ME update

[currycomb]

the ones we had recovered just fine, just give them time to put their weight back on, breed when cooler. good luck, sounds like you may have turned the corner, but don't get complacient

 

[cereshill]

I think we are getting past this---what a learning curve... Pureed pumpkin, mylocon and test tube water works---you can feel the blockage in some of them. I think the emzymes in the pumpkin must help break it up. I guess that is why papaya and pineapple work too. May be good to have some juice cans around.

 

[Anntann]

There are papaya tablets available that many angora breeders give their buns as a preventative for woolblock. I wonder if that wouldn't be a good thing to stock in the medicine cabinet. Single dose already prepared in an easy storable form. I think they're available at the bigger pet stores. And online, of course.

 

[Miss M]

I'm so glad to hear that you're getting past this, CH! What a time you've had!

 

[cereshill]

Yes, I am most proud of saving Cali; she is really turning the corner. Eating drinking adn very friendly now---she is able to nurse and the surviving 8 will likely make it. I hope others find this helpful; it will hit many of you and being prepared with a plan can save your buns (sorry for the pun).

 

[chinbunny1]

This isn't a virus or a weakness issue. I thought it was too, when I went through this last year. More then likely its your feed. Take them off of it and feed them nothing but alfalfa hay for a couple of weeks. Get them some nice stemmy stuff. If they improve and you don't see any more deaths during that time, then its your pellets causing it. If the pellets are corn based, get them off of them and get them on something else that isn't. When we had issues last year there were corn toxins found in some of the feeds. It was causing e coli and all kinds of nasty stuff. Also get these rabbits on some acid pak 4 way pro bios. Some of the rabbits that were lost last year dehydrated themselves to death, while others suffered from bloat. All the problems went away when I switched to a non corn based feed. It was purina rabbit chowe at the time. Don't feed that one though, because they changed the formula and its corn based now. Go with the show or fiber 3. other brands we had issues with were manna pro, kent, and pen pals. they claim they are not corn based. they really are. Its in the grain by products they use.

 

[cereshill]

Chinbunny
I saw your post on yahoo re this; perhaps this is your situation, but I am feeding the same pellets and they seem fine. I do not believe I have found corn in the product listing--I looked. Agreed it isn't a virus or weakness--Currycomb and I have exchanged numerous emails and advice. Stress seems to be the culprit here.

Thank you

 

[MaggieJ]

Stress from what, CH? Rabbits can get stressed from the darnedest things... so it helps us all if you can pinpoint what the stressor was.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

I am confused, did the rabbits have Mucoid Enteritis OR a blockage/ gut stasis?
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Differential/mega_differential.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Differential/generalities_ileus.htm
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.pdf

There seem to be a lot of causes for all of this but what seems to be consistent over all of the different causes is coccidiosis and other parasites.Next seems to be some sort of stressor and it seems to me that heavy parasite loads ARE a stressor. This is very hard to control in a colony/living on the ground situation. Its very hard to run a meat herd this way because of the meds needed to control all this. One doesn't really want them in the meat or to wait untill they are cleared from the system.If you have a meat colony on the ground its best to close the herd entirely and then make sure all parasites are no longer present before starting a breeding program.E-coli can be carried by humans into the group as well so not allowing other people into the rabbitry and a good cleaning with bleach solution of all utensils and cages needs to be carried out periodically as well.Toxins in grain do happen as well and are less controllable, however we have found a pellet feed that has put a natural toxin control into it. we use Floradale pellets and fingers crossed seems to be working. Good luck!!

 

[cereshill]

Maggie

We had two large parties at our house the prior week. I didnt' reallize some ofour guests went in and picked up some buns. Also, the dog followed and was anxious to "play" with them---something they were not used to...

Next we had ME...

 

[MaggieJ]

Maggie

We had two large parties at our house the prior week. I didnt' reallize some ofour guests went in and picked up some buns. Also, the dog followed and was anxious to "play" with them---something they were not used to...

Next we had ME...

Certainly a possible source of stress if the rabbits are not used to things like that.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Oh my how extremely rude of your guests not to ask first .. sorry that happened! Was it a dog that came with your guests? Rabbits are sometimes fine with resident dogs that they are used to that don't bother them but can easily get on high alert over a strange dog. Rabbits are smart and know the difference. We have problems at fairs and such where people bring their dogs and for some strange reason wish to hold their dogs up to the cage of rabbits, very bizzare behaviour on their part lol. They always get their shorts in a knot when told to get the dog out, they exclaim loudly that their dog is "FRIENDLY!!" The answer to that is "You know, of course, that the rabbits don't know that or believe it!" For future parties I would go to the farm store and get one of those "No Admittance" signs for the rabbits area. They have them for any farm animal op.

 

[cereshill]

it was our dog---he is friendly, but very intrigued by the buns...