# Possible tapeworms?



## snap (Dec 19, 2009)

The groomer said my dog had worms, but when we took him to the vet they found nothing so they assumed the groomer saw tapeworms. Well we asked if he could get it or give it to rabbits, and they said if he had been eating their poo he could. He also could have gotten it from me or another animal, but in any case the bunnies are in danger.

Well I have three rabbits, and I don't know who would have it, but I really need to get rid of them as I'm getting four more bunnies in the beginning of January.

We have the vet looking for some medicine, and my dog got some too, but how can I be sure they are all gone before the new bunnies arrive? What are the signs of tapeworms in rabbits?

The vet wasn't alarmed that my rabbits could have worms, but is it still bad? She's just a dog/cat vet.


----------



## aurora369 (Dec 19, 2009)

Worms are pretty easy to get rid of in rabbits. I'm not sure if this works for tape worms, but for pin worms I believe you can give a does of Revolution.

Another option is Ivermicten (sp?) which you can get from most feed stores. You have to be careful when using it from a tube in paste form because it is normally not mixed very well as it is designed for larger animals who require the entire tube at one time. If you do use the paste, squirt it all out into a bowl and mix it very well before dosing.

-Dawn


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 19, 2009)

Dawn's right. Tapeworms can be in rabbits, and ivermectin would be a good drug. You do want to get the smallest tube you can find, like for goats, and mix it as well as you can. The medicine isn't very evenly distributed in the tube.

There are two options. The rabbit can be an intermediate host (where the larvae grow in the rabbit) or a final host. As an intermediate host, the larvae grow in cysts near the liver, and that's really dangerous. I don't think a simple ivermectin treatment would fix that. They'd get it from eating dog poo. This page talks about that--but don't scroll down too far if you're squeamish, there's a dissection picture.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Parasitic_diseases/tapeworm.htm

I have heard of the tapeworm more commonly as an adult in the rabbit, not a larva. That's just like how it is for dogs--the adult worm lives in the intestines. Here's info on that. http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Parasitic_diseases/tapeworm_2.htm

A bunny on the forum, Karla, who is also of limited mobility and special needs, had a tapeworm of that sort. Her owner is TreasuredFriend and I'll try to hunt that thread down for you.


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 19, 2009)

Here's the thread, with some more gross pics of the tapeworm itself
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=45816&forum_id=16

They gave her panacur (fenbendazole), which is also available at farm stores.


----------



## ~*sAbRiNa*~ (Dec 19, 2009)

I know that horses and rabbits are very similar with regards to their digestive systems and a double dose of Ivermectin is always the "go to" treatment when tapeworms are suspected with horses. Good luck and hopefully your buns don't have tape worms!


----------



## Maureen Las (Dec 19, 2009)

Asstated previously you need to be really careful in using the the large animal ivermectin for worms ;I mean we are talking infinitesimal doses. 
When my Rudy had a tapeworm he was treated with praziquantal(Droncit) ;I don't know if the vet used injectable but it seems to have less side effects. 
he needed a repeat dose after 7- 10 days. 

If you look under anti-parasitics you will find praziquatal (Droncit) and be able to get the median dose .

http://petcaretips.net/worms-pet-rabbit.html

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rx/drugcalc.html

To be honest ..if you are not absolutely sure re. the dosingI would not do it yourself but go to a vet.
Did your dogs and rabbits share the same area? A rabbit could pick it up in the yard if it was on a blade of grass with an egg on it but I am not sure how easy it would be to get it in the house from a dog unless the dog is defecating in the house and the rabbits are getting into it. 
:?
You also need to talk with the groomer because you are assuming tapeworms but it doesn't sound like anyone really knows what worm she saw. 

You usually would not know if a rabbit had a worm unless he was passsing them ..if there is a heavy infestation there would be other symtoms like weight loss.


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 19, 2009)

If the rabbits caught it from the dogs' poo, they would have the cystic type, not the intestinal type. If it were the cystic type you definitely need vet help. If they got it from the same dirt or grass the dogs ate that got them sick.


----------



## snap (Dec 20, 2009)

I don't think the rabbits got it from the dog, nor am I even sure any rabbit has tapeworms.

My rabbits haven't been on grass in ages, so it can't be that. It's most likely that the dog ate a tick with tapeworms, or the rabbits did and passed them to the dog. There's no way the dog could have given it to the rabbits, though, but it is possible I could have a family of tapeworm-carrying ticks somewhere.

Our dog's vet is getting us some medicine for all the rabbits, just in case.

Thanks for the help everyone! C:


----------



## Maureen Las (Dec 20, 2009)

I doubt that your rabbits have tapeworms but it would be OK to treat them prophalatically (sp?) if it makes you feel better. it is truly no big deal for a rabbit to have them 

A dog (In addition to eating rabbit poop)also can get tapeworms from catching and eating a wild rabbit; a wild rabbit gets them from eggs that are left in grass and foliage outdoorsfrom other infected animals feces
I doubtthat your rabbits have them 

my rabbit that had one was a stray who had been "living off the land' before the shelter caught him and brought him in. 
Julie's rabbit used to be taken outside for sunshine, fresh air and to nibble on grass.


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 23, 2009)

I agree that a preventative, just in case treatment is a good idea.


----------

