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raising rabbits: being a vet

this picture is from last night, after the first scab fell off (you can see the pink spot at the bottom)

I wrote a few weeks ago in this post about some lessons we were having in rabbit husbandry. When you raise animals there are going to be problems. Sickness. Parasites. Birthing issues. We were having a problem with ear mites, which had caused our buck Hopper's ear to become covered in scabs.  It took me a bit to find the right medication and tools to give him, it's tricky, they don't make these things just for rabbits, there's not a big enough market. The medicine we needed is called Ivomec, and it is used to treat parasites in cattle and swine. Cows and pigs. My original thought in the store was, this can't be it. There's no way. But indeed, it is, you just give a tiny tiny dosage in comparison to those giant beasts. In fact the dosage is so small a standard injection needle makes measuring difficult, and following the recommendation of a rabbit forum, I ordered insulin syringes, which are a smaller size than other syringes. I have to say I was impressed with the medication as well. Twenty four hours after giving him the shot I saw the first big scab fall off his ear, and before forty eight hours had passed his entire ear was crust free. The skin is light pink and obviously sensitive, but it looks healthy, and he seems much more alert, energetic, happy. I will be very glad to having our special boy back to normal.

Until next time,

Angela Kelly
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