Question regarding EC

[Rookie]

As some of you may already know I am currently bunny-less. However i am currently exploring the options of a new bunny.

It is not conclusive but it could be that rookie may have had EC in the end. The vet had her suspicions but i didn’t agree to the test to be done to confirm or deny said suspicion.

I know some bunnies can have EC never show symptoms. My question is how does EC spread and how can I prevent it? So basically I would be using the bunny items I already have for the potential new bun. But want to make sure that if rookie did indeed have it then the new bun doesn’t accidentally get it.

Would a mass clean of said items be in order?

Suggestions and ideas please.

[Luna]

It spreads through spores in a bun’s urine, consequently anything the urine with spores in it touches will get contaminated. I’m not sure how long it stays in the environment.

[LBJ10]

It can stay dormant in the environment for a long time, even surviving freeze cycles. The spores are shed in their urine. Anything exposed to urine containing the spores is potentially contaminated. Also, the spores can become airborne when the urine dries and dust/debris particles start floating around. There is also some evidence that EC can be transmitted directly from mother to offspring, so baby rabbits can already be exposed before they are born.

[Luna]

Does anyone know if there is a way to decontaminate potentially contaminated areas, like a cage or a room?

[LBJ10]

FYI – My post wasn’t meant to scare anyone. Under dry conditions, spores can survive a month (I think). Cool, moist conditions are more favorable for dormancy. If conditions are dry, the spores will eventually die off. And bleach kills the spores as well, so you can cleab the cage and toys with that. It’s important to note though that all of this information only applies IF Rookie was actually shedding spores.

[vanessa]

Bleach Bleach Bleach. I agree with LBJ10. And the only way to know for certain if he was exposed would have been to do the blood test. But that wouldn’t necessarily mean he was shedding spores. If he was indeed an active EC bunny (clinical symptoms and shedding), that could only have been proven with a brain tissue biopsy. A positive blood test only puts him in the same category as 80% of all bunnies with EC exposure. Of those 80%, about 7% develop clinical symptoms. And only a brain tissue biopsy can actually prove that the EC parasite is what was causing the clinical symptoms. So at this point, there is no way of knowing.
It wouldn’t hurt to bleach everything non-porous, and wash bedding/fabric in hot water and bleach.

[LBJ10]

Yep, I think using bleach on non-porous things and washing soft things should be fine. I’d throw out any hay or willow toys, simply because you can’t wash those. All of this is really just a precaution since you don’t know if he really had EC or not and, even if he did, there’s a good chance he wasn’t shedding spores anyway. Plus, a new bunny could very well have already been exposed.

[Bam]

Bleech is good, there’s also a stable-disinfectant called Virkon that kills bacteria, virus and many fungi (e cuniculi is nowadays classified as a type of fungus). It has no smell and it’s bunny safe, and can be used on surfaces that bleach would harm. It’s a powder that you mix with water, you clean away dirst first, then spray on the Virkon and let it dry.

[Rookie]

I don’t know if Rookie had it or not. The vet said after that it could have been a possibility but to confirm she would have to to do the biopsy which I said no to. She too said she had to offer the test but didn’t have to recommend it.
So now I just want to make sure I start off well and do the max to make it as safe as possible

[Bam]

I’d just do thorough cleaning. As Vanessa says, lots of buns carry EC, few get sick.

[Author]

Messages