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Cataracts/incontinence/weak back end. Is this E. Cuniculi?

22 10:09:54

Question
QUESTION: We got a 4yr old female, who we gradually realised had cataracts. She's freeroam indoors. A year later she started urinating wherever she happened to be on the carpet, rather than the hay trays, and has also become progressively weak in her back legs, so that her hips won't be off the ground as she gets about, the legs to one side sometimes - though some days she's better than others.
I've just read about EC - and these can all be put at its door.  She's quite underweight but enjoys her food, and is very affectionate.
I wondered what you would make of this? She's on Metacam for what the vet assumed was arthritis in her back.
If it is EC, can her condition improve with treatment?

ANSWER: Dear Dinah,

You're right. The combination of signs is a big red flag for E. cuniculi (though the cataracts caused by this parasite are highly characteristic, and not typical of other types of cataracts; a good veterinary ophthalmologist with rabbit experience would be able to examine the eyes and tell you if the lesions are like those caused by E. cuniculi).

Treatment chosen by most rabbit-savvy vets these days is Panacur (20mg/kg once per day for 30 days).  Whether the bunny's condition will improve is not possible to predict, but it can happen.  Treatment usually *does* help arrest progression of the signs, though, and for this reason alone I would want to try it if this were my bun.

You can find a rabbit savvy vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm in the UK and the 'Panacur Rabbit' oral paste supplied here comes as a nine-day treatment package. I am going to follow the USA's practice and get another tube to take it to 30 days treatment in all, as I think the USA is ahead of us in the treating of pet rabbits.  I wonder why the UK sets it at just 9 days.

But I will also give a 9-day course to our other two rabbits, who share the same freeroam indoors, who as yet show no symptons, as a precaution.

I will let you know the outcome.  Thank you so much.  

Answer
Dear Dinah,

It would not hurt to give a full 30 day course to both rabbits, if you suspect they might have the parasite.  It is not yet certain that Panacur always kills them, but we've seen no adverse reactions to the fenbendazole in our bunnies, despite 30 day treatments.

I don't suggest you go against the prescription of your vet.  But you might want to ask about this.

Good luck!

Dana