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Serious Problem! U/D 22nd August / Coccidiosis Confirmed!!!!!

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anon101

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Hi Folks,

Well we've had a terrible last 48 hours to top a really bad few weeks.

I will start from the beginning.

As some of you know I recently took 12 wild x baby rabbits from Caroline (bunnyrun). As always I am fostering them until rescue space becomes available and help with there neutering where possible.

We lost two of the younger baby rabbits (6 weeks old) within 24 hours of each other from bloat (we had to have the 2nd one PTS). We assumed the long journey from Eastbourne to us had been too much for them. Within a few days we lost a third. He/she had a fit in my hands while I was checking nails/bums etc. Yesterday we lost a fourth again down to bloat.

Regrettably my normal vet wont travel this far on call as we are quite a trot from them. We had a local vet out twice to administer gut stimulants, pain relief injections and sadly to help one to the bridge. As they were so young it was suggested not to start them on Panacur in case of EC until they were 8 weeks old. We had them on heat pads and probiotics.

The above four were from a litter of five and the remaining baby seems fine. Eating well, toileting normaly etc.

Within the last 48 hours four of my other foster rabbits have become ill.

Firstly my sisters rabbit who I ams supposed to be getting neuterd seems to have had a stroke as he keeps walking into things and has a glazed look. He also has bloat. He's on panacur, pain relief and infacol.

The three others have all got bloat. Two have had diarrhea. Again they are on infacol/pain relief etc. All four are anorexic and not taking fluids

As I type I'm waiting for my normal vets to ring my back to see if I can get an emergency appointment for all four this evening.

I've been racking my brains to try and think what has caused this.

I've checked expiry dates on there food and its all fine. I've bought a new bale of hay and I've ordered a new sack of pellets and dried grass which should be here in a few days. I've completely stopped there veg. Everything has been completely scrubbed/disinfectanted several times.


So far none of my own rabbits are showing any symptoms and they are on the same food/bedding etc.

The only connection I can make is that everyone started to get ill after the wild x rabbits arrived. But as far as I am aware rabbits cant pass on "bugs" onto each other so to speak.

Has anyone got any advice/suggestions?

Louise
 
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Poor you - what a nightmare.

Have the bunnies shared any space whatsoever at any point? I am thinking EC here, which is transmitted via the urine, so they wouldn't have to be anywhere near each other at the same time. The more I learn about EC, I am starting to think it is quite easy to pass on to others. :(
 
Each group/individual has there own pen/dog crate etc but they do get moved around depending on who's been neutered/who's going to rescue etc. I throughly disinfectant pens/cages after each occupant.

I also run young unspayed female rabbits in with my own large group until they are old enough to be spayed. This is after a two week quarantine period where they are wormed/treated against mites etc.

I wasn't aware that EC could cause bloat?

Louise
 
My bunnies have EC-related gut problems, as do Fionabun's. :( In fact, mine don't have any of the normal EC symptoms whatsoever. However, Panacur is a miracle cure for them, and one tested positive for EC (didn't test the other one).
Unfortunately, the Panacur doesn't seem to last - it keeps returning. :(

I was doing some reading recently which said that bleach was the only thing that definitely kills the spores. So I do think it's very possible that this is what you are dealing with here.

I really hope you get on OK at the vets and can get the 4 back to health.
 
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Oh dear this sounds awful what a worrying time for you I cant offer any advice either but send vibes to all your buns xx
 
OMG! I`m so sorry louise:cry:

I sincerely hope it isn`t ATypical VHD & that you & your vet can get the other bunnies better.

Su.x
 
We the wild babies hand reared? It makes them very delicate. I lost 4 out of 5 at 3-4 weeks and Suzy lost 2 out 4 at the same age then another at 6 weeks.

I don't know that it helped but I fed infacol before each feed along with fiberplex.

Are they showing signs of bloat or just passing suddenly. I had one of the babies I lost pm'd and the vets said guts were perfect.

I hope the vet can shed some light.
 
Vet has just gone.

Its definitely not dietary as we've gone over everything with a fine tooth comb. If it was dietary we would of expected to have seen symptoms in my own rabbits.

I mentioned we had lost four of the wild x rabbits but she seemed to think that was mainly down to the fact they were hand reared from two weeks old and like Tamsin said they are very delicate and easily subject to illness.

Two of them as well as having bloat are showing neurological problems. One appears to be completely blind while the others eyes are flicking. The other two have really bad bloat. One in particular is not looking good at all.

I've been left with a chemist worths of drugs.

As there all dehydrated we are giving sub cut fluids as needed, Everyone is being started on a 28 day course of panacur. They've had torbugesic injections and I'm to give another one this evening. Metacam from then on if they will take it orally. Zantac liquid twice a day and something called Birp mixed with water twice daily (no idea what this is but I've been told its like a drench). All have had a Maxalon injection and I'm to give two more for the ones with the worst bloat and one more for the other two. Probiotic in water.

Fingers crossed please. :?

Louise
 
Fingers crossed louise and Vibes being sent x Have you sent any of the buns for a post mortem?
 
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