Echinacea

[Dollie]

Hi everyone,

In juli my rabbit Feline started sneezing, a few days after that her nose got a bit ehm.. Snotty? :roll: so I took her to the vet that same day, he started with duplo injections, but when I returned for her second shot, the other vet wanted to try some other antibiotic, so we gave her Enrofloxoral drops for five days. She was fine after that.

Then in september, same symptoms again.. So we got her on Enrofloxoral again, after five days her nose/paws were clean but she still sneezed sometimes, so we continued for two (or three? not sure) more days and then she was fine again..

Until now, she starts sneezing again. Now it's just sneezing, her nose is clean, paws are clean, her breathing is normall. Of course I'd rather not have her on antibiotics again, but I guess it will be necessary again soon. Now I know some people give their rabbits with snuffles echinacea. Would that be an idea in this situation?

And can I just give her any kind of echinacea? Are there different kinds? I believe you have to give it for seven days, pause for seven days, give it for seven days again etc etc? And how long should I continue doing this?

I'm not sure if there have been any simulair problems before, I got her from a rescue when she was six months (she's about 14 months now) but I'm assuming there weren't any.

 

[H Maughan]

You can get it in a dried form from the Hay Experts, I think its a Vita verde product.

Helen xx

 

[Dollie]

Oo, hadn't even thought about that.. I feed my three dried herbs everyday. I was thinking about ehm, tablets? But in a dried form sounds a lot better, and I just checked, I can order it at the webshop I order all the other herbs/plants as well. Would that be okay in this situation?

 

[abbymarysmokey]

Unfortunately echinacea doesn't actually work against any bacterial or viral infections. It certainly won't do any harm, but it won't do any good either.

 

[hurricanhoney]

I use it to boost Merlin's immune system in his water for a week then a week off. I use the Holland and Barrett liquid and put a pippett in his water. Its best to go to the vets if bunny is sneezing.

 

[H Maughan]

As I understand it Echinacea can help the immune system in the short-term rather than the long-term, well in humans anyway.

Helen xx

 

[prettylupin]

Hi everyone,

In juli my rabbit Feline started sneezing, a few days after that her nose got a bit ehm.. Snotty? :roll: so I took her to the vet that same day, he started with duplo injections, but when I returned for her second shot, the other vet wanted to try some other antibiotic, so we gave her Enrofloxoral drops for five days. She was fine after that.

Then in september, same symptoms again.. So we got her on Enrofloxoral again, after five days her nose/paws were clean but she still sneezed sometimes, so we continued for two (or three? not sure) more days and then she was fine again..

Until now, she starts sneezing again. Now it's just sneezing, her nose is clean, paws are clean, her breathing is normall. Of course I'd rather not have her on antibiotics again, but I guess it will be necessary again soon. Now I know some people give their rabbits with snuffles echinacea. Would that be an idea in this situation?

And can I just give her any kind of echinacea? Are there different kinds? I believe you have to give it for seven days, pause for seven days, give it for seven days again etc etc? And how long should I continue doing this?

I'm not sure if there have been any simulair problems before, I got her from a rescue when she was six months (she's about 14 months now) but I'm assuming there weren't any.

If she is sneezing but there is no discharge it is possible she has a developed an allergy, but with a history of URTI this must always be forefront in the mind.

Echinacea is no substitute for appropriate abx therapy but it can help to boost the immune system naturally and can be purchased in any chemist/health food store and most supermarkets these days. I would only use a pure tincture in an ethanol carrier and dosage I have used is that of a child - 10 drops in a bowl of water.

 

[Dollie]

Unfortunately echinacea doesn't actually work against any bacterial or viral infections. It certainly won't do any harm, but it won't do any good either.

I know it's not a treatment for snuffles, but I hoped that by giving her imunesystem a boost, I would be able to prevent her getting snuffles again.

Of course I will take her to the vet again if she's getting worse (or not getting better), I don't care what it costs, but right now she's just sneezing now and then. It's not like antibiotics are that good for her health and as long as it's just sneezing, I prefer trying something like echinacea instead.

I have thought about allergies, but the bedding, hay etc I use is all the same and she never had any problems with that.. Only thing changed is that I bonded them with Pip.. Maybe she's allergic to little black bunnies? :lol:

 

[LucyB]

It worked a treat for Russell... Tried the vets first of course and he way on Baytril for 3weeks but didn't really improve... I did 10drops in his water bowl or 2weeks, then a weeks rest and then the same again and he's been right as rain ever since!!

I think it's definately worth a try once you have explored the other options

 

[nessar]

Hey!

I used to work in a Health Food shop so I used to sell this everyday! I also had training on it.

Get the premium brands if you can, with herbs you really do get what you pay for. I personally use A. Vogel, as they use the entire flower, not just the 'important' bits. This method has not been confirmed to be better with enchinacea yet, but it has been proved with a couple of other products that this gives better results. As a general rule, stay away from 'standardised' extracts if you can, these often just use the 'important' bit of the plant, when often other parts of the plant help with absorbtion etc.

Independant Health food shops will order in things that they dont stock for you. Other good brands of supplements include: The Health Store, Solgar, Biocare, Viridian (be careful, I think viridian standardises).

Heres some info on echinacea:

Echinacea is commonly available in these forms:
tablets
alcohol tincture
non alcohol tincture
throat spray
sweets
whole herbs
In a chidrens syrup with other vitamins

the alcohol tincture contains the same amount of alcohol that would be made by your own body when digesting a slice of brown bread or a banana. It is the most effective way of using echinacea, as it is absorbed into the blood faster and works a lot faster. The short term effect is greater, however the long term effect is the same as using the other types.

