PLEASE HELP: Rabbit will no longer use litter box causing sores on his feet!!

[Makena123]

<p class=”p1″>About two months ago I woke up one morning and my holland lop rabbit had what looked to be a cataract that popped up on both of his eyes so I kind of just brushed it off and thought well he is 7 years old. At first I was seeing this is quite common from what I read. However, the more I dug into it, I saw that about how fast the spots came about in his eyes it could be the parasite E. Cuniculi. So then I researched more about that parasite and read that it was very common in rabbits and they could live a full lifetime with it. So I brushed it off, until about 3 weeks ago when I noticed he was no longer using his litter box and began peeing everywhere. I do have both my rabbits on a tile floor with a huge gate around it so they can have all the space they need, but this was causing him to walk around in his pee and have it all over him. I’ve continuously cleaned him and his cage up, but it just keeps happening. I was wondering why he wasn’t using his litter box or walking around his cage that we put him in at night. (which both have wire so his poop/pee can fall right into his pellets) It then hit me to check his feet because his pee could be eating at his skin. Sure enough I was right so I immediately did research on what to do and how to treat it. I washed his back feet and bottom with warm water and then towel dried him along with a hair dryer on the cool setting. I put original Neosporin (with no pain reliever) all over his bottom and the sores on his feet. However, I need to figure out a permanent fix. We don’t have good vets in the area for rabbits. If anybody can please help!! </p>

[LBJ10]

I’m sorry your bunny is unwell. I’m not sure what you were reading, but what you stated (i.e. live a full lifetime) is not exactly true. Most bunnies have been exposed to EC at some point. Their immune system will suppress it and the majority will never exhibit any symptoms. So, yes, they can live with EC. A smaller percentage of bunnies will show symptoms of an EC flare. Exactly why this happens is unknown, but for some reason their immune system is unable to fight it off. These bunnies will need treatment to send the EC into remission. Some bunnies will have recurring flares and must be treated more than once. Treatment is Panacur (Fenbendazole), but the dosage and duration are different than if you were using it as a dewormer so it is best to have a vet help you with this. Typical treatment lasts for 28 days.

EC can cause a lot of symptoms, depending on where it is attacking the body. Classic EC is seizures and hind end weakness/paralysis, but this isn’t the case for all bunnies suffering from it. Other symptoms can be the sudden onset of cataracts and incontinence, as you are seeing in your bunny.

[Bam]

Yes, rapidly developing cataracts and incontinence are typical signs of e cuniculi. Treatment consists of 28 days of Panacir (fenbendazole). It’s a slow acting drug and it wont cure the cataracts. The Pancur is often combined with metacam (meloxicam) to alleviate the tissue inflammation caused by the e c.

Some vets will treat on symtoms only, other vets want to have testing done. Ec tests are still not very reliable.

 

[Makena123]

Thank you guys for your help! I have decided to go pick up some pancur to treat him, and continue to t apply Neosporin on his sores until further notice!

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