Frontline = very bad idea

[Spazydoo]

I feel so stupid. I bought a bunny and took him home a couple weeks ago. I found that my cat had fleas a few days ago. I was surprised because he is an indoor cat. So I bought frontline for my cat and used it on him.. I started searching the bunny for fleas and found a couple so I went online and found a site that told me to use frontline on the bunny but in small amounts. So being the idiot that I am I went ahead and put it on him. I thought I was doing the right thing. I was very wrong!!!! I noticed almost immediately he stopped eating and pooping.. I then started researching frontline more and found out just how bad it is for bunnies! I took him in to the vet and they told me to wash him with dawn dish soap to get the rest of the frontline off him. So I did and he seemed to be improving.. He started eating a little that night. The next morning I noticed he wasnt eating anymore and he still hasnt pooped. So I picked him up and then in my arms he had his first seizure that I am aware of. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen. I took him back to the vet immediately and he has been there since yesterday afternoon.. they have him hooked up to all these tubes and are feeding him and he has a collar on to prevent him from chewing through the tubes.. He had another seizure yesterday and a mild one thismorning.. I just got back from visiting him and during my visit he had another seizure!! They tell me they think he will be ok. but I am so afraid. I know this is entirely my fault for not reading the packaging and doing more research before I went ahead and did the first thing that I read! I feel like a terrible person for this. I didnt mean to hurt him but my actions caused this. I will never forgive myself if he dies!

 

[Imbrium]

I'm so sorry you're going through all that! I hope he recovers quickly so you can stop beating yourself up for the mistake!

 

[LakeCondo]

I;m so sorry. I hope you will go to the site that said it was OK & tell them what happened, so no one else follows their advice.

 

[Spazydoo]

I just talked to the vet and they said he is doing well.. He is eating and he has had no seizures since the last one yesterday around 1pm est.. I am on my way to see him. I'll let you all know his condition when I can.. And yes I will definately let them know on that site what I have learned from all this..

 

[MiniLopHop]

I'm sorry your bun is having a hard time. What a relief he is starting to feel better ray:

 

[CharmmyBunny]

im so sorry i had an epileptic bunny and i know how scary bunny seziures are im very sorry you had to go through this. i hope your bun makes it through. i have used a flea treatment on my bun advantage my vet had me and my bun in the office noticed a few fleas (i have a cat too) and he weighed her and everything and told me exactly how much to put on her. im glad you found this place though full of nice people and a support sysytem everyone here has great advise and is willing to help you out with questions! -hug- i hope everything turns out well please keep us informed!

 

[whitelop]

What did you look at first that said it was okay to put Frontline on rabbits?
I was glad to see that when I looked on the Frontline website it said clearly to not use it on rabbits.

Don't beat yourself up, it was an easy mistake to make. I hope your rabbit is okay!

 

[Spazydoo]

I have been searching for the site that I read to use the frontline but I can not seem to get there anymore. I even went into my brousing history and clicked the link and it doesnt go there. Maybe it has been taken down. I hope so.

 

[whitelop]

I hope that it has been taken down too.
How is your bun doing?

 

[Spazydoo]

I am on my way to see him now. He had 2 seizures that I know of yesterday. They still got him hooked up to an IV giving him fluids and force feeding him.. But he is eating some on his own. I am hopeful and the vet seems to be optimistic. I have to go to work after I see Tazzy so I'll let you know tomorrow how he is doing. I know it probably wont do any good but I am going to write a letter to the makers of frontline asking them to put a warning on the front of the box as well as the insert..I know its not their fault but maybe if they put something on the front of the box it might keep other people from making the same mistake.

 

[Imbrium]

sounds like a great idea, since isn't frontline sold OTC now in the pet section of stores? ironically, the safe med to use on rabbits, revolution, has to come from the vet still.

 

[Sweetie]

Spazydoo: is this the site:

http://rabbit-flea-treatment.blogspot.com/2012/06/merial-frontline-plus-flea-along-with.html

I found it to not tell people that frontline is unsafe for rabbits. I jsut skimmed through it but is this the site that you found?

Just learn from your mistakes, everyone makes mistakes. I hope that your rabbit will be okay.

 

[ValK]

Interesting, the wording on the Sacramento House Rabbit Society's page would give you the impression that Frontline is okay, but Advantage is tried & true, plus easier to administer:
http://www.allearssac.org/fleas.html

 

[cwolfec]

I hope your bun is completely healed and back to his normal self SOON! Hopefully the IV will flush his system out.

It was an honest mistake. I hope everything works out!

 

[Spazydoo]

I went to see my baby bunny around 1pm yesterday and at that time he had already had 10 seizures that they know of. He had another while I was visiting. It is breaking my heart. I miss having him here so much. My cat and bunny quickly became best buds when I introduced them. My cat misses him too. He will go over to the bunnys cage and look up at me and meow. I have seen 3 of his seizures so far and I can only pray that they will stop. The vet is keeping him fed and are still flushing out his system. But they are not as optimistic anymore. I am going to go see him in a little bit. I hope to hear some better news. wish me luck.

 

[Spazydoo]

Sweetie and Valk, I am not sure if those are the sites I got my bad info from. Over the last few days I have probably looked at 100's of sites. Its all a blur to me now. I am just trying to think of what I can do to help make sure other people dont make the same mistake.

 

[Spazydoo]

I just got back from the vet and I have some good news to report. They put him on a low dose of Valium and he has had no seizures at all today. He was very active and alert during my visit. He ate a bunch of pellets and pooped a little while I was with him today. They still have him on the IV and he chewed the line so they had to take him back and fix it. But I am so happy that we are having a good day. They are going to stop the Valium tomorrow and see how Tazzy reacts. Hopefully no more seizures. yay for da bunny bunn bunnzzz..

 

[Imbrium]

that's so good to hear!

 

[missyscove]

I'm so glad he's improving.
Just to have the information out there, the Frontline packaging now states specifically not to use on rabbits. Revolution is my personal favorite treatment for fleas in rabbits and yes it must come from the vet with a prescription. The reason for that is that selamectin (the parasiticide in revolution) can also kill heartworms and therefore should not be given to dogs that have not tested heartworm negative.

 

[Spazydoo]

I left the vet around noon yesterday and they were taking him back to change his IV line that he chewed. At that time he had no seizures all day. I got more good news. Around 5:15 when the vet left a message on my phone saying that they changed his line and took him off the Valium and he ate well and was being very active. I was all smiles at work last night!! I am expecting a call from the vet in about an hour so ill post again and let you all know what they had to say.