Echinacea is not an immune STIMULANT like many people think. It is an immune SUPPORT. This means that there are no ill effects of using it continuously without breaks. People were advised to take breaks in the past, when it was thought to be a stimulant, however it has been proven there is no need. This means that you cannot overdose. However this does not mean you should take loads, as the echinacea can only do so much, and after this level it doesnt do any more. So if you take the reccommended allowance each day you will get the same effect as taking 3 times the reccommended allowance each day.

Echinacea should not be taken by people with asthma. I personally had childhood asthma but don't have any symptoms really and haven't had an attack since I was about 7. I take echinacea in the winter with no ill effects.

For rabbits I think tincture in the water, ground up tablets (if you can make sure they'll eat it, smear it on a banana etc) or whole herbs would be ideal. Bear in mind the herbs are nowhere near as strong as tablets, tincture etc. so as your rabbit has an actual problem I would reccommend a tincture or tablets. An alcoholic tincture is the most effective, however they do taste worse so may not be a great choice for bunnies, unless it is very diluted in water. You can get the non-alcoholic tinctures but these are harder to get.

Any questions please ask I hope thats helpful.

PS... just a cool fact - echinacea can cure rattlesnake bites.

 

[Amy104]

I use enchinea for Bluebell. I buy it in liquid form from holland and barrett and add about 1ml to a 600ml water bottle. I only use for a couple of weeks at a time as I believe if you don't take a break it reduces its effectiveness. It hasn't cured his problems but really helps boost his immune system.

Bluebell's issues are suspected to be allergy related - pollen season was a nightmare for him - although vet also suspects some sort of largngeal issues as he often wheezes but his lungs are alway clear. He dry sneezes a large proportion of the time. Sometimes he gets clear watery discharge which is when I'll use the enchinea. On the odd occassion the mucus has been white/thick he is straight off to the vets for antibitotics.

 

[Dollie]

Hey!

I used to work in a Health Food shop so I used to sell this everyday! I also had training on it.

Get the premium brands if you can, with herbs you really do get what you pay for. I personally use A. Vogel, as they use the entire flower, not just the 'important' bits. This method has not been confirmed to be better with enchinacea yet, but it has been proved with a couple of other products that this gives better results. As a general rule, stay away from 'standardised' extracts if you can, these often just use the 'important' bit of the plant, when often other parts of the plant help with absorbtion etc.

Independant Health food shops will order in things that they dont stock for you. Other good brands of supplements include: The Health Store, Solgar, Biocare, Viridian (be careful, I think viridian standardises).

Heres some info on echinacea:

Echinacea is commonly available in these forms:
tablets
alcohol tincture
non alcohol tincture
throat spray
sweets
whole herbs
In a chidrens syrup with other vitamins

the alcohol tincture contains the same amount of alcohol that would be made by your own body when digesting a slice of brown bread or a banana. It is the most effective way of using echinacea, as it is absorbed into the blood faster and works a lot faster. The short term effect is greater, however the long term effect is the same as using the other types.

Echinacea is not an immune STIMULANT like many people think. It is an immune SUPPORT. This means that there are no ill effects of using it continuously without breaks. People were advised to take breaks in the past, when it was thought to be a stimulant, however it has been proven there is no need. This means that you cannot overdose. However this does not mean you should take loads, as the echinacea can only do so much, and after this level it doesnt do any more. So if you take the reccommended allowance each day you will get the same effect as taking 3 times the reccommended allowance each day.

Echinacea should not be taken by people with asthma. I personally had childhood asthma but don't have any symptoms really and haven't had an attack since I was about 7. I take echinacea in the winter with no ill effects.

For rabbits I think tincture in the water, ground up tablets (if you can make sure they'll eat it, smear it on a banana etc) or whole herbs would be ideal. Bear in mind the herbs are nowhere near as strong as tablets, tincture etc. so as your rabbit has an actual problem I would reccommend a tincture or tablets. An alcoholic tincture is the most effective, however they do taste worse so may not be a great choice for bunnies, unless it is very diluted in water. You can get the non-alcoholic tinctures but these are harder to get.

Any questions please ask I hope thats helpful.

PS... just a cool fact - echinacea can cure rattlesnake bites.

Yes, that is helpful, thanks a lot!! And I'm pretty sure I can get the A. Vogel around here (I live in the Netherlands) as well, so I'll look for that. I wanted to try tablets first, because she lives with two other rabbits and I understand it wouldn't harm them? But I do want to make sure she gets enough.

I really hope it will help, she hates going to the vet (although it got a bit better since I use Rescue Remedy) and I don't want her on antibiotics again.

 

[nessar]

Yes, that is helpful, thanks a lot!! And I'm pretty sure I can get the A. Vogel around here (I live in the Netherlands) as well, so I'll look for that. I wanted to try tablets first, because she lives with two other rabbits and I understand it wouldn't harm them? But I do want to make sure she gets enough.

I really hope it will help, she hates going to the vet (although it got a bit better since I use Rescue Remedy) and I don't want her on antibiotics again.

It won't harm them the a vogel tablets have a very natural taste so you might find you can give them to her whole or just crush them with a spoon. I think they take about 5-7 days to start working properly though. As with all herbal medicines you should take them for at least a month to be able to tell the full effects. They work in a much gentler and more gradual way than conventional medicines so a lot of people dont realise the effects until they stop taking them. Also dont expect a miracle cure, they are not even a cure as such, they just help the body cure itself.

 

[Dollie]

Unfortunately my other rabbit Pip started sneezing yesterday and as far as I could see, her nose is wet.. (She's black so not very easy to see..) She was sneezing again today and quite a lot.. I check Feline's nose and paws everyday and today her paws were a bit yellow so we're going to the vet next week.

Maybe try echinacea after this.. :roll: