Hi, I vaccinated all my bunnies for VHD today around lunchtime, and when I went to feed them tonight I noticed that three of them have a bare pink patch on their side where the fur has fallen out. The other 9 done with the same batch are fine. It is much lower than where I injected them, I have seen localised bare patches and scratching at the injection site before, but on one bunny the patch is quite big -about 3-4 cm square and not where I vaccinated. Any other people had this reaction before?

Smudges scabbed over and had a little bald patch. It doesn't seem to affect Honey.

Was it where the needle went in though? As I have had that before, but this is more on their side, below where the injection was, and the fur has completely fallen out, leaving a bare patch?

Is it in exactly the same place with all 3 buns?

I'm not sure to be honest cos the vet has always done it so I don't pay too much attention where it goes in. Sorry can't be of much help x

On two it is on their left side and in one on their right side, but in the same place yes, it maybe that I just did some more to the left and some to the right, odd that the others done from the same batch don't have it though.. the skin is bare and pink but no scab or sign of itching.

I cant think of what else it could be apart from a vacc reaction to come on that suddenly, its a bit odd!!

I haven't seen anything like that before so i'm no help either , sorry.

Dave had a reaction when he had his VHD jab. It went bald, the vet said it was normal and within 2 weeks it was perfectly fine again.

:)

Hi again

Well a fourth one was like it this morning. They all have been to the vet who thinks that the vaccine has run down under the skin and caused localised hair loss and left behind very sore looking skin. They are on Fuciderm cream twice a day and Baytril, one of their temperatures is up a bit but other three are normal, and all are eating OK. The vet will contact the manufacturer tomorrow about it and also wants to see them again tomorrow. She said the skin is necrotic and may slough off. Poor poor bunnies. :(
Not sure how to attach photos so I can show you what it's like?

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear about your bunnies. I've never had any problems with my bunnies and their VHD vacs.

They are pretty horiffic pics, if you are squeamish (sp) look away at this point! poor bunnies :(

Oh my goodness. I've never seen anything like that before. I hope it clears up quickly. :hug: :kiss:

Dear God, that is awful.

I know, poor little things :cry2:

omg!! poor bunnies :bunhug:

Do you always vaccinate them yourself Fiona?

that is exactly how Daves reaction was.

Try not to worry it will clear up soon enough.

:hug:

Yes I normally do them with Cylap and Ivermectin myself as so much cheaper when you have a lot (15 in my case!). The Cylap is £50 for a bottle that does 10 doses, plus a few pence for needles and syringes. I have never seen this type of reaction before, and it's odd that only 4 of mine have had the reaction. The vet seems stumped as well and we're going back tomorrow.

Is your vet a bunny savvy vet?.

Seems a little strange they dont know what it is :confused:

Yes they are very good and have seen the usual bare patch and itching at the injection site, but not this much skin inflammation and so far from the injection site.

Its the first time i have seen a reaction like this in the 5 years i have worked in a vets, i have seen the typical scab on inj site but not this, its really odd!!

I did take some photos when Dave had his reaction but cant find them, as asoon as i do, i will post them up for you to see ok?

:)

Hope you dont mind me asking but how long did it take Dave to recover? and what did you use to treat it?

I haven't seen anything like this in 11 years either. Very strange, i'm sure they will be fine. Have these buns had the vaccine before?

No they hadn't had it before, but another 4 hadn't either and they are all fine.

I think it took about 2 weeks for the scab to heal and the fur to grow back again, I have been trying to rack my brain to remember what the antibiotics were the vet gave Dave and we had to bathe the area in boiled (but cool ;) ) water every day, which wasnt that easy to do.

Sorry for asking, but just a thought, did you leave two weeks in between after giving Myxi jabs before giving vhd jabs?.

Still searching for those piccies!.

:)

omg, I have neverseen that before. Poor bunnies :cry2:

Hi again, yes the myxi jabs were done in July, another two had it this morning (young bucks this time) and this evening my 4 year old stud buck has it, although none are as bad as the first four. So that's 7 of the 9 done with that bottle with a reaction. They went back to the vet tonight who has been in touch with Fort Dodge (the manufacturer) and they have said they will pay for all the veterinary costs associated with it, without wanting to se photos or anything...makes you wonder doesn't it? Two of the first ones affected seem to be showing an improvement, but the two that Kim posted pics of are a bit slower to respond, will just have to give it time I suppose...

Just found this, looks like this Cylap product has a known reaction

http://members.iinet.com.au/~jabuck/WARCI/diseases.htm#cylap

Kim sent me the exact same link last night, have printed it and taken to the vets!

Is Cylap the only vaccine avilable or are there other brands?

Apparantly there is one called 'lapinject' which have very few reported side effects.

If I do them again next year I will certainly never use Cylap again but will look into this Lapinject to see what side effects have been reported..

You beat me to it Justine, :D I just found that on the NOAH website, has a whole load of info on medication for animals, very interesting.

I'll be asking the vet for Lapinject I think

Me too! :)

Like i said, Dave had this and our vet has seen it before.

Maybe its more common in white bunnies....

:)

How are they Fiona? :hug:

The three that got it the most recently seem to be improving much more quickly that the original four, we are continuing with Baytril and Fuciderm until the end of the weekend, most of the areas have scabbed over now but still looks pretty horrific! All are eating and drinking normally so think it will just be a matter of time to see if the fur re-grows....

I hope it does :)

I'll keep fingers crossed they all make a quick recovery. :hug: :kiss: