E. Cuniculi Question

[vanessa]

After having 2 E. Cuniculi bunnies, I have to ask. Why is there no standardised preventative treatment? If we give the bonded pals and those exposed (which is about 80% of bunnies) 9 days of fenbendazole twice a year, why is it only somethign I hear about on Binky Bunny? Why don’t all exotic vets promote this, just like we promote rabies vaccines, parvo virus, and the rest of the gammet for dogs and cats? 

I had Merlin euthenized due to EC. Lancelot has it, but I stuck it out and he is making tremendous recovery. But today I got angry at myself for not knowing to use fenbendazole twice a year on my rabbits, regardless of their symptoms. Yes. We don’t want to over-medicate. I’m a HUUUUUGE fan of not overmedicating. I don’t take flu shots myself. But for godness sake – by the time we realise the symptoms we are seeing, it is too late. Maybe Lancelot will regain control of his bladder. Maybe not. Maybe I could have helped him by giving him fenbendazole twice a year. Or maybe I’m wrong, and nothing can stop EC. I don’t know, But the other 3 bunnies are going to get fenbendazole twice a year, every year. 

[Bam]

I’m not quite sure, Vanessa. It seems e cuniculi is far from being fully understood (even if there have been quite a lot of progress these last 10-15 years or so).

I listened to an e. cuniculi webbinar by Molly Varga last spring, and she said a vaccine might be made. She said preventative treatment with panacur for 9 days every 6 months for positive rabbits is “authorized” and I’m guessing she meant in the UK. She said not to treat house buns that test negative for the parasite. And that treatment/ no treatment always depends on the situation.

I remember there were talk here in Sweden about treating all buns routinely with Panacur – but I don’t know why that didn’t become standard practice. I’ll try an ask my vet when i take Bam in for his vaccination on Oct 11.

So until then, I’m guessing wildly here, but as you are saying yourself, there is this veterinary ethical principle that you should never do “unnecessary” procedures on animals. The known side-effects of fenbendazole (Panacur) are few and rare, but there are some and there are even some that can be serious, although, it seems, that’s extremely rare (Dana Krempels has written about it here: Panacur dangers). That combined with the notion that it’s uncertain if fenbendazole will have a significant preventative effect might be why it’s not recommended for all buns.

I’m sorry you lost Merlin. I’m glad Lancelot is fighting on.

[Author]

Messages