Fenbendazole / Panacur dosing

[Bunnisox]

My bun Waffuls seems to have some pin-worms in her poops. She had them last October, as well, and my previous vet had prescribed her Panacur. She seemed to do well on it, and I haven’t seen any worms since (until about a week-ish ago). I gave it to her once a day for 7 days, stopped for 2 weeks, then gave it to her again for 7 days – as per my vet’s instructions.

I have a new vet now, and her worms have come back. This doctor gave me Fenbendazole — and from as far as I can tell, that is roughly the same thing as Panacur?

I’m just very confused because he has only given me 2 doses of this medicine. One to give now, and one again in 10 days from now. It’s 150mg/ml and he’s given me 0.1ml in each syringe/dose. She is a 2.8 lb rabbit.

Does this dosing seem right to you guys? It’s strange to me that I’m only to give it to her twice, whereas with the Panacur it was for a week straight, then another week straight after waiting 2 weeks in-between; it’s strange to me given that it looks to be the same drug and the dosing is so different..?

Does anyone know much about this medicine?

Thank you!! 

[Azerane]

According to medi rabbit that dosage sounds about right, even a little less than recommended. 20mg per kg (2.2 pounds to a kg) repeated after 0-14 days.

Waffuls is just over 1kg and you’ve been given 15mg dose. So a bit less than suggested but should hopefully still be plenty.

Here’s the link http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Parasitic_diseases/Pass/Pass_en.htm

[Bunnisox]

Update: I talked to my vet and he said it was a higher concentrated dose. I have it to her yesterday morning, she was okay until early this morning. She is not eating anything, she isn’t pooping, and she is pressing her belly against the ground. She is clearly in pain and grinding her teeth.

My vet isn’t open today, and I’ve called around and there isn’t anyone who can see her. I’m freaking out. I think it might be a blockage? That’s something that can happen after taking this stuff, right? From all the worms? I don’t know of any other side effects. My vet said there wasn’t any. I read somewhere about organ failure, kidney or liver? I can’t remember at the moment. She’s not drinking anything, either. She won’t eat her favorite treats or foods. She’s hiding in a box and won’t come out…

I don’t know what to do. I have gut motility meds, but if its a blockage I don’t want to do that.

Im so scared and crying, and I want a vet to see her but I’ve called all of them around here (unfortunately there are only about 4 rabbit “savvy” vets) and they’re either closed or they say they are booked up, even after I explain it’s an emergency!

Can anyone give me any advice or recommendation on what they would do in this situation? Please?!

[Bam]

I’d start with simethicone baby gas drops and see if that helps. 1-0.5 ml per hour for three hours, if it hasn’t helped by then it’s likely not going to.

Fenbendazole can give GI side effects. The internal organs and bone marrow effects are seen with long term use, not single dosing. It’s regarded as a very safe dewormer.

For a blockage to form from dead worms I would imagine the infestation has to be really heavy. That doesn’t seem very likely in your case. She’s not been living feral for a longer period of time etc. But I’ll have to look that up, because I don’t know enough about it.

[Bunnisox]

I found an emergency vet! They are really far from me, but they said they could help. I’m there now. There had her in the back for 2 hours, now. The vet said it should not have been given in such a high concentrated amount and should have been spaced out over the course of a week, like before. She said it probably caused GI upset. They couldn’t feel any blockages, but I asked them to do an xray just to make 100% sure. Then they are wanting to do pain meds and a slight gut motility drug and critucal care, fluids, and probiotic.

Does this sound like the proper course of action for treatment? >.<

I’m just starting to lose faith in the vets around here.

[Azerane]

It sounds like they’re covering all the bases and the treatment sounds right to me. I’m glad you were able to get into a vet. Is there a blockage on the x-ray?

[Bam]

I’m so glad you found a vet! The treatment protocol sounds correct.

[LittlePuffyTail]

That all sounds right to me too. (((((Healing Vibes)))))

[Bunnisox]

There were no blockages! *whew*

She came home with me about 4 hours later, full of fluids, vitamin B, and pain medication. They said to hold off on the motility drugs unless she doesn’t start eating/pooping in the next few hours – which she did, thankfully. They gave me metacam and a “stomach lining protector” drug to go with it, in case she had a reaction to it, and they said to give it to her once a day, if she needed it. I have bene-bac that I’ve given her, as well; along with vitamin B supplements and some gut-friendly herbs like plantain, slippery elm, and licorice.

I stayed up with her late last night and she was eating and pooping quite a bit. She was doing the same this morning — I think she was up all night, I left her out to run and didn’t lock her up in her condo/front yard area. But now for the past 5-6 hours she has just been laying in her bunny condo bed and not wanting to move around. I’m wondering if she’s just tired from being up all night? Or if she could be in pain and I should give her the medicine. I don’t want to wait too long and have things get worse. She is eating, slightly – but not anywhere near what she was yesterday or early this morning. The metacam they gave to her yesterday morning around 11:00am-ish, so it would have worn off well by now.

Any suggestions on if I should give her the pain meds or not at this point? >.<

[Bam]

If you have more of the stomach lining protector (ranitidine?), I’d give that plus the Metacam. Metacam can be a bit rough on the stomach, so in your situation, the stomach lining protector is the safest combo.

[Author]

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