# Flea Medication for Rabbits



## katherine at sacred stories (Jul 28, 2012)

I adopted two of the bunderground railroad bunnies. They arrived last Saturday and are doing very well. They are a male (Harvey) and female (Halo), about 1 year old, according to the Humane Society, very small. I think American mix but they may be dwarf mix. I'm not sure of the weight but I think it is between 2-3lb. Both rabbits are kept indoors and free range in a bunny proofed room.

I just noticed the female scratching. I have never had a problem with fleas inside the house but we have had a lot of heat and rain and the fleas are very bad outdoors. So it's possible that a flea could come in with me. If it turns out that she does have fleas, I have read that Advantage for Kittens is recommended for rabbits. I'm worried that, since the bunnies are so small, it might not be good.

Anyone had any experience with this? Thanks.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 28, 2012)

Revolution ( selamection)for kittens/ puppies ( mauve package) is considered safe . I will attach the medirabbit dosing table 

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Anti_parasitics/safe_antiparasitic.htm

We use the 6 mg/kg dosage at our shelter. 

Advantage is also safe but Revolution /selamectin generally is more effective.


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## katherine at sacred stories (Jul 28, 2012)

Thanks, Angiluv. Great information. I haven't seen her scratching again so I hope it was just a random scratch. I'm watching her.


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## LakeCondo (Jul 28, 2012)

There are different levels of safe. You might also want to look at tipnut.com for natural remedies.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Jul 30, 2012)

angieluv wrote:


> Revolution ( selamection)Â for kittens/ puppies ( mauve package) is considered Â safe . I will attach the medirabbit dosing table
> 
> http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Anti_parasitics/safe_antiparasitic.htm
> 
> ...


advantage(imidacloprid) is the best stuff i have encountered for rabbits,however i have heard about frontline/petarmor(fipronil)-and now tried it with success and 1/3 the cost of advantage,--however i thought i had used pyretherins(hartz)-earmite med and applied treatment to a rabbit resulting in a serious chemical burn from hell--has anyone encountered such results--please inform,--the rabbit was being treated with chlorampenicol for chin abscess this treatment had to be stopped my fear is the anarobes are not all dead and will soon return with full vengence,---sincerely james waller


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## katherine at sacred stories (Jul 30, 2012)

Thank you everyone. So far, I haven't seen her scratching again. Hope it was just a random scratch I'll keep watching.


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## Revverress (Jul 31, 2012)

*james waller wrote: *


> angieluv wrote:
> 
> 
> > Revolution ( selamection)for kittens/ puppies ( mauve package) is considered safe . I will attach the medirabbit dosing table
> ...



Fipronil (Frontline) is NOT safe for rabbits and absolutely should not be used as it can cause serious neurological problems. There is a reason the company only recommends it for cats and dogs. Hartz products routinely cause external reactions in both cats and dogs, and is NOT recommended as safe for rabbits (really shouldn't be safe for any animal, in my and my vet's opinion!). Please do some research and stop using and recommending these dangerous products on your rabbits. 

That said... I have to second the recommendation for Revolution. I use it routinely on my bunnies during the months they get playtime outdoors, and have not had any adverse reactions or problems with fleas or mites. Advantage is safe as well, and can be bought over the counter as opposed to Revolution being prescription only.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Jul 31, 2012)

Revverress wrote:


> *james waller wrote: *
> 
> 
> > angieluv wrote:
> ...


I WILL TRY TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE FRONTLINE MED ,BUT YOU MUST ELABORATE WITH REFERENCES AS THIS PRODUCT WAS RECOMMENDED BY A VETERINARY SPECIALIST--SORRY FOR THE CAPS I,M HAVING KEYBOARD PROBLEMS--USAGE WILL CEASE UNTIL I,M MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF ITS USAGE,--LETS MAKE ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR ALL INSECTICES ARE DEADLY ESPECIALLY IF MISUSED AND I HAVE HEARD OF NO SAFE OR RABBIT EXCLUSIVELY ONLY FOR FLEA CONTROL,,SINCERELY JAMES WALLER:winkray:


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## katherine at sacred stories (Jul 31, 2012)

Everyone--thanks again for posting. Still no more scratching So, hopefully, she won't need any treatments now. But when she does, I'll be prepared


Holly--I have heard from many sources (including the company that makes it) that Frontline in NOT safe for rabbits. 

I also had a bad experience with it with one of my cats. My pets are all indoor and so I hadn't had a problem with fleas. I took in a stray cat that was badly flea bitten and took him to the vet for a check up and to deal with the fleas. The vet gave him Frontline. He became lethargic and, I thought, sick for several days. He recovered but I really felt it was a reaction to the Frontline. The vet said it couldn't be caused by Frontline and that it was probably a reaction to his new surroundings. 

I have never used Frontline again but all of the vets in my area recommend Frontline for cats and dogs and routinely prescribe it. It's far more visible in offices than Advantage...so I was very interested to read that many cats and dogs DO have reactions.


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## LakeCondo (Jul 31, 2012)

Yes, all insecticides are potentially deadly. It's mostly the differential size of the pet & the flea that makes the insecticide noticeably deadly to the flea & not the pet. 

So I'll stick with the much safer but less immediately effective. And that isn't being pushed by drug companies.


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## Sweetie (Aug 1, 2012)

James: you should know that Frontline is not safe for rabbits. You have been on this forum a long time.

Yeah any insecticide is not safe for rabbits if used incorrectly and can kill or harm a rabbit. Even revolution can be dangerous, especially if you dose it wrong.

Insectides, like flea medicine, have to be dosed very accurately otherwise the rabbit will most likely have problems.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Aug 2, 2012)

Sweetie wrote:


> James: you should know that Frontline is not safe for rabbits. You have been on this forum a long time.
> 
> Yeah any insecticide is not safe for rabbits if used incorrectly and can kill or harm a rabbit. Even revolution can be dangerous, especially if you dose it wrong.
> 
> Insectides, like flea medicine, have to be dosed very accurately otherwise the rabbit will most likely have problems.


howdy dear,how have you been sweetie??--i miss my website,-and i am miserable--my vision is getting worse with the added heart meds -i am suffering from old and short timers disease-rr-rrr-rr,,--go to wikapedia and type in selamectin-(revolution)-which is only available by dvm rx--scroll down to simular products--you will find fipronil-(frontline)--two rabbits were treated with no side effects,-even though i was told it would be ok i,m researching insecticides which are all deadly--very scarey stuff and they can not be made safe--like you say only through proper handling and dosage can it be somewhat controlled,--please be safe,miss you guys-sincerely james


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## LakeCondo (Aug 3, 2012)

Given that my mother first had her legs amputated & then died from taking medicine "correctly" [ie per doctors' orders] I know what can happen. As someone once wrote "If a medicine doesn't have side effects, it's not effective."


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## Sweetie (Aug 5, 2012)

james waller wrote:


> Sweetie wrote:
> 
> 
> > James: you should know that Frontline is not safe for rabbits. You have been on this forum a long time.
> ...



You are right James, revolution and frontline are similar. Here is the link for anyone that has any doubts, just scroll to similar products:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selamectin

I am sticking with Advantage for my rabbits.


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