E. Cuniculi and fenbendazole experience

[martini]

Hi everybody,

Martini (2yrs old) is a perfectly healthy bunny with a great appetite. During his recent check up the vet asked if we wanted to test him for e.cuniculi. I always knew of this parasite and what it does to rabbits thanks to the forum here but did not know there were tests available, so of course I said yes and the results came back positive.

Although he is not showing any symptoms the vet recommended a 28day treatment on fenbendazole and blood work halfway through the treatment. Just picked up the medicine but wanted to see if there is anything I should pay attention to while he is on the meds. Your tips and experiences will be greatly appreciated. know it can affect his kidney and liver, so is there a particular diet (herbs/veggies) perhaps that could make it easier for him? Some vegetables I should not be giving him during this treatment? (Maybe parsley and dandelion as it is high in calcium?). Anything that would make it go smoothly. I would have to have a perfectly healthy rabbit all of the sudden not feeling well because of the meds. Thank you!

[DanaNM]

Interesting! Do you know if the test looks for active infection or just exposure? I ask because it’s thought that most rabbits are exposed to EC and carry it, but many never show symptoms. Many vets treat upon symptoms without the test because the old tests are unreliable, but i’ve been hearing that the tests have improved. It’s not recommended to treat buns for EC prophylactically because the medicine does have side effects, the main one is that in rare cases it can affect the bone marrow. Since EC can cause permanent issues if undetected, I can see the benefit of treating for it if you have a conclusive test. There really is a lot we still don’t know about EC!

That said, fenbendazole is very safe and usually there are very few side effects. My senior had two 28 day rounds of it and it helped him a lot (he suddenly showed signs of EC, likely due to his immune system being weakened). He didn’t have any side effects that I could tell. A friend at a rescue had to treat several seniors there as well and they all did great. I know some people like to give a probiotic along with the meds, but I don’t think you need to avoid any particular foods as long as you are within the normal guidelines.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

I agree with Dana. Most vets do not test for EC unless it is suspected. Even then, some will just treat on suspicion if the symptoms fit. The test isn’t very reliable (i.e. false negatives). If your bunny has only been exposed to EC and is not showing symptoms, then it may not be necessary to treat. Keep in mind that most rabbits are exposed at some point in their lives (usually from their mothers) and never develop symptoms. However, if you are looking to be proactive, I don’t think the treatment will do any harm.

[martini]

Hi, this is exactly what the doctor wrote about the results:

We received Martini‘s E. cuniculi titer back. His antibody titer is strongly positive, and while he is not showing any clinical signs of infection now, I recommend giving him a course of treatment for the parasite. The treatment is 28 days long (once daily oral medication you give at home), and I would like you to bring him back in for a nurse appt to check his bloodwork halfway through the treatment. We like to check a complete blood count while they are on the fenbendazole, and also it would be a good idea to make sure his kidney function looks good since E. cuniculi can affect the kidneys.

I do not like giving unnecessary medications but based on your comments here I suppose this will not hurt. Although he is not showing any symptoms I do not want to risk he would at one point due to his age/weaker immunity/stress. I’ll start him today then.

[LBJ10]

Fenbendazole has the potential to cause side effects after prolonged use. Many vets like to do a check halfway through. That being said, the risk is very small. Fenbendazole is pretty safe and rabbits are treated with it all the time. The 28 day treatment is pretty standard now. Since EC is more complex than other parasites, the treatment needs to be longer. The 28 days is what they have found to be effective.

[DanaNM]

Yep, agree with LBJ10. We are learning more about EC all the time and the tests have improved, so I imagine vets are starting to reassess they way we treat for it.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[mia]

Sorry, hope it’s ok I hop on this tread and ask as I do not know this drug, what are the kidney and liver side effects? Also, would this work for a bun with long term issues or just recent infection?

10yrs ago or so I had a bun in which EC was one of the possible suspects but was never given the option for a test and was told there wasn’t really a treatment, other than treating symptoms, which we were already doing. I have a bun now which EC test was brought up as he has issues but drugs were not brought up as possible treatments if found, so I never went ahead with the testing since it just gives you an answer, but doesn’t change any course of action. If this can possibly treat chronic issues, I’d reconsider testing. He already has possible kidney issues though.

[DanaNM]

The accepted current treatment for EC is a 28 day course of fenbendazole, which is the only drug thought to cure, rather than just control, the parasite. Here are a couple sources on it, as well as a bit more info about EC:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Paper/fenbendazole.pdf

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

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Signs/Cuniculi_signs.html

@mia , if your bun is still having chronic issues that fall in line with EC symptoms, it may be worth treating. If your vet isn’t aware of this treatment’s existence, it may be time to find a new vet.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[mia]

Thanks for the links. I see why it wasn’t brought up for my buns.

[Author]

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