# e cuniculi in rabbits



## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I had to have Rory put to sleep today - he had e cuniculi and the vet recommended it as the humanest course of action.

The original post on Rainbow Bridge is here:

http://www.petforums.co.uk/rainbow-bridge/97512-rory-rip-my-little-man.html

but i want to just spread awareness of this disease that can so easily be prevented with a wormer available from vets - it cost me £7 for it today to protect my other rabbit and I just WISH i had been aware of it before!

PLEASE, rabbit owners, take a few mins to read about this and make yourself aware of it if you don't already know. It's becoming increasingly common and as a killer too! :frown:

RIP Rory Rory!


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm bumping this because I really believe all rabbit owners need to educate themselves about e-cunulici - it's becoming increasingly common and it's a KILLER if untreated!


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

Im really sorry about your little man, Rory  RIP little one xx and thankyou for spreading awareness of e cuniculi xxx


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks Sarah, I just wish I had known what to look for because I feel so bad that he got to such an advanced stage that he couldnt be saved - this literally happened over the course of 2 days !


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

Zippstar said:


> Thanks Sarah, I just wish I had known what to look for because I feel so bad that he got to such an advanced stage that he couldnt be saved - this literally happened over the course of 2 days !


Thats so sad  i learn more everyday about bunnies. this is a real eye opener for me. dont feel bad it happened so quickly and you took Rory to the vet which is more than some bunny owners would do and you have learnt from it ***hugs***


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

Sarah+Hammies said:


> Thats so sad  i learn more everyday about bunnies. this is a real eye opener for me. dont feel bad it happened so quickly and you took Rory to the vet which is more than some bunny owners would do and you have learnt from it ***hugs***


I know - they can suffer from so many horrible illnesses bless them, it hardly seems fair! Thanks - I know I did the right thing in making that decision because even if we had of tried treatment it was a 45% chance he'd survive and always be weakened, plus if he hadn't survived he would have just suffered for longer ! I miss him though, even though he was an outside bunny we always had cuddles in the mornings when I fed them, and he used to 'talk' to me (rabbit grunting). I'm now frantically watching Rags to make sure she's OK; am very glad I at least have a preventative measure in place for her. The other good thing is that it can't be transmitted to dogs; something I was worried about.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

I just wanted to bump this thread as I'm on somewhat of a crusade to spread awareness of e cuniculi in rabbits - it's such a horrible illness and a killer at that, and yet can be so easily prevented and treated (if caught in time) with treatment that costs around £7-£15 and lasts for a year (a wormer called Panacur).

If all you bunny lovers can help spread the word, I (and Rags, and Rory) will be very very grateful  I do not want Rory to have suffered in vain when this can be so easily treated and prevented if caught in time.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I wish vets were more forceful about getting rabbit owners to worm their rabbits. I would be very easy to just mention it while having vaccinations done. it cost 6.70 at my vets. and I wish pet shops stopped selling rabbits to just anyone.


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## Zippstar (Sep 25, 2008)

emzybabe said:


> I wish vets were more forceful about getting rabbit owners to worm their rabbits. I would be very easy to just mention it while having vaccinations done. it cost 6.70 at my vets. and I wish pet shops stopped selling rabbits to just anyone.


This is the thing; E cuniculi has never even been mentioned to me; I've been in there 3 times in the past 2 weeks alone with my labrador Sparky and not ONCE have they said "you're a rabbit owner, have you wormed them - this is why and hey, it's only £7". No leaflets have ever been sent to me, when they were vaccinated it wasn't mentioned...grr. I mean, even from a mercenary point of view, they would probably make quite a bit of money if they just informed pet owners of it! It's hardly an extortionate amount of money!

On the other note, I completely agree. I won't go on too much about the state Rory was in when I took him from the **** who neglected him but I wish in hindsight I had called the RSPCA for the other pets they have. He was on in a concrete yard, completely lame, covered in his own muck to the extent his white fur was brown and i had to shave his bottom and tail and hind legs to get him clean. He had no sawdust, a little bit of dirty straw and his water bottle was green with algae. Who knows when he had last been fed! He was skin and bone. He never bothered cleaning himself afterwards; I think the habit had long gone. That in part is why I overlooked his urinary incontinence; something I won't forgive myself for, but for him it was 'normal'. His back legs were never right right either; again, this is why I left it longer than I would with Rags because he didn't seem much different ! Pet shops shouldn't sell rabbits really I don't think, if people want them they should contact proper breeders. It's too easy for children to want a cute fluffy bunny for Easter that they soon get bored with !


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