think a wide variety of wild plants is the best tonic for any bun.
I feed my animals as species appropriately as possible and the buns are easy in this respect

Click to expand...

Thanks so much
Actually you've reminded me I have a great book called 'Herbs for Pets' so I'll go and study it now to get some ideas :wave:

MightyMax I've discovered something about the tincture of echinacea I use. I've been taking it myself for drug resistant bipolar with cognitive problems. It's been brilliant BUT very gradually loses activity from an opened bottle. As soon as I start a new bottle I'm on top of the world again.
Benjie & I are now sharing the capsule form.:lol:

Geoff's people said:

OOOH I use lots of things!
The wonderful thing about bunnies and herbal medicine? You don;t need to chop up fine or make a tisane, you can simply feed the 'medicine' to the rabbit as nature intended!

I use willow if i think somebun is in discomfort
Cleavers is good for the lymphatic system so is always given to my buns during an illness/infection and for a while after.
Plantain and mallow I use for poorly tums
Slippery elm bark for when i need to syringe feed somebun
Yarrow is excellent for inflammations
Rosemary is excellent for skin and hair
Sage is very antiseptic
Lavender is excellent for the respiratory system
Raspberry and ladies mantle wonderful for girly problems
Cornsilk I find invaluable for urinary problems.
There isn't much that nature hasn't provided for, especially if you are lucky enough to know where to look!
As for a general tonic, I think a wide variety of wild plants is the best tonic for any bun.
I feed my animals as species appropriately as possible and the buns are easy in this respect

Click to expand...

OOh - that's really interesting. Our Dill has respiratory problems and during a bad episode recently stopped eating. Dried lavendar was the main thing that got him eating enthusiastically again.....he normally has it available as it grows next to his aviary and we had noticed it was always neatly trimmed through the mesh!