[Gpdd] HEALTH More about e.cuniculi + Holiday trip.

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Dear Penny,    Thank you ever so much. I would like to repeat that I hope 
piggies who die after having that stiff back leg thing or where they cant 
walk, or head tilt, wry neck, or any neurological symptoms or nystigmus, 
please try to afford a necropsy of brain and kidney tissue, at least, where 
sections are done and examined for cysts under the microscope. I think a big 
group like this is the best chance there is to find a this  rare disease.

Lets say a disease is found in 1 out 1000 cases. That means 1000 pigs would 
have to be necropsies to find it, that's why, if it occurs, it would be very 
hard to catch, the piggy would likely die of the things the parasite causes, 
like the stasis, or other conditions, and so the e.c. is not suspected. 
Necropsies are rare and its the ONLY way to know for sure.  That's why I 
think we are the only ones with a shot at ID'ing it we are the only big 
group.

Dont forget, Hershey, God bless her sweet soul, had every classic symptom, 
lived above a bunny, and their hay was kept under the bun, these are the 
most favorable possible conditions for catching e.c.(except if they actually 
lived together),  as a very high percentage of buns are born with it, it 
coming from the mum. I would love to be wrong, I would hate that Hershey had 
died of an untreated ear infection. But it's horrible she's gone in any 
case. (I dont blame Joanie for having a bun and pig, happens all the time 
and how would she know, I recommended to her to join etherbun though as I 
would to any of you who have both kinds of pets)

I had asked Penny to ask her rodentologist their opinion, I am thankful she 
did, I hope we can use our group power to solve this, as that one article I 
wrote, about the pigs with weak or stiff legs, which is not that uncommon, 
and I myself have had some die mysteriously a month or 2 after a water 
bottle failure, to think these could be e.c. is worrisome. Of course if we 
can keep it at bay by staying current on Ivermectin shots and those who get 
Panacur for some other reason, and the fact that allot of us have done this 
routinely may well keep the protozoa from becoming active so it wouldn't 
show in the brain, which means any active infection never took place and 
therefore would never show in a brain section.  That's why I think the 
necropsy should only be done on symptomatic pigs, not just every one that 
dies.  The titre test can show exposure, just not active disease as 
contrasted to exposure, so if we keep up what we think is preventative, we 
may never see another active case in our group of piggies. It would be nice 
however, if our search proved that it should be mentioned, followed, and 
people like www.guinealynx.info were able to recommend Ivermectin dosages 
periodically through life as a preventative.  Our only shot might be one of 
those big horrible piggy busts where a hoarder is caught with poorly cared 
for pigs. Hoarders typically have other animals, so possibly buns, and 
undertreated their animals, so that's one place where we might find active 
e.c. cases. We would have to have a study set up in advance to capitalize on 
an opportunity like that, although I sincerely hope we never have another 
hoarder case. There are people om this list who do respond to emergencies 
like that, if you were to ID yourselves maybe we could make a plan, or at 
least add a note to watch for e.c. in these cases. Fortunately horded pigs 
when taken into custody, are immediately treated with Ivermectin, which 
although not a drug used to cure e.c. in buns, according to the breeder's 
article that Penny found, she showed, anecdotally, that it may be a 
preventative, from allowing an exposure to blossom into a full blown case.

Joanie, if you are reading this, can you tell us if Hershey ever had 
Ivermectin for mites or Panacur while she lived with you and if so was it 
repeated very much ?  That would at least be our first data point. Ask your 
vet if they think the bun should be tested, I gave you only my opinion not 
to unless she shows active symptoms
I invite all and any to ask their exotics vets what they know, believe, or 
if they know if any trials, or cases? In case any of you wonder why I keep 
after this?  Its because I  have a son, now a fully functional adult, who 
had such a rare birth defect,  My daughter a totally different but rare one. 
It proves rare things happen, and when they do occur it can be very bad. I 
ask you how many people do you know who have a rare condition or disease, 
from a birth defect to a rare cancer, like our darling Alge, her particular 
cancer is rare, but not swept under the rug.

It would be a change for us to have a subgroup to study this (or any other 
piggy related thing) so any who are interested let me or the management 
know. Maybe you think we should avoid this sort of study, if so speak up 
likewise, our group is what we make it to be.
Thank you very much
Sandy