I am so discouraged. After 2 months of panacur, EC titer is WORSE.

Hi all,

I've had my 2 year old, Winston on Panacur for two months after an EC diagnosis with the clinical signs being excessive water drinking and peeing. His BUN and creatinine were slightly elevated, so I elected to put him in Panacur. Anyhow, his EC titer went from 1.034, to .6, and now it's shot up again to 1.24!

Has anyone else had this happen? Do you think I should try a run of albendazole? I know it's harder on the liver.

I don't know where to go with this. His vet says to just keep him on the panacur long-term, with 3-6 months checks. Why would I do that if it's not working?

I'm in tears!!!

There is no real cure for e cuniculi, you can't completely eliminate it. Besides about 80% of rabbits would be infected without owners ever knowing it and the tests to detect it aren't really that accurate. So I wouldn't panic if your rabbit doesn't show much symptoms. When panacur doesn't work, it's sometimes associated with toltrazuril with good results. I read they do it quite often in the UK. Maybe you can ask your vet about that?

Blood titers will indicate if there is an active infection and the level of antibodies in the blood, but how are his symptoms? Is he worse, or have new symptoms appeared? Besides the kidneys, EC will attack the nervous system and other major organs. If his symptoms haven't changed, I'd have another titer done in 2 weeks. There are alternate treatments your vet could try if the panacur doesn't seem to be helping.

No, not worse at all. In fact, besides the excessive drinking and peeing (and again, it's just over normal, not alarming), he as asymptomatic.

What worries me is it progressing into his brain, or damaging his kidneys further. I lost a bunny to EC, I can say with all honesty it was the most trying, heartbreaking period of my life, and I'm not spring chicken! Scary neurological symptoms, persistent bladder sludge, too many meds to count along with daily sub-qs. So, to say I'm on red alert is an understatement!

I've made an appointment down in Boston at Angell. We have a good exotics vet, but she really is a country doctor with limited equipment and limited time. The vet there said they have a different test for EC that can sometimes be more telling, she's also going to run kidney values again and depending on the results of those, a CT.

I just want to get my arms wrapped around this before it does any more damage, if at all possible. That may be asking too much, considering the nature of the parasite, but I'm going to try.

He's a very lucky bun to have you- that's for sure!

Thank you RavenousDragon, so sweet of you to say that.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2008/12/Marquis-Ponazuril-dosage.htm


Ponazuril was originally made for the the treatment of an encephalitis like
illness in horses, but has also been used as a tx for EC in rabbits. I have never used it with my bunnies, however, I would ask your vet to look into it .

earlier article by Dana Krempels


http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2008/10/E-cuniculi-Ponazuril.htm

His appointment is down in Boston on Thursday, I'll definitely ask his doctor about Ponazuril.

He and wife-bun, Meadow (and momma!) are going to have a very long day - 4 hours each way.