Please Note - Medical Advice
Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
Does anyone have experience of using rearguard? It comes in a bottle with a sponge applicator, quite difficult to use??
yes - up turn whole thing over a saucer and press down so liquid comes out through sponge and you get a nice reservoir of it in saucer - then use this to keep the applicating sponge soaked -
wash saucer THOROUGHLY afterwards.
PS not sure whether Desmond should have reargaurd on his broken skin???? I would have said not. presumably vets have given him an injection of ivermectin or something similar to kill of the remaining maggots so he is covered for now.
This is probably a stupid question, but ...
where do the flies/maggots actually attack? Is it around the genitals themselves or the actual rabbit's back?
I check (or at least I think I do) by stroking my bunnies all the way down their backs to their tails and if I feel nothing but soft fur I'm assuming it's all okay. Am I wrong? I also lift their tails up and check their bits, daily (actually my daughter lifts their tails and I look, as they've cottoned on to me doing it and run off :roll. Being female all their bits are together.
^^^ I'd check they have given him an injection of Ivermectin - its the first thing to get done once the initial clean up is done.
Poor Desmond :-( My BB had flystrike earlier in the year - first time I've ever experienced it myself. I caught hers within a few hours, but the damage to her skin was horrible.
I used Dermisol cream on BB's wound as it allows the skin to heal without it drying out and getting crusty, sore and broken. It works like a dream and is worth the £5 or so
Dermisol was recommended to me today by someone else too. Will look out for some tomorrow
Desmond is on the right. Who would think he has caused me so much heart ache over the last couple of days.
I have not put rearguard on his broken areas. I have tried to put some on him, and also some cream to sooth the skin affected by his incontinence, but he must be feeling better as he is fighting me and running away!!
How do people stop their houses smelling of rabbit wee? I am changing the newspaper in the crate twice per day and have litter down and hay, but it still smells.
Is he on antibiotics, sorry if you have already said. It is just that if his wee is smelling that pungent he may have a UTI
Are they neutered? If they are litter trained then the house shouldn't really smell of wee, I have mine in my bedroom and their litter tray has megazorb and hay in it and my room never smells of wee.
If Desmond is incontinent then there will be no way to stop him peeing on himself or the floor so it may always smell of wee. Perhaps use vet bed/towels/fleece instead of newspaper. I've always found newspaper smells really bad when wet with pee.
Yes, both neutered. Desmond is incontinent. I will just clean out loads. Douglas uses his litter tray, Desmond used to but sadly not anymore.