My rabbits are sick. Can they get tetanus and what are the symptoms?

I am sorry your rabbits are sick and passing away. I would try and locate an exotics vet somewhere around you. Even if you have to drive a little further. Unfortunately the picture and posture does not tell why they are sick. I get concerned about something contagious if you have had other rabbits die. I know it sounds sad but if a rabbit dies I would recommend taking it to the state lab for a necropsy (autopsy in people). This way they can take tissue samples and send it to the lab for hopefully a diagnosis. However we would prefer to keep the rabbits alive. Parasites like coccidia can cause death, infection, viruses, dental disease, toxins and maybe food source. The rabbits really need to have a fecal, blood work and maybe x-rays. You can try to force feed them at home with a product like critical care but they need to continue to eat or there intestines stop working which can cause fatality.

Without any other information to go on, it would be impossible to say. I highly recommend bringing one of the rabbits that has passed away to your vet or a local veterinary school to perform a necropsy. This can give some insight to any infectious diseases or toxicities that could be transmitted without symptoms. Fly strike, getting into something toxic, sudden temperature changes, extreme fear, etc are all potential causes as well which is why further information or examination is needed.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. When rabbits get sick they usually go downhill very quickly. Intestinal infection ( or dysbiosis) is a common occurrence . This usually causes a sudden loss of appetite and lethargy. Rabbits usually pass away very quickly when this happens. Of course other possibilities exist as well such as a bleeding tumor, or kidney failure. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Usually these signs are compatible with a neurological disease caused by a parasite called E.cuniculi. Once a rabbit has E.cuniculi it passes on the infection through spores in its urine. Other rabbits pick up the disease by eating these spores in urine-contaminated food and water. Unborn kits — baby rabbits — may also be infected during pregnancy. 50mg/kg of panacur once daily for a month is the standard treatment but once signs are evident the prognosis is guarded to poor despite the treatment. I would recommend to isolate sick rabbits and maintain hygiene standards very high. Please find further informations about the disease here: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-2/e-cuniculi.html Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Sorry about Atheistan. A severe respiratory infection (penumonia,rhinitis) such as Pasteurella, could have lead to sepsis and invasion of the brain. This could have resulted into rear paresis, seizures and death. There are several other infectious diseases possible and a necropsy (post mortem examination) would lead to answers. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out. A veterinary confirmation of this is recommended by presenting a fresh carcass to a veterinary clinic or state diagnostic laboratory. Control of this disease is prevention of access of the rabbits to the feces of canids and other carnivores. Rabbits are the intermediate host of this parasites, with the eggs transmitted in the feces of carnivores, with feces contaminating grasses, which the rabbits eat. Control of forage for the rabbits might also be preventative. Once the rabbits have a large infestation, killing the parasite is difficult. Good luck.

It sounds like they could have a parasite or an infection causing the problem. It is very concerning that they both lost weight rapidly and one died. It would be best to have her examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can run some lab-work, if needed, and prescribe medications to treat. She may need some fluids for dehydration, antibiotics, de-wormer, etc. Besides trying to get her to eat and drink, there isn't much more you can do without veterinary care. Hope she gets better soon!