Indiana is still swinging without restraint — 20s to near 70 and back again. That kind of instability stresses, bodies, lungs , anything that has to regulate temperature to stay alive. We are at three losses. I expect a fourth today despite intervention. A younger harlequin litter has taken the worst of it. I’ve already lost two of Foxy’s bucks. Her doe began showing symptoms last night. We also lost a Red New Zealand doe. Necropsy showed sudden, acute pneumonia — lungs completely saturated with pus, consistent with a silent presentation of Pasteurella. No sneezing. No discharge. No crusted nose. No drawn-out warning. The only visible sign came at the end — head extended back, labored breathing, then dead within hours. At that point you are not reversing anything. You are watching the body fail. The farmhand and I feel the pressure shifts too — congestion, fatigue, headaches. We compensate. Young rabbits often cannot. Rapid temperature swings, barometric shifts, warm rain to freezing snow — that combination stresses the respiratory system hard. Anything marginal goes first. So far it has affected only a few. I am monitoring closely. Anyone even slightly off gets pulled and watched. The wetness visible around the nostrils in the photo was from Vet-RX I applied in an attempt to help open the airway while antibiotics circulated. It was not discharge. This was acute. When a rabbit extends its head straight up with the neck fully stretched, it is attempting to maximize airflow. By the time that posture appears, lung involvement is already significant. Antibiotics require time — usually 48–72 hours — to reduce bacterial load. In cases like this, treatment would have needed to begin days earlier, before visible respiratory distress. Once gasping begins, you are behind. Silent Pasteurella does not always present with obvious upper respiratory signs. Sometimes there is nothing outward until the end. The only early indicator I’ve consistently seen is subtle: Off feed.

Let's Talk epidemiologically. EC Risk, Shows, and Responsible Biosecurity Any time you attend a rabbit show, there is inherent exposure risk. Multiple herds, shared airspace, transport stress, and handling all increase the potential for disease transmission. That is simply the reality of livestock exhibition. What should never be brought to a show: – Rabbits with active nasal discharge (“snot”) – Visible ear mite infestation – Active neurologic signs (head tilt, rolling, ataxia) – Any rabbit currently ill or untreated That is basic biosecurity and basic ethics. However, it is important to distinguish between an actively infected animal and a past, isolated case that was properly managed. Most rabbit diseases — including Encephalitozoon cuniculi — are endemic in domestic populations. Many rabbits are exposed at some point in their lives. Stress can trigger clinical signs. Exposure does not automatically mean every animal in a barn is infected or shedding. The more important question is not: “Has this barn ever had a case?” The better question is: “How was exposure handled?” Responsible management includes: –Culling or Immediate isolation of symptomatic rabbits – Appropriate treatment (e.g., 28-day fenbendazole protocol for EC) – Quarantine of potentially exposed animals – Strict sanitation to prevent urine contamination – Monitoring for new clinical signs – A meaningful symptom-free observation period If symptomatic rabbits were isolated or culled, treated, and no additional animals have shown clinical signs after an appropriate quarantine window, then the remaining asymptomatic rabbits are not automatically a higher risk than any other rabbit at a show. That does not eliminate the need for caution. You CAN dose every rabbit returning from a show with a knock back 1cc safeguard and often I do post show intervention as a precaution. That includes electrolytes, safeguard for 3days and probiodics. Good biosecurity should always be practiced — at home and at shows.

CCR's Persephone earned her 3rd and SR leg this past Saturday at a Rex Specialty Show. I'm so excited to be getting my first rabbit granded! And she's a homebred🙌 (I don't consider it my lines as both parents were purchased, but she is the start!) She will be tagging along to the show this weekend to get her paper work done, but I didn't enter her. She is almost 9 1/2 months old so she is retiring from the table and hopefully will start producing the next generation