*RIP* Frontline

[bunnylady2]

I was contacted by a rabbit owner who was given Frontline for her rabbit by a local shelter. The rabbit had a seizure this morning and has not had one since, but is now, of course not eating. We have him scheduled for our vet for first thing Monday morning and he is given critical care and pedialyte. He was given Frontline Monday and this is the first reaction he has had. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I gasped when I heard they had mistakenly given Snowy Frontline and not Advantage.

 

[pla725]

I would get the rabbit to an emergency clinic. This is serious.

 

[bunnylady2]

I Know. I would have been there ASAP. She went and the fees were so high, she can't afford it. They wanted $600.00 for fluids and bloodwork.

 

[pla725]

That is high. You may have no choice. I've been there. Can you work out a payment plan or use a credit card?

 

[bunnylady2]

I have been there as well. I would do anything and spend what ever I need to. This is a single mom. I don't know her well enough, and I know they will not take payments at the ER.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

This might not work, but would it be possible for her to surrender the bun to a shelter that can get a better price on it?

 

[pla725]

Try the ASPCA poison control center. They do charge a fee for the service though.

 

[bunnylady2]

Our shelter will not treat. They euthanize. They call us and we tranfer them to our rescue.



We called ASPCA poisen control earlier, they don't think it's frontline poisening. The said he would have had a reaction earlier this week.

I just got a call and Snowy started to eat on his own! I will keep you all posted.

 

[pamnock]

Was the application topical? The best thing to do in a topical reaction is to immediately wash the skin to prevent any more of the medication from being absorbed into the nervous system.

It is most likely that a reaction would have occured sooner if it was due to the frontline.



Do you know the color/breed of rabbit?



Pam

 

[bunnylady2]

That is exactly what poison control told her today. Frontline was applied Monday. The reaction was today.



For some one who does rescue,I am so bad with determining breeds. He is a little blue eyed white. He is eight months old.

 

[slavetoabunny]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

This might not work, but would it be possible for her to surrender the bun to a shelter that can get a better price on it?

Just to clarify the situation a little....Liz (Bunnylady2) is rescue. She and I co-founded our local chapter of Gainesville Rabbit Rescue. We have this rabbit scheduled in with our regular vet (the one that we have an arrangement with for substantial discounts) at 8:00Monday morning. Unfortunately, Rescue cannot afford the emergency vet. They do not discount for rescue. We've asked.It would be an out of pocket expense for us.

This bun has not been surrendered, but we are trying our best to help the owner. She loves her bunny very much.

Liz is doing everything possible to help this bunny-mom keep her rabbit alive until then. It appears that the situation is looking positive at this point. Any suggestions for home treatment would be welcome. Thanks!

 

[pla725]

I wondered too about the delayed reaction. I agree the reaction would have been sooner. May be the Frontline just compounded things.

Does the owner know the history of the bunny before he was surrendered to the shelter? How long was the bunny at the shelter? What is she feeding him? Just thinking out loud randomly.

Edit to add: Maybe it was a blockage or gasafter all but Istill would follow up with the vet.

 

[slavetoabunny]

pla725 wrote:

I wondered too about the delayed reaction. I agree the reaction would have been sooner. May be the Frontline just compounded things.

Does the owner know the history of the bunny before he was surrendered to the shelter? How long was the bunny at the shelter? What is she feeding him? Just thinking out loud randomly.

Edit to add: Maybe it was a blockage or gasafter all but Istill would follow up with the vet.

This bunny has not been surrendered. The owner bought the bunny from a small local pet shop = back yard breeder. We have seen a lot of sick bunnies that were purchased at this pet shop.

 

[pamnock]

bunnylady2 wrote:

For some one who does rescue,I am so bad with determining breeds. He is a little blue eyed white. He is eight months old.

I inquired about the color because some blue-eyed whites are prone to seizures. They may also be more sensitive to some medications.

Pam

 

[pla725]

From your information and what Pam just added pretty much sums it up. Sounds like a genetic issue.

Just an aside is there anyway to crack down on the breeder who supplies the pet shop? I wonder how many other people got sick bunnies from this breeder and store. Perhaps the pet store lemon law, if there is one in FL, might cover this.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

While I was cleaning the annals of the infirmary, I found a few posts on seizure... perhaps there may be some answers here?

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11558&forum_id=16&highlight=seizure

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=8870&forum_id=1&highlight=seizure
^ has a note from pamnock regarding potential link to GI stasis challange (maybe helpful?)

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=13302&forum_id=16&highlight=seizure

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15629&forum_id=16&highlight=seizure

 

[bunnylady2]

Thanks everyone for your input. Thank you Patti for clearing things up!! I will share this with the owner. I too am thinking it may not have been the Frontline. Snowy will still go to the vet tomorrow. I will let you all know when I talk to the owner today.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Was going to mention that in one of those links I gave you, there was an extensive discussion about lionheads and some propensity for seizures... If he is a lionhead cross, or pure lionhead, that may be something to look at further.

 

[bunnylady2]

As of 9am, Snowy is holding his own. He had another seizure at 11pm last night, butis about the same. He is even eating some onhis own. I will be glad when tomorrow comes. I just tried to reach the owner, but was unable to. I will report any new updates when I get them.

The pet store that sold Snowy had a fire and has not been able to reopen! I had approached him numerous time about not selling rabbits, but he wouldn't budge.

Thanks everyone for you care and concern.

 

[bunnylady2]

NorthernAutumn wrote:

Was going to mention that in one of those links I gave you, there was an extensive discussion about lionheads and some propensity for seizures... If he is a lionhead cross, or pure lionhead, that may be something to look at further.

I checked out the links, not sure about the lionhead cross. as far as I can tell, he is a blue eyed white, prone to seizures as well.

Thanks for all the info. We are in the middle of a big mystery, hopefully sorted out tomorrow. Thanks again! I will have her run all this by the vet tomorrow. I will be there later in the day with another rescue and will mention it.