worming rabbits

[Bugzy4Lady]

:?:
Wondering what everyones policy is regarding worming rabbits. Do you worm them on a regular basis? If so how often and with what? Been reading alot of different opinions on this and was curious what every else on this site does.

 

[MaggieJ]

I've never wormed my rabbits and have never had a problem. I understand that a lot depends on location and that many rabbit people further south feel that they must worm their rabbits routinely to keep the parasite load down.

A lot depends on your own policies too. I have a closed herd and intend to keep it that way. It eliminates a lot of health risks.

 

[akane]

If they are individually caged they generally don't need dewormed although it does happen occasionally. I suppose wildlife would have to be present leaving waste around and on the cages like birds sitting on them but I've only heard of a few cases of caged rabbits with parasite problems. Colony and especially outdoor rabbits on the ground might need dewormed but it depends on many factors.

 

[Bugzy4Lady]

I have recently brought in 6 new NZ whites, I am wondering if I should worm them. Not so worried about my existing stock just wondering if I should worm the new ones. Also should I avoid worming any expecting does?
Thanks
Bugzy

 

[fuzzy9]

I have recently brought in 6 new NZ whites, I am wondering if I should worm them. Not so worried about my existing stock just wondering if I should worm the new ones. Also should I avoid worming any expecting does?
Thanks
Bugzy

As with any other situation, this is JMHO, and I am not a vet, but I did just go through this myself so I thought I'd share my experience. What works for one, may not work for another, so take it as you wish.

My feeling about worming the incoming new.........YES! We used to worm every new incoming during quarantine, and then for some reason stopped, or got to busy, and forgot. BIG mistake! Our herd was great, and then some incoming new rabbits brought in worms. That's my vets feeling as to where it came from anyway.

Fine, so we dealt with it, and wormed everyone, even our expectant does, and they were fine. We were using liquid Panacur though, it seems to be very mild, more so than Ivermectin. We wormed 2 doses, 14 days apart, based on a dosage per weight given by my vet. I did a random fecal on my breeders 1 1/2 weeks ago, and it came back clear, so my breeders seem to be doing, and looking back to normal.

Let me add though, I made a big mistake. I thought that any unborn kits would be fine, and get what they needed to get rid of any parasites from their mom who had been wormed. It hasn't worked that way. All my litters of kits now all need to be wormed, as we are finding the same messy poopy bottoms on them all, as my breeders had before we wormed, so we are going to go through and worm all the kits now as well.

I do have a question for others out there though. Do you think the residual on my breeders is long enough, that I wouldn't have to worm them again? Or should we worm them also just to be safe, and avoid any unwanted "vicious cycle", and having to start all over down the road? Last worming for them was late January. I ask because my feeling is even with the fecal I had done, can I really feel comfortable they are clear, or was there just nothing in the particular sample I gathered from the litter pan that day?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I haven't wormed any of my rabbits, but I do feed them diatomaceous earth so hopefully that is doing the job.

can I really feel comfortable they are clear, or was there just nothing in the particular sample I gathered from the litter pan that day?

My barncats had diarrhea one year, and it took 3 attempts before they found Giardia in the sample. If the worms are not laying eggs or themselves passing in the stool the possibility is high that you got a false negative result. It is probably cheaper to skip the fecal exam and just worm them all again, unless you have a really huge herd. I used the Panacur horse wormer (paste) on the cats and figured out the dosage myself, because the small animal meds are so much more expensive.

 

[ottersatin]

In my opinion,
one should do whatever it is that makes them feel most secure and happy.
I choose to treat only when I see a reason to, and know exactly why and what I'm treating.
Ottersatin. :shuriken:

 

[fuzzy9]

I think we are just going to worm everyone again. Just to be sure.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

many worms will cross the placental barrier, and certain stages are immune to worming-- that is why there needs to be repeats of some medications dosages timed to the reproductive cycles of the particular parasite.

 

[Bugzy4Lady]

Thanks everyone for your words of advice, I am planning on worming the new ones that I currently have in quarantine. Any advice which one you prefer, Ivermectin or Panacur?

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Panacur is gentler. I fund Ivermectin to be better at getting more of the parasites, plus, if kept on hand, is used for other types of ectoparasites, as well. I have had issues with purchased rabbits that were treated, routinely - as in monthly, with ivermectin-the does would not reproduce, produced small litters, etc...