Warning to all of you that keep rabbits with/near guineapigs!

[rip_ernie]

3 of my piggies have been to the vets and have had medicine, they have caught an illness that rabbits carry. my rabbit, Daisy is kept in a shed with the piggies, the piggies are in their hutches and Daisy is free-range all three guineas are on Baytril. I had to move Daisy away from the piggies. All rabbits can carry the illness so please be careful if your bunny is kept near/with your pigs, the rabbit usually doesn't show any affect of having the bacteria wich passes on to piggies.
It can be quite serious if they are not treated quickly

 

[lindsay7]

Hope your piggies are better soon.

 

[Loopylou]

What is it that they have?

 

[Alison]

They can catch Pasteurella. Many rabbits can have it without showing any symptoms. It can be fatal in piggies if not treated early enough.

I was thinking about getting a rabbit but after doing some research decided that i wouldn't want to risk my piggies health.

 

[Karenza]

Beth,

What symptoms where your guinea pigs showing? For what do we need to keep an eye out?

Thanks

 

[dazie]

Goodness me I never new I hope all your piggies will be ok and your rabbit!

 

[rip_ernie]

My bunny is fine ( currently sleeping in her new indoor cage :smitten: )
my piggies were showing signs of URI but as they had no nasal discharge or gooey eyes the vet decided it had come from teh rabbits, all my piggies are on 0.35 of Baytril twice a day

 

[daftscotslass]

They can also catch Bordetella (the same thing that causes kennel cough in dogs) from rabbits and this can cause serious respiratory problems.

 

[Black Jack]

3 of my piggies have been to the vets and have had medicine, they have caught an illness that rabbits carry. my rabbit, Daisy is kept in a shed with the piggies, the piggies are in their hutches and Daisy is free-range all three guineas are on Baytril. I had to move Daisy away from the piggies. All rabbits can carry the illness so please be careful if your bunny is kept near/with your pigs, the rabbit usually doesn't show any affect of having the bacteria wich passes on to piggies.
It can be quite serious if they are not treated quickly

Oh your poor little squeakers. How are they doing now? Hope they all recover. xxxxxx

 

[rip_ernie]

They can also catch Bordetella (the same thing that causes kennel cough in dogs) from rabbits and this can cause serious respiratory problems.

yeah! That's what she said.

The piggies are doing okay, Archie seems alot better and they are all taking their medicine well

 

[TheGaffer]

From what I've read, guinea pigs can catch Bordetella from any animal not just rabbits. Obviously if they've only been around rabbits, they are the most likely culprit. Just out of interest how far away were your piggies from your rabbit?

Apparently after treatment for bordetella a guinea pig becomes a carrier of the disease so shouldn't be mixed with any new guinea pigs.

I've beend trying to look into whether there's a vaccine for it because it's the same organism that causes kennel cough in dogs. But apparently tests into a vaccine have been successful but it makes the guinea pig a carrier of the disease.

 

[baby piggie]

oh dear, i didnt know that - i have my rabbit in the rodent room with my 7 rats and two piggies :-\. Does that mean that if someone was to buy a piggie out of pets at home they could have this infection because they are sometimes kept in with rabbits? :-\ I hope your piggies get better soon - loads of hugs to you and your piggies

 

[Loopylou]

have to say lots of people DO keep rabbits and guinea pigs without problems so I wouldn't worry TOO much about it. Certainly don't house or excercise them together and it would be wise to keep them not directly next to each other.
I have guinea and rabbits in my shed/garage thing. But I do observe certain precautions; they are all a few feet appart and have no way of making physical contact - or even sneezing on each other!, I have separate bruches for cleaning them all out with, I excercise the piggies on a different part of the lawn to the rabbits.
Pasturella is carried by many rabbits too without symptoms. Its certainly something that everyone should be aware of but I wouldn't tell people not to keep both rabbits and guinea pigs, just to be sensible about it.