Answer

Thank you for getting back to me. You're not being cruel to keep your bunny going. Most, but not all, rabbits do eventually recover from this. Your vet has taken the appropriate first steps. Other than letting her rest and feeding her the best diet possible, there isn't anything else you can do right now. The following link will take you to a site with detailed information on rabbit feeding, including lists of the best produce, and what foods to avoid:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

This will take you to a page with links to more information on E.cuniculi:

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#ec

There are a few things to consider for the future. Your vet may have explained that there is no definitive test for E. cuniculi. Diagnosis is usually made based on symptoms. That means your vet may be pretty sure that's the cause of the problem, but not 100% certain. That's one reason an antibiotic has also been prescribed - it will help if there's a bacterial infection. If your rabbit doesn't get better, it's possible that something else could be wrong. More testing would have to be completed to determine what it might be.

Also, sometimes E.cuniculi doesn't respond to Panacur. Barbi Brown, a respected rabbit breeder, has worked with her vet to develop a protocol for treating stubborn cases. I've used it myself a number of times, with good results. If your rabbit doesn't improve on her present medications, you may want to print out the information on this protocol and discuss it with your vet:

http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuniculi.htm

Brown also has a number of links to sites that describe other treatment methods:

http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuniculi.htm#ALTERNATIVE%20TREATMENTS

Researchers have found that extremely stubborn cases sometimes respond to more prolonged treatment with corticosteroids and also NSAIDs. this is more information you could share with your vet if the present medications don't help. You can read more at the following site, where you'll have to scroll down.

http://www.radil.missouri.edu/info/dora/RABBPAGE/resp.html

Your rabbit may well respond to the Panacur and antibiotic, so don't be in a rush to try something else. If those drugs don't work, you can discuss some of the other possibilities with your vet. I do recommend that rabbits on any antibiotic be given probiotics (beneficial bacteria), so that's something you may want to add. A good brand called Bene-Bac is available in many pet stores and feed stores. You can also use the human liquid formulas if you find one that is non-dairy. They're usually available in health food stores. Using a probiotic decreases the chances that a rabbit will develop diarrhea caused by antibiotics.

If you have more questions, just let me know by clicking on REPLY. I hope your rabbit will quickly recover.


Anna

Expert:	Anna
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:
Answered:	4/19/2009

Pet Expert/Biologist

40 yrs.: herps, pocket pets, rabbits, poultry, dogs, horses. Biology degree. Volunteer vet assistant