Flystrike - don't be caught out

The latest article on our RWAF website is http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/Flystrikedontgetcaughtout.pdf
This has also been incorporated into Medirabbit

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Parasite/Parasites_main.htm

and

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Skin_diseases_main.htm

Bum checks everyone!

Twice daily

The vet shaved thumpers bum when she was out for her dental so we are all clean!

Buttons appears to be very good at cleaning his rear!!!

Little round bum duly checked. It is checked daily anyway, but you can never receive too much advice in connetionvwith bunny welfare, I am always all ears. Many thanks.



Hugs



Jo xx

Oh I'm obsessed with checking bunny bot's especially if I see a fly they all have to be checked and the fly
...dealt with immediately

It's a really good and realistically gritty article Ros, am pleased that mediRabbit took it on, well done

Tuckerbunnies wrote:Oh I'm obsessed with checking bunny bot's especially if I see a fly they all have to be checked and the fly
...dealt with immediately

Same here. And while Nutmeg is getting on (he's 7) and finds it harder to keep himself clean so does need a bunny botty bath from time to time, Betty is younger and more active so is generally spotless. However, the past few weeks I've noticed bits being stuck to her and today she had to have only the third wash since I adopted her over 2 years ago, so I'm thinking perhaps arthritis is becoming a problem for her now (she's probably somewhere around 4) and will poaaibly have to start her on Metacam soon, which Nutmeg already has for his stiffness every day.

Please see below a message from one of our members - No doubt the majority of our members are aware of the dangers of flystrike during the summer months, but each month new rabbit owners join the association and may not be aware of the importance of regularly checking their rabbits to ensure that they are clean.



I just wanted to impress the essential practise of checking your rabbits daily for fly strike especially if the rabbit has been unwell . We have a five year old Netherland Dwarf who had been under the weather for a while , he had been to the vets and they could not find anything wrong , he would not eat or drink so we fed him and stimulated his appetite back , then suddenly we noticed within minutes , even though he was checked regularly and we had been washing his lower areas each day as he had been unwell , there were maggots -flystrike ! because he had been unwell , so off to the vets , they cleared him , and we brought him home . we caught it within minutes .

He is now much better , he is checked constantly as are they all as usual , and he is eating . The vet now thinks he had a tummy upset , and even though we were cleaning him , and helping him , this happened so very quickly .



So please please check your bunnies, we were very lucky , we did not think he would come back from the vets , you have to act there and then .It is called fly strike because they strike so very quickly

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Remember this too
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/Flystrikedontgetcaughtout.pdf

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^^ I can also verify the speed at which this happens but unfortunately, my first bunny wasn't as lucky as the one above. She succumbed the the strain of being ill, contracting fly strike and then went into stasis and died.

Please remember to check your bunny's butt, but also, be aware of the consistency and size of their poops on a daily basis as these are such a good guide to bunny's health.