losing all my bunnies

melaneysmenagerie · Oct 25, 2011

this is kinda a long explanation, but I need to get all the facts in...

I had 52 bunnies at the beginning of our move in august. We moved an hour and a half away, and the weather conditions are about the same here as they were in our old home. The only difference is that they are now living in an airconditioned storage building that I have set up for them. It is not a moist air, like an evaporative cooler. It is just a portable airconditioning unit...moving on.

The first week, I noticed wry neck in one of my babies, Squid, a squirrel colored holland lop. I treated him with ivermectin. His neck got a little better and his eating went back to normal. At the middle of September, a couple of my Netherlands started losing weight. She started tilting her head, but he did not. I again treated both of them in the same fashion, and again a week later with paramote. Still they continued to decline in health. By this time, they are removed from the room and brought into the house where they have constant supervision. She started to improve, but he stayed the same, sluggish and nonactive, but they were both eating their now changed diet of Timothy grass, all they wanted and plenty of fresh water. I also provided lots of fresh veggies. Then at the first part of October, around the 8th, they both died, on hte same day...

I have looked for for a rabbit savy vet in this area, and there are none and they know of none..

I finally got one to give me some medicine to give them after I lost 2 more bunnies suddenly. They had lost a little weight, but not excessive. I thought it might be the change in food. there was no diarrhea or loss in appetite and still drinking. I added it to everyones water as he instructed me. they stopped drinking, so I gave them fresh water and started giving it to them as a consentrate a dropper full at a time. Then I lost 11 bunnies in 2 days after this. I then switched vets to hope for new help. He sent my Silver Boy off for an autopsy on the day he died, last Thursday, and I still dont know anything. He gave me a different antibiotic, but he only gave me enough for one dose for each rabbit, and wont call me back to tell me if that was what he intended to do. I called today, and his receptionist said no answers from the autopsy yet.My friend who has raised rabbits for years said I needed to stop the old antibiotics because it was killing all the bacteria, including the good, and to start them on Probios. I gave them some that night and again 2 mornings later. Diarrhea has started in many of the ones I have left, and I only have 20 of my precious ones left alive. My heart is breaking and Im losing hope...please help us...

recap...

1. wry neck then weight loss then death

2. weight loss, wry neck death

3. weight loss, minorly, then death

4. 2 types of antibiotics administered over 2 weeks, and lost many-death

5. Diarrhea, death

6. probios, more diarrhea, still death

God Bless Yall for all you offer.

tonyshuman · Oct 25, 2011

What is the antibiotic? It could be one that is unsafe for rabbits to take orally. The probios is good but it cannot correct for some of the problems caused by some antibiotics that are not appropriate for rabbits.

I am unsure why the ivermectin would have helped with the tilt. Did he have ear mites?

For the rabbits you have, stabilize them with a diet that is normal, take out veggies if they're not used to them, etc. Also give probios. Limit any carbohydrates as those can make diarrhea worse. Pellets and hay should be enough, unless they are big veggie eaters. Then determine if they still have weight loss and/or tilt.

The #1 cause of head tilt is ear infection, which can pop up at any time, particularly after stress (like moving). It should be treated with proper rabbit-safe antibiotics, and only animals showing the tilt should be treated.

safe antibiotics: http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Antibiotics/Safe_antibiotics.htm

melaneysmenagerie · Oct 26, 2011

Thank you. I appreciate your advice.
I gave them Ivermectin to battle the wry neck in the event that it was a parasite affecting their nervous system. It was recommended by my breeder friend and by a few articles I read.
I'm now more worried about their weight loss and diarrhea than the wry neck. At this time no one has the tilt...
Can a rabbit get too much " good bacteria"?

tonyshuman · Oct 26, 2011

Ivermectin doesn't get into the nervous system unless the animal is having a bad reaction to it. That's how it kills parasites and insects without killing mammals. There is a parasite called e cuniculi that attacks the rabbit's nervous system but head tilt is usually only seen in very late stages of the disease, when the bunny has had other symptoms for months, and is then usually still caused by a bacterial infection able to get a hold due to their weakened immune system. It is an old saying that EC causes tilt, and it's not quite true. Also, the treatment would not be ivermectin. A bendazole antiparasitic can sometimes work like panacur, and the newer drug marquis (ponazuril) is currently the best treatment.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/head_tilt.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.htm

Once in rare while, bunnies will get bacterial imbalance in the wrong way from over-use of antibiotics. I have only ever heard of it when the bunny was on a lot of antibioitcs and probiotics and under a lot of stress at the same time. I would give them each about a gram of probios, keep them hydrated, and see a vet if needed. Sometimes an antibacterial called Albon is used because it helps in the GI tract and is anti-inflammatory. They could also have coccidia, but the vet would have noticed that in a fecal test. The babies' rehydration drink pedialyte would be really good.

melaneysmenagerie · Oct 26, 2011

Thank you again. I will be picking up some pedialite today.
I have another question. (sorry). If there were a blockage causing the gas build up, would pineapple juice be ok to use to break down the blockage, or would the sugar content be more harmful by feeding the bad bacteria. Not having a rabbit vet is making this a trial and error event, and my errors could be deadly. The first antibiotic ( can't remember the name, andits at home, while I'm at work on my break) I read to cause GI stress from gas. Wow...

Sweetie · Oct 27, 2011

You can get the pineapple juice but it has to be freshly squeezed from the pineapple itself. Baby gas meds, simethicone will help with gas. I would stick with lots of hay and water. Keep all your bunnies hydrated.

I hope that your bunnies get well soon.