# wormer for rabbits



## boundarybunnyco (Sep 7, 2011)

Hi, I was wondering if rabbits need to be wormed regularly like other livestock. What do you use? Is there a type of Ivermectin for rabbits?


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

I do not believe there are any dewormer products specifically labelled for rabbits. However ivermectin is ivermectin just like most of the other dewormers. No matter what item you are buying the ivermectin is the same. You just have to measure it correctly based on how much is in the product and watch any secondary ingredients. Although I do know a few people who used meat flavored dog meds on rabbits now. I prefer to get the purest form of the med possible so I can mix it with whatever or do what I want with it. 

The reason there are no dewormer products specifically for rabbits is because most are not kept in a way that causes parasite build up. To get more parasites an animal has to eat in an area with it or another animal's feces containing parasite eggs or larvae. The parasites do not multiply within the body. They pass out eggs and larvae, get ingested, grow in to adults, and do it again. A few are transported by insects like dog heartworms and bot fly eggs but I'm not sure any of these impact rabbits. Other livestock graze or eat spilled feed and hay on ground that they poop on. Since rabbits are on wire cages that are generally sterilized on a schedule they have limited contact with their own feces and none with another rabbit. Rabbits in solid floored cages are usually kept pretty clean and often litterbox trained for even easier cleaning. Aside from a few cases I've heard where caged rabbits did end up with a parasite load somehow the only times I'd consider it would be colony setups.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Ivermectin can build up in the rabbit's body and can cause reproductive failure if used too often, or so I hear. I remember a story on here of someone using it monthly on all their rabbits and perfectly good breeders ALL began to either not concieve or have deformed weak litters. I use it very sparingly. I administer a drop in each ear, to get ear mites as well as worm at the same time. Topically, I've heard .2cc per 10lbs, but ivermectin is VERY safe for most animals so overdosing is pretty difficult - it's the continual buildup that needs to be avoided.


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## fatboy (Dec 9, 2011)

How does putting it in their ears deworm them?


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

It mostly targets mites, however, it absorbs into the skin. No different than applying topically along the backbone such as in a pour-on for cattle. 
Rabbits are one of the cleanest meat animals there are because they are in cages off the ground. I have never wormed my rabbits in 20 years.

If you suspect parasites, take a sample to the vet to be checked before you do anything.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

I worm my rabbits in the fall if they need it. I use Ivermectine horse paste. A pea sized dab twice 10 days apart.
I don't give it to pregnant does. I have never seen any lack of fertility from doing it. The Ivermectine takes care of alot more parasites than the Pig Swig does.
I thought I had snuffles, but the Ivermectine cleared up the symptoms my rabbits were having. So Now i think they had lung worms. That was 4 years ago. So now i just treat in the fall and no more problems.
Again I also scrub and rest my cages as much as I can.


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## birdman1 (Oct 3, 2011)

I agree with Squashnut about the yearly worming with the horse paste I do this to my dogs with good results although I havent had to do this to my rabbits. I have 

used pour on Ivermectine for cattle on a rabbit with ear mites a few drops in each ear and it worked well


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I use the horsepaste like Safeguard (fenbendazole), a ball about 1/4 inch dia for small rabbit, 3/8 dia for large rabbit.

Have a good day!


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## boundarybunnyco (Sep 7, 2011)

I gave Sven the pea sized ivermectin dose today. he was eating hay this afternoon. I'm hoping that catching it early helped. I'll dose him again in a week and see how he does.


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## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

Piperazine has always been the preferred choice for worming rabbits. I've never had to worm my rabbits, so I guess I really don't know if it works better than the Ivermectin or not.

Pat Lamar


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

I'm curious where are your rabbits getting worms from?


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

Wild rodents and birds (other wildlife if your cages are outdoors) could carry parasites in to a cage and a messy rabbit could I guess ingest enough parasite eggs over time to cause problems. Doesn't seem to usually happen though. Just the odd case here and there.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

Copy that. Ours our cage raised and fed pellets, hay and occasional garden scraps. They get a romp now and then in the garden which is fenced so nothing larger than a rat may enter. I just don't see much opportunity for them to get worms.

On a side note, on advice of a local UC Davis vet we no longer worm our goats.


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## boundarybunnyco (Sep 7, 2011)

I don't think my rabbits even have worms. I have a little buck with wry neck, which some people think may be caused by a parasite. I got him from another breeder, and none of my other rabbits show any signs of anything wrong.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

> On a side note, on advice of a local UC Davis vet we no longer worm our goats.


We barely deworm our horses anymore when it used to be a major issue. We went from a herd of over a dozen to 4 and with the amount of grazing and lack of gathering in one area all the time plus nearly no wildlife due to heavily farmed land in that area parasites have become nonexistent. I've shoved some zimectrin gold down them a couple times in the last few years since we shrank the herd and that's it. It's really something that needs evaluated case by case.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

That's what the vet said the goats can handle a certain gut load of worms without ill effects.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

So what about colony rabbits? They arnt on wire!


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

Even if they are colony rabbits what would be the source of the worms? Unless you're sure the animal has worms I wouldn't give it wormer. Give medicine prophalatically is what the large meat and milk processors do.


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

If they pick up fleas they will have tapes at least.


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