Sick.rabbits

[claire5966]

Help! We have recently lost several of our pet rabbits to some sort of contagious illness. All of the rabbits that died got sick very quickly, losing weight rapidly and dying in a matter of days. They all appeared to be eating fine and their droppings were normal...right before they died they started having seizures. The rabbits are in outdoor hutches and some of the sick ones have been far apart from each other and have never been in contact with the other rabbits that were sick. We feed them a diet of pellets and fresh hay along with treats like fresh veggies and fruit. The breeds are all different, the ones affected have included Dutch, mini lop and flemish giant rabbits. Our vet did.not have any suggestions besides changing their diet?? Please help!

 

[fantaysah]

What is the weather there? Nasal discharge? Swelling anywhere? What pellets do you use? Possible hay molding? Have they been wormed? Coccidia can cause seizure and death... any other details you can think of?

 

[bunnychild]

Where is their food stored? Is it possible that rats, cats or other critters could have come in contact with either the rabbits or the food

 

[LakeCondo]

I also thought of a food problem first. Besides replacing all of it that you're not 100% sure of with new, could there be something different about the water they get?

How about any recent treatments for fleas or other parasites?

 

[Mariah]

The first thought that comes to my mind would be a parasite of some sort. I know coccidia can cause seizures and death like a previous poster said. I would have their stool checked out. My little guy had coccidia and pinworms when I got him. We treated with sulpha for the coccidia and panacur for the pinworms. After about a month or ap of treatment, the parasites went away. Good luck!

 

[Erren]

illness and death that fast, and seizures as well, sounds like pasturella to me. i lost 3 rabbits in a week to that about 10 years ago - hard to diagnose and spreads like wildfire. Antibiotics is the only way to treat it, but you have to be fast. It's an evil illness. i was broken-hearted. Sorry this is happening to you, I hope you're doing okay x

 

[Sweetie]

I am thinking, after reading your post claire5966, that your rabbits have worms. Since they are outside, they may be coming into contact with raccoons which have roundworm. Roundworms can be treated. I am not sure of the antibiotic that isused for roundworm though. It could be another type of worm also. My suggestion is take a fecal sample to your rabbit-savvy vet and get it tested for worms.

I hope this helps you claire5966.

 

[Sweetie]

Erren wrote:

illness and death that fast, and seizures as well, sounds like pasturella to me. i lost 3 rabbits in a week to that about 10 years ago - hard to diagnose and spreads like wildfire. Antibiotics is the only way to treat it, but you have to be fast. It's an evil illness. i was broken-hearted. Sorry this is happening to you, I hope you're doing okay x

Rabbits already have the pasturella in them. It is at safe levels until the rabbit becomes stressed about something then that is when it acts up. Antibiotics can bring the pasturella under control again, but not eliminate it completely.

 

[naturestee]

How do you store your hay and pellets? It sort of sounds like mycotoxins to me- toxins from mold that sometimes grows on hay and pellets. Either that, or some sort of poisoning. The only way to tell is to have a vet do a necropsy and possibly to have the food tested for mold.

Just to be safe, I'd toss out all the food and get new stuff from a different lot, hay from a different place if possible. Are any bunnies still getting sick, or does it seem to be over now?