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Preventative worming

liz.lewis15

liz.lewis15

Young Bun
Hi everyone,

Just wondering what your thoughts are on preventative worming for buns. We currently use Companion Care vets and are signed up on their bunny care plan for our two. I know people have lots of opinions on this vet group, but they've been really great in there with ours and it's the nearest to us with later opening hours.

Anyway, as part of the bunny plan you get discounts on worming, which to be honest wasn't something I'd heard of before, but the vet said more people should do it as head tilt can be nasty and they get about 4 or 5 cases a year. Still slim odds but I want to make sure our buns get looked after as best as I can.

Worming treatment isn't pricey at all, and we're giving it a go. Tiny amount each day for 9 days as ours are small bunnies. We're on day 4 and they seem ok with it, although had mixed reactions on the first day and Sage ended up with it all over her face...!
4b821cc781ceed39fd135e1d7a46f490.jpg



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liz.lewis15 said:
Hi everyone,

Just wondering what your thoughts are on preventative worming for buns. We currently use Companion Care vets and are signed up on their bunny care plan for our two. I know people have lots of opinions on this vet group, but they've been really great in there with ours and it's the nearest to us with later opening hours.

Anyway, as part of the bunny plan you get discounts on worming, which to be honest wasn't something I'd heard of before, but the vet said more people should do it as head tilt can be nasty and they get about 4 or 5 cases a year. Still slim odds but I want to make sure our buns get looked after as best as I can.

Worming treatment isn't pricey at all, and we're giving it a go. Tiny amount each day for 9 days as ours are small bunnies. We're on day 4 and they seem ok with it, although had mixed reactions on the first day and Sage ended up with it all over her face...!
4b821cc781ceed39fd135e1d7a46f490.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Hello Liz :wave:

A 9 day course of Panacur won't prevent head tilt, unfortunately. To eradicate Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E.C.) you have to give Panacur for at least 28 days. This successfully addresses the life cycle of the parasite, along with 10% bleach cleaning (or steam cleaning) on days 21 and 28 of treatment. (Of the surroundings, that is, and not the rabbits :D )

9 days of Panacur is a treatment for pin worms. Your vet should be aware of this.
 
It's not treatment of the worms, it's to prevent them catching them. They don't have E. cuniculi but we were advised they should be wormed once or twice a year, same as you'd do for a cat or dog. Just wondered if others did this too, and if not then why not?


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I think in general it's only recommended to worm your rabbits if they actually have worms - I think most vets don't recommend preventative worming. Worms don't usually cause a problem unless there is a massive worm burden. I've wormed mine once but only because there were worms coming out on poos (gross!)

Head tilt isn't actually caused by worms - it's caused by E. Cuniculi and a 9 day treatment wouldn't cure it, think you need a 28 day course of panacur for that! I'm sure I've read somewhere that using panacur routinely reduces how well it works if a bun does actually get EC too but can't remember where I read that :)

I personally wouldn't bother worming them again after this unless you see worms in poo - even then my vet does a faecal egg count to see if it's worth it :)
 
Hello

This is an interesting thread - I've been thinking about this a lot the last few days.

I have a pair of 11week old buns, as well as two 5yr olds. The two 11 week olds live together (we've had them for a week).

The two 5yr olds share a bedroom, divided in two halves. They see each other (used to have full use of bedroom, but fell out a year ago and room had to be divided).

The 11 week olds are not yet vaccinated, but will be (vet suggested vacc at 12 weeks). The other two have just had their boosters.

I was going to worm all 4 next week, but having heard and read
so many rabbit owners saying it's not necessary, I don't know what to do. Will it make a difference? Is it beneficial, or would I be putting them through a stressful experience for nothing?

The older buns have use of a very small yard area (kind of a run, but built in rather than free standing - they hop across the hallway, and hop out) on warm days, but don't come into contact with cats, dogs, birds or grass.

I mentioned worming to the vet last week, and he didn't disagree. Another vet has, in the past, had a go at me for not worming regularly (I promptly went home and got on it - I find it difficult tho, as one of my older buns REALLY doesn't like syringes). Incidentally I also use Companion Care.
 
liz.lewis15 said:
It's not treatment of the worms, it's to prevent them catching them. They don't have E. cuniculi but we were advised they should be wormed once or twice a year, same as you'd do for a cat or dog. Just wondered if others did this too, and if not then why not?


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Click to expand...

I had the impression your vet was telling you that a 9 day course of Panacur would prevent head tilt. Of course you know it won't!

I don't routinely worm my rabbits, as I have (in 20+ years of rabbit keeping) never seen pin worms in my rabbits' poos. If I were to suspect head tilt or any condition I might associate with Encephalitozoon cuniculi, then I would treat with a 28 day course of Panacur.
 
Beau Belle said:
Hello

This is an interesting thread - I've been thinking about this a lot the last few days.

I have a pair of 11week old buns, as well as two 5yr olds. The two 11 week olds live together (we've had them for a week).

The two 5yr olds share a bedroom, divided in two halves. They see each other (used to have full use of bedroom, but fell out a year ago and room had to be divided).

The 11 week olds are not yet vaccinated, but will be (vet suggested vacc at 12 weeks). The other two have just had their boosters.

I was going to worm all 4 next week, but having heard and read
so many rabbit owners saying it's not necessary, I don't know what to do. Will it make a difference? Is it beneficial, or would I be putting them through a stressful experience for nothing?

The older buns have use of a very small yard area (kind of a run, but built in rather than free standing - they hop across the hallway, and hop out) on warm days, but don't come into contact with cats, dogs, birds or grass.

I mentioned worming to the vet last week, and he didn't disagree. Another vet has, in the past, had a go at me for not worming regularly (I promptly went home and got on it - I find it difficult tho, as one of my older buns REALLY doesn't like syringes). Incidentally I also use Companion Care.
Click to expand...


I wouldn't bother with a 9 day course for all of them - stress for you and stress for them. Pin worms aren't usually a big deal, and you would know about it if they were!

I tend to use medication when it's indicated, not prophylactically .. i.e. to try and prevent it occurring.
 
Hmm. It's hard to know what the best thing to do actually is, as we all want to do what is best for the buns health. I'm sure I remember a time when there was only a vaccine for myxi, then there seemed to be vaccines every 6 months to cover VHD and now there is a combined jab which they just need annually. I've also got some experience in veterinary parasitology so know that these nasty nematodes can appear from seemingly nowhere and then cause lots of problems... Well I think I'll continue with the rest of the course as they don't seem too fussed by it now they're halfway through. Perhaps might have thought differently if they really seemed to hate it, but ours are relatively chilled about most things!


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No I don't - my vet is a rabbit specialist and does not recommend routine worming. Incidentally, there are quite a few threads on this subject which you may find interesting: if you enter Routine Worming in the search box you should be able to see them.
 
liz.lewis15 said:
Hmm. It's hard to know what the best thing to do actually is, as we all want to do what is best for the buns health. I'm sure I remember a time when there was only a vaccine for myxi, then there seemed to be vaccines every 6 months to cover VHD and now there is a combined jab which they just need annually. I've also got some experience in veterinary parasitology so know that these nasty nematodes can appear from seemingly nowhere and then cause lots of problems... Well I think I'll continue with the rest of the course as they don't seem too fussed by it now they're halfway through. Perhaps might have thought differently if they really seemed to hate it, but ours are relatively chilled about most things!


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Click to expand...

What's the connection between vaccines and worming rabbits? I don't remember giving VHD vaccine every six months? Myxi in some cases ...
 
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