Does having seizures and sudden death

[tonyshuman]

Hi, any news? You may have seen this post by Peg in the Rabbitry about an outbreak of VHD in Minnesota recently:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=57289&forum_id=8

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

Nope, we haven't gotten any news yet. After reading that link, I'm very much hoping that it isn't VHD, because it would just tear me apart to have to euthanize the rest of my herd. Thankfully, all of our other rabbits are doing very well right now. So if it turns out not beingVHD, that would be the good news, the bad news is trying to find out what else could've caused it:?

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Have these two does been to a show together recently?

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

No, in fact neither of them have ever been to a show. The older one has always been a brood doe (her earswere too big to be of show quality) and the younger one I was waiting untill she was just a little older to get to the show.

 

[jujub793]

could it be toxoplasmosis?

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

That is what I initially thought, but I don't see how our rabbits could have gotten it. We are extremely consistent with disinfecting our rabbitry and we don't allow any of our other animals (the dogs and cats) in there unless we are present to keep an eye on them.

Are rabbits are allowed supervised time outside every day in some runs that we've built, and they're cleaned out weekly as well.

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

Well, results came it.

Turns out, that is was Toxoplasmosis after all.

We spoke with our vet about how it could've possibly gotten to the rabbits. And after some contemplations, we concluded that the most plossible way was that a stray cat (or some other animal)carrying the parasite had gotten into the rabbit's run outside and deficated there (unoticed to our eyes)where the does must have ingested it some how.


We're going to see if we can get the rest of our herd tested for it. For the time being, they all seem to be doing fine.

Does anyone know if there is a treatment for Toxoplasmosis? I haven't found or heard of any

 

[tonyshuman]

Well, I am glad it wasn't VHD. I did find this reference to treating toxoplasmosis in rabbits with pyrimethamine, but I would be more likely to think fenbendazole or ponazuril might be other options.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.htm

You may want to check the references at the bottom of the page to read the original study of using that drug to treat toxoplasmosis.

 

[tonyshuman]

Mkay, I found this article that says pyrimethamine doesn't treat it, but the article is very old (1956).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1509661/pdf/bripharmchem00142-0058.pdf

 

[jujub793]

i think that is what my rabbit died from also but i will never know for sure since i couldn't afford to pay for the testing. but i think she came with it from the breeder. i saw cats in her barn where the rabbitry was and they were obviously outdoor barn cats...

 

[pamnock]

Treatment info:

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Toxoplasmosis.htm

 

[tonyshuman]

It is sad that this happened, but it will certainly stay in my mind that seizures and suddenly dying could be toxoplasmosis, especially if cats are around. It's a good thing to keep in mind for the future.

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

I want to thank everyone for all of their concerns and advice. All of the information provided has opened the door for the possibility of treatment if in the case the rest of our rabbits come out positive for this.

I am glad that we figured out what it was, and thankfully it wasn't VHD.

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Oreo330]

All three of my rabbits died of sudden seizures with no sighn of illness . I think the same thing might have happened to you. The only sighn I had noticed with my rabbits was that they all seemed to zone own easily acouple days before there death .

 

[mrplodd]

This happened to me, but my two does we’re in separate runs from each other Each with a neutered buck with them. I fed them all in the morning and they were fine went out and my doe was having a fit and died, the next morning the exact same thing happened with my other doe but before I fed them and both bucks were fine, then two days later my next door neighbours doe had a fit and died. I have been searching to see what it could be as I can’t afford to get a post-mortem, but now reading this and knowing my neighbour has 4 cats that I do see quite a lot in my garden I think this could be the cause, but not sure why it would just harm the does and not the bucks.

 

[Tar0]

Do you feed the rabbit hay from local farms? some hay from local farms could have come in contact with other animals and could be carrying some sort of contaminant. I'm sorry this happened to your rabbit. [emoji22]

 

[Cookiemonster]

So sorry about your losses... hopefully all goes well in the future... my bun went paralyzed so sudden and it was traumatizing on her and myself..