Worms!!!

[Rachel Anne]

Ernie has been so happy and fine. He binkies and zooms every day and when he naps he lies like a dog flopped on the floor . But today I found a stinky wet poo with little white thread WORMS wriggling in it! He’s still eating and pooping and drinking, but the vet is out of town until the 28th. Will he be okay as long as he keeps eating and pooping or should I try to find another vet to take him to ASAP?

[Sarita]

I think that would be fine however if there is another vet in the clinic they could certainly diagnose worms and possibly treat – doesn’t hurt to find out.

[Beka27]

I agree that if there’s another vet (not a rabbit specialist) he/she should still be able to help you. This isn’t a major thing (just kinda gross), but definitely something to get checked out as soon as you can.

In the meantime, keep the litter box very clean.

[BlueMoods]

I agree, jnot an emergency as long as the rabbit is otherwise fine but, you do need to get it taken care of ASAP.

[Megabunny]

Where do these worms come from in rabbits? Isn’t it pretty unusual?? Just wondering

[JackRabbit]

This may be a dumb question, but how does a bunny get worms?

[JackRabbit]

Sorry, didn’t see that Megabunny had asked a similar question.  I know dogs can get worms from eating stuff outside, but if a bunny is exclusively an indoor bunny and only around it’s humans and bun family, can it get worms?

[Deleted User]

Me too MB and JR! And I ‘heard’ that fleas and worms are associated? Is that true too?

[manic_muncher]

Puppies and kittens are many times born with roundworms (looks like spaghetti), which is why we worm them as babies. Perhaps he was born with them?

[manic_muncher]

Fleas are associated with tapeworms. The fleas eat on the tapeworm segments (which have eggs inside), the animal bites at the fleas and ingests them, the worms hatch inside and grow new tapeworms.

[BlueMoods]

Worms are very common here, Let my rabbits graze in the yard for a day and, I have to worm them all, the eggs are in the dirt here and, of course the rabbit picks them up grazing and, grooming after being outside. I do use Ivemectrin but, since I’m not a vet, I can’t suggest anyone else try to worm rabbits without consulting a vet.

Never give a rabbit medicine without asking a vet for the proper dose and to be sure that med. is safe for your rabbit.

[Sarita]

Yes, grazing in the grass and sometimes it’s just poor living conditions can cause worms – probably not the cause but can contribute. Pretty much why I would never let my rabbits outside – that and cuterebra which is botfly – had a friend who used to let her rabbit out in her yard and she got a botfly – nasty thing it was and it almost killed her. Luckily the vet discovered the botfly and after much treatment she recovered.

[Roberta]

I believe Revolution Puppy and Kitten also treats worms.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Manic! Hubby thought I was being silly for fleaing the dogs and worming them at the same time – but I was sure I heard that they were associated. And I did use ‘Revolution’ on Henry but didn’t realise it treated worms as well – thanks Roberta! All done here! Lol…..

[Bam]

Pinworms in rabbits can be treated with fenbendazole. There is a deworming-paste called Panacur Rabbit.

Worms are not common in indoors rabbits, but it can happen. Outdoors rabbits should be dewormed at least once per season.

[Rachel Anne]

Yes I was wondering how Ernie got worms since he has good living conditions and is only an indoor bunny. I wonder if he had them from when we brought him home and this is just the first time I’ve seen it.

[Sarita]

Yes, that is most likely where the worms are from.

[Sarita]

I would make sure the vet does a fecal test when you take him in for an exam and let them know you have already seen worms and check for coccidia as well.

[Bam]

In Sweden there’s an inexpensive “check-for-worms-kit” available at pharmacists, that allows you to take a fecal sample and send in to a lab that identifies if there are worms and what kind they are, if there are. I don’t know if you have that in your country but it seems likely seeing that the US is generally a fore-runner in all matters medicinal.

This has become very popular with dog- and cat- and horse-owners, because it’s cheaper than a vet appointment but it does the same thing and the medicine, if the pet has worms, is over the counter.

Panacur also takes care of Encephalitozoon cuniculi, another intestinal parasite that’s much more dangerous than pinworms.

This is just a tip for self-management of simple stuff, pinworms in pets are simple, everyday stuff. Coccidosis of course isn’t. If the bunbun seems ill you need to see a vet, but I’m sure you realize that, just saying it in case sb else reads it.

Good luck!

[Megabunny]

First dandelions, now do-it-yourself (almost) worm kits, although even if we did that ourselves (don’t think we have that here), I wonder if the vet would accept those results and just dispense meds for the animals anyway? Sweden has EVERYTHING! It was 9 degrees F on my way to work this morning and only 13 on my way home. I canNOT believe it’s almost March. Mother Nature is really pushing it this year. But better than the folks out west going through a drought!

[Rachel Anne]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and advice! I was already planning on taking him to the vet anyway, so I’ll let you know what the doc says. Haven’t seen any since that first incident but I’m keeping my eyes apprehensively peeled.

[Bam]

Megabunny, the worm-tests available at pharmacies are reliable according to my vet. But almost all deworming medications are over-the-counter here so you’d not need a vet for that, not unless the animal has contracted a persistent case of resistant worms.

Rachel Anne, best of luck! Your bunny looks super-cute on your avatar!

[Author]

Messages