Panacur

I've been reading up on Panacur and dosages and am a bit confused now.

All my buns had panacur when I first got them but in most cases that was years ago, a decade in once case :shock: All of them have been fine and exposed to the outdoors and the high possibility of germs etc. Paddy recently had a seizure and the vet prescribed a 28 day course of panacur which Paddy has almost finished. But it got me thinking.
Should I do the other buns?
And if so how often per year? I'm looking at buying it in bulk online and the descriptions say its a 9 day course. That confuses me as Paddy is on a 28 day course. Or is it the case that 28 days is the treatment course in case of parasites and acting time and the 9 day course is for prevention.

Can anybody help to clear up my panacur muddle please?

Fifibutton said:

is it the case that 28 days is the treatment course in case of parasites and acting time and the 9 day course is for prevention.

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Correct! If I have one bun on a 28 day course, I would always do any bonded buns as well with the same course - otherwise you just risk passing the parasite backwards and forwards between them

Whether to routinely do it - ask 100 vet and 100 owners and you will get 300 different answers :lol:

Personally I don't; panacur is quite a strong drug and I don't want to go using it willy nilly, not least because I want it to work when I need it to, and not to risk resistance. I also think the evidence for it actually doing anything is limited - the original tests basically showed that if you introduce the parasite during those 9 days of treatment, the bun won't contract ec. So if ec is introduced before the 9 day course, or after it, there's no evidence to suggest that the 9 day course has any effect at all. Clearly research may change over time, but until then I'm not convinced that it does anything useful so I don't routinely do them.

The other thing you might hear for the 9 days is 'worming'. As rabbits don't tend to eat small animals who are the hosts of various worms, again I don't think this is necessary unless they share exercise and grazing space e.g. with a dog, in which case I would keep an eye out in the droppings for worms and only use it if bunny seemed to have them or if there was an extremely high risk for whatever reason.

9 days for Pin worms, 28 days for Ec.

There are so may conflicting opinions on it so I'll tell you what I do rather than what is supposed to be done as I'm not sure there is a correct answer.

All my buns get a 1 off 28 day course.

I only re-treat if anybun shows symptoms.

When I had an EC bun my vet advised me to retreat the buns partner who shared the living space but that it was not necessary to retreat all the other buns unless they were likely to of come in direct contact with the urine spores, which they hadn't as I use seperate cleaning brushes for seperate hutches and changed clothes between handling.

If you have a lot of buns its cheaper to buy the 10% cat/dog liquid. I think its 0.2ml per kg of bun.

Yes its 28 days for treatment and 9 days for preventative measures :wave:

Thanks ladies this explains things enormously. So is it completely safe to give the cat/dog version then?

9 days for preventative measures

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I don't understand this part. I thought that alot of buns carried Ec but may never had a problem unless they were ill, immune compromised in some way. If thats the case then surely you would need a 28 day course to rid them of carrying it in order to prevent them getting it. They may not get it for those 9 days, but if its already in the system and you haven't got rid of it then potentially it could strike at any time after the nine days so you haven't prevented anything.

So is it completely safe to give the cat/dog version then?

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Yes. Make sure its the 10% one not the 2.5%. I would have to double check the dosage but I've given it to all my buns at some point over the years.

Well panacur rabbit has only been licensed in the past few years, the cat/dog version is what bunnies used to be prescribed for ec before then. So it is fine, but technically, the prescribing cascade must be followed and therefore because a licensed product for that species is available, that is what should be used. I have found that it's easier to get an accurate dose from the puppy/kitten version though, although it's not been made bunny tasty flavour so probably harder to get down them :lol:

Well panacur rabbit has only been licensed in the past few years, the cat/dog version is what bunnies used to be prescribed for ec before then. So it is fine, but technically, the prescribing cascade must be followed and therefore because a licensed product for that species is available, that is what should be used.

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I thought panacur was non prescription, so does the cascade apply? I just thought they invented it as a more user friendly version for buns? Made it taste nicer, easier to measure etc?

Amy104 said:

I thought panacur was non prescription, so does the cascade apply? I just thought they invented it as a more user friendly version for buns? Made it taste nicer, easier to measure etc?

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Panacur is non prescription but a vet must always prescribe a licensed product if available. I have a bun with EC now & he's on a 40 day course. My vet was at a conference of vets last year & was told that if rabbits are given a 28 day course then they shouldn't need another unless suffering from the wretched condition. My darling Teddy is struggling to walk & eat at the moment

Panacur is non prescription but a vet must always prescribe a licensed product if available. I have a bun with EC now & he's on a 40 day course. My vet was at a conference of vets last year & was told that if rabbits are given a 28 day course then they shouldn't need another unless suffering from the wretched condition. My darling Teddy is struggling to walk & eat at the moment

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So if I took a bun to the vet and the suspected Ec they would have to prescribe the bun version but there is nothing to stop me going out and buying the cat/dog one myself? That makes sense.

Hope you're bun improves soon x

Amy104 said:

So if I took a bun to the vet and the suspected Ec they would have to prescribe the bun version but there is nothing to stop me going out and buying the cat/dog one myself? That makes sense.

Hope you're bun improves soon x

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You can buy what you prefer..... Panacur rabbit is available in pet shops.... so why would you want to buy dog / cat anyway :?

littleboots said:

You can buy what you prefer..... Panacur rabbit is available in pet shops.... so why would you want to buy dog / cat anyway :?

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It's easier to administer a weight specific dose and it is MUCH more economical when treating several Rabbits

Jack's-Jane said:

It's easier to administer a weight specific dose and it is MUCH more economical when treating several Rabbits

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Really.... I didnt know that... I was once given dog panacur from the vet and thought theyd given me wrong one and took it back
I get the doseage thing though .. that makes sense....as on the syringe it says 1 measure for 2.5kg..... what if buns 3kg??

littleboots said:

Really.... I didnt know that... I was once given dog panacur from the vet and thought theyd given me wrong one and took it back
I get the doseage thing though .. that makes sense....as on the syringe it says 1 measure for 2.5kg..... what if buns 3kg??

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I have never used the paste !! With the Panacur 10% Liquid it is simply 0.2ml/kg. You can buy it online for much less than most Vets charge and it has a long shelf life provided it is stored correctly

It would cost me a fortune to use the Paste :shock:

Jack's-Jane said:

I have never used the paste !! With the Panacur 10% Liquid it is simply 0.2ml/kg. You can buy it online for much less than most Vets charge and it has a long shelf life provided it is stored correctly

It would cost me a fortune to use the Paste :shock:

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Thats really good to know.... Im dosing one at the moment, wish id known sooner.... dont suppose i can change half way through can I ?

littleboots said:

Thats really good to know.... Im dosing one at the moment, wish id known sooner.... dont suppose i can change half way through can I ?

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Yep, it is the same active ingredient

The big advantage I've found with panacur rabbit though is that mine love it! I think I might find it mich harder to give them one that isn't bunny-friendly flavoured. When Dudley was having it, he would come and take it from the nozzle like they do with metacam!

Jack's-Jane said:

Yep, it is the same active ingredient

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:thumb:
thankyou xx

Santa said:

The big advantage I've found with panacur rabbit though is that mine love it! I think I might find it mich harder to give them one that isn't bunny-friendly flavoured. When Dudley was having it, he would come and take it from the nozzle like they do with metacam!

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The Panacur Liquid is flavourless and so far none of mine have ever objected to it