[Gpdd] HEALTH: More Hershey questions

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Joanie,   thank you so much for telling us that vet finally decided it was e.c.  You may have no idea what that means to me and us to know, not that it means I'm right and they were wrong, but that my thought process was correct, and that the work I did was not wasted, and that means we have worked a to find a way to save future victims.  It provides our first data point that a piggie can get and does get e.c. To that end I have summed up all that I wrote into a shorter outline form I'm hoping to post somewhere so that people will be able to access the info in time to save their pet. I am still distraught your vets didn't listen sooner, and that Hershey is gone, I came to love her almost as much as you, I would even wake in the night thinking of her. 

To return to my original question I was actually asking if Hershey (or your Bun) has ever in their lifetimes been treated for mites with Ivermectin, usually given as a shot followed by another in 7 to 10 days. One of the articles Penny found said that the breeder thought there was a protective effect of Ivermectin, keeping the others in her large herd of rabbits from ever developing e.c. if they had Ivermectin, esp. early in life and many of us here have piggies that either arrive at our homes with mites or get infested at sometime in their life. so they get treatments of Ivermectin or Revolution to kill the mites. So to be clear, did Hershey or the bun ever get this type of treatment (of course you have no idea what happened before they came to live with you)  That info would help us begin to understand if the breeder was right. 

On the chance that she is, and because Puff already has the external parasite I would take Puff  in ASAP and get her an Ivermectin shot followed by another, Dont get Revolution as its newer so the breeder didn't test it. As for vets, I would keep the one that finally had the grace to admit to e.c., you have e.c. in your house so your pets will have a better chance with a vet with an open mind. See if you can see through your pain to agree with this strategy.  Get the titre test, followed by another in 2 to 4 weeks, to find out if the titre is changing, I have learned (thanks to Hershey) that a changing tire can mean something where as a single one doesn't. Insist your vets do it, its not expensive. I will send you the completed article I wrote off line to help you manage the 2 cases from now out, with  knowledge this wont be such a big deal, you will know what to do.  

 As to your bun it is of course extremely likely now that we can say she is a carrier or had an active infection at some time in her life. She should be watched carefully for symptoms to pop up again, and kept separate from Puff. Esp. the urine should never get close to the new piggy, that means a separate existence and separate carrying cage to the vet. Wash up all hard equip for both with 10% beach. When caring for your animals go from the new piggy to the bun, never visa versa. I will help you get in touch with Dana Krempels, PhD. directly so you can find out if a bun can be cured while this microscopic parasite is dormant, I just dont know so tell us what she says. I recommend signing up for etherbun. Dana does stress that buns can live a normal life with e.c. if it's controlled, meaning outbreaks are caught in time. I would be happy to help you learn how to do this, although the stuff I've written already is helpful, Dana is the expert, my new article is more succinct and I will tighten it up as I get critiques and learn more. For you getting in touch with Dr. Kremples is the ultimate strategy. Send a message off line if you want this help, it would be good for your Puff and the bun.

Given that once Hershey got and was sickened with e.c. a tragedy happened,  but her death, and your struggle to save her and work through your pain to communicate these facts to us, will save others in future. I'm so very sorry it was your darling guinea pig that turned out to be the guinea pig. A multiple tragedy. We all hold Hershey high in our respect and morn her death and will dedicate future advances to her.  
Sandy, your friend for life