Worms/nematodes - lots of questions.

There was me at the vets yesterday bragging to the vet about how happy and healthy the buns are - I should have kept my mouth shut!! :?

I picked Charlie up a while ago to check his bum (mr delicate tum) and there was like a liquid bit of poo coming out of his bum with 4 worms on it! They're opaque white, about 6mm long and maybe half a mm wide, and basically look like nematodes to me (I'm used to be an invertebrate biologist). Am I right in assuming he has worms? They're definitely not maggots.

I'll call the vet first thing in the morning, but is this common? I didn't know buns got worms? Anyone know what the treatment is? Should we treat them preventatively?

Is Lavender likely to have them too?

Also, he seems fine but lately we've been having problems keeping his weight on - would this perhaps show that he's had worms for a while!?

Oh and this will make you laugh cos we're always on about studying poo - I've just taken a handful of poo and a pile of caecotrophs that were in his cage and examined them extremely closely with a torch and a cocktail stick - and them moaned to O/H that I wish I still had my microscope! :shock: Geek alert! :shock:

Eek! I have no advice but I hope your bun is ok

I have heard though that if a bun has trouble keeping weight on that worms could be the problem.

Hopefully it can be sorted easily enough xxxx

i dont know if buns can get them but they sound like thread worms to me.

Apparently intestinal worms are not a common finding in Pet Rabbits.
Although there is one that can be found in the caecum and large intestine.
These worms are not pathogenic in adult rabbits but apparently can be part of the juvenille enteritis conditions.
Small, thread like worms are seen in the poops of effected animals. Treatment is with Fenbendazole (Panacur) or Piperazine. Ivomectin is ineffective.
Most of this info comes fom the Textbook of Rabbit Medicine by Frances Harcourt Brown and Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine by Richard A Saunders and Ron Rees-Davies.
Janex

the answers to all your questions lie in this thread - plough on!

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=9860&highlight=worming

Thank you all for your replies, I read the other thread too.

I feel a bit better about it now, and a bit more informed about how he may have go them and the treatment. I was concerned that they would cause other problems/diseases.

I just picked him up again and found another one sticking out of his bum so I'm guessing he's got them quite badly. He seems Ok in himself though, he's troughing his food, drinking lots and pooing just fine, although he does seem slightly lethargic and doing even more snoozing than usual.

My O/H is going to take him to the vets tomorrow and get some treatment started. I will also ask the vet about ongoing worming for the future. I found one of the same worms on him ages ago, but cos it as only one and I never saw another I assumed he'd picked it up from outside or something.

I guess it might also be that he's more susceptible cos he's an older bun (7yrs). The amount I worry about that little bun is just frightening! He had his myxi jab last week which normally knocks him about a bit, and in the past he's got mites afterwards, I wonder if the worms are something to do with him feeling a bit rough after his jab.

BevBunny said:

I guess it might also be that he's more susceptible cos he's an older bun (7yrs). The amount I worry about that little bun is just frightening! He had his myxi jab last week which normally knocks him about a bit, and in the past he's got mites afterwards, I wonder if the worms are something to do with him feeling a bit rough after his jab.

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Awww bless him What a sensitive little soul he is

Please give him a snuggle from us and we are sending lots get well vibes xxxx

Worms are not common but if there out on grass they can pick them up. The treatment is usualy panacur. val

I called the vet and he said that from talking to me he was happy that it was definitely worms and he's put some panacur in the post to me. I know this means its an extra day before he gets the treatment but he seems absolutely fine - eating, drinking, pooing, demanding fuss etc so he obviously feels OK, so I don't mind waiting one more day if it saves him the hour car journey over to the vets.

Thanks for for all making me feel better.

Val - Charlie doesn't go near grass, he's a house rabbit and his outside play area is our paved roof terrace. Would he have got them from hay?

BevBunny said:

I called the vet and he said that from talking to me he was happy that it was definitely worms and he's put some panacur in the post to me. I know this means its an extra day before he gets the treatment but he seems absolutely fine - eating, drinking, pooing, demanding fuss etc so he obviously feels OK, so I don't mind waiting one more day if it saves him the hour car journey over to the vets.

Thanks for for all making me feel better.

Val - Charlie doesn't go near grass, he's a house rabbit and his outside play area is our paved roof terrace. Would he have got them from hay?

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Hi, Tilly has had worms (just to add to her and Humphrey's catalogue of diseases!) I was just going to say you don't actually need Panacur on prescription, you can get it over the internet. Can't remember what the dosage is off the top of my head but I think it's the same as for adult cats, but treat for 5 consecutive days (your vet will have included this). My vet recommends repeating this a week after initial treatment to ensure that all worms and eggs are completely got rid off. You will need to treat both bunnies, especially if they have been in contact and eating the same food. It is quite uncommon in rabbits but not a major deal once spotted and MUCH easier to get rid of than mites!! Might have come from hay. b-m

Val - Charlie doesn't go near grass, he's a house rabbit and his outside play area is our paved roof terrace. Would he have got them from hay?[/quote]

Grass is the first think to think off thats what i ment, i suppose its a possability that they came from the hay, its the eggs that they mistakenly eat.There so small they wouldnt be noticed. Most animals have a few worms but they dont get out of control. When they pass worms then the numbers have built up. Ive never had a case of bad worms i use panicure yearly on all my rabbits as a precaution. val