Worms

[Cocoa]

When I put my bunnies in their pen this morning, I saw a worm crawling on Lily. It was black or grey. It was half way up her back and sticking straight out like it was trying to burrow into her skin. I caught her and looked for it but I couldn’t find it. Could this be the reason she has been losing weight? What is it? Do I need to separate them

[Harley&Thumper]

It might be fly strike. However that is normally down below and not on their backs. If she has worms inside of her that could explain the lost weight and lethargy.

[Cocoa]

Would a vet be able to see that by looking at her poop under a microscope

[Harley&Thumper]

I think you would need an X-ray to know for sure.

[Cocoa]

oh. Do you have an idea of how much that would cost?

[Harley&Thumper]

I imagine it varies from vet to vet but I will ask my friend who is a vet assistant.

[Harley&Thumper]

an X-ray is $70 where my friend works.

[tobyluv]

One of my past bunnies had worms – tapeworms. She was found in our neighborhood and had obviously been eating vegetation where other animals had used the bathroom. I could see some worms in her poop. I didn’t see them at first, and the first samples I took to the vet didn’t have any worms, but I could see them later. There weren’t worms in every dropping, so don’t think Cocoa is free of worms if you don’t see them right away. If you examine Cocoa’s poop and don’t mind pulling the droppings apart to really get a good look, you should be able to see worms if she has them. Be sure to check several poops at different times.

[Cocoa]

What was the total cost for her treatment tobyluv? Did she survive? Im surprised an x ray is so cheap

[tobyluv]

This was several years ago, so I don’t remember the cost, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t expensive. To rid her of tapeworms, she got 1 injection of Droncit (Praziquantel). She definitely survived and lived for many years.

For other kinds of worms, there would be different treatments.

[BinkyBunny]

Black or grey worm? Hmmm. It doesn’t sound like a tape worm, as I think of those as lighter in color. Tobyluv, what color was the tape worms you found on your bunny?
Cocoa – it could possibly be a bot fly. Hard to know without a picture. Here is a link for more info about bot flies. While they may start out whitish, they definitely turn dark as they develop. http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Cuterebra/Miyasis_botfly.htm It’s gross, but scroll down on the page and see if it looks anything like what you saw.

[tobyluv]

The tapeworms that my bunny had were a lighter color. Definitely not black, they were more of an off white, or could have been a very light grey. I don’t remember the exact color since it’s been a good while, but the worms were a light color and a flat shape – like a piece of tape or ribbon.  I don’t remember seeing the worms crawling on her body.  I only remember them being in her droppings, so that really doesn’t seem like whatever was crawling on Cocoa’s back.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree with BB. Sounds like a botfly issue. I have seen pictures of bunnies with flystrike where the larvae is on their back, neck or side. It’s not always on their bum. If it is botflies, she needs a vet asap.

[LBJ10]

How big was this worm exactly? I’m doubting it was a tapeworm or other intestinal parasite if you saw it crawling up your bunny’s back. Did you thoroughly examine your bunny to see if there was any evidence that something had burrowed into the skin?

[TheDuchess]

I think regardless of the color/size and tapeworm/bot fly debate, you should get her to a vet ASAP if you notice an unusual organism on a bun (especially given her symptom of weight loss).

Good luck!

[Cocoa]

I will be taking her to a new vet. She has some ant bites on her stomach. Half are healed but the rest look infected. I saw another worm today. it was very tiny, it was a tanish color. The gray one was about 3/4 an inch.

[Q8bunny]

Definitely vet asap. Flystrike of any kind is lethal if not countered as quickly as possible. And even if tummy worms, a dewormer never hurts

[Asriel and Bombur]

I know this has been talked dead in other threads, BUT, maybe it’s a good time to talk to your parents about reconsidering them being indoor buns instead of outdoor buns. Like these issues could theoretically keep happening as outdoor buns. Now that they’re bonded, perhaps you can make a case for them living in your room free ranged or even in an x-pen

[Q8bunny]

If anything, indoor buns potentially save money by reducing scared trips to the vet to check on parasites, heatstroke, animal attacks, etc etc
Just trying to give you verbal ammo – always good to “sell” one’s case.

[Cocoa]

It isn’t possible for them to be indoors. Someday I will ask again when I no longer have a cat that lives in my room. I don’t want to ask right now because then they will be more annoyed with having to take them to the vet and me spending all my money on them. Lily is starting to be as eager for food as she used to be. She is still going to the vet but she does have a good appetite. Those of you who follow me on Instagram have seen her obsession with my basil plant. She will do anything to get to that plant.

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