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  • 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.

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Complications after Rear Guard / intermittent not eating

Ok so my female bun, Poppy, has historically had a dodgy tummy and ended up in stasis almost monthly fir the first year we had her as her digestion was very odd. This improved over time and has been much better since we bonded her with a male bun… he encourages her to eat the right stuff!

She has rear guard treatment each year and if the 5 years (8 applications) she had an issue about 2 years ago where she stopped eating and needed vet intervention.

No issues since. They both went for their rear guard on Thursday and both of them were quiet the rest of the day. Poppy wasn’t keen on eating on Friday but was pooping. I gave some pain relief and tummy stuff and by the evening she was much happier though they were both a little off their food still.

She was happy and excited for breakfast today and ate it all as usual but then since then has been very quiet, refusing food and there’s not alot going on in the poop department. I’ve given more pain relief etc and been offering recovery feed as well as tummy massage. I’ll ring the vet if I have to but was hoping to manage it through the night myself if possible and ring tomorrow if no improvement?

Any other advice?
 
Unless the Rabbit has been examined by a Vet then syringe feeds and prokinetic drugs should not be given. It is essential that a Vet rules out a GI tract blockage first ( by palpating and auscultating the abdomen, checking blood glucose levels etc). Giving prokinetic drugs or syringe feeds to an obstructed Rabbit can be fatal. As stated by the Veterinary Advisor to the RWAF

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/illness/gut-slowdown/


Rearguard is known to cause Anorexia in some Rabbits, it is listed as a possible adverse reaction on the Data Information Sheet provided.

https://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-462035&fromsearch=true#iosfirsthighlight

Personally I have never used it myself and I have cared for numerous disabled and health compromised Rabbits over the last 25 years.

Using fly deterrents such as fly netting, Fly strips, electronic fly zappers and of course A* husbandry is preferable and safer, IMO. If I really had to use a chemical fly strike preventer I would use F10 Spray with insecticide

https://www.f10products.co.uk/f10-germicidal-wound-spray-with-insecticide-product-information/
 
As Jane says, Rearguard is known to cause these issues, and it's not something that needs to be used regularly as a preventative against flystrike unless there is a specific reason on a specific rabbit. For the odd rabbit I've had with unsolveable messy bottoms / urinary incontinence, etc, I would use f10 germicidal wound spray with insecticide. It can be applied as needed, is cheaper, available online and doesn't have the side effects of Rearguard. It's toxic to cats, though, so shouldn't be used where they may have contact with it.

Meanwhile, I would go back to your vet, have her examined to see what the cause of the problem is, and any treatment recommended. I would definitely point out the link to the timing of the Rearguard and query why you need it. If there's an issue that puts her more at risk of flystrike, discuss alternatives. If it's part of a general package that the vet provides, I would refuse it in future as you are better managing the general hygiene, spot cleaning, bum checking daily, feeding mainly hay, etc.

IN case you do need it, here's a link for the specific F10 product for flystrike prevention / treatment:
https://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/f10-ger...1j0AJYMHSXeesqnRdbu4SyG0aQa6XR3IaAj40EALw_wcB
 
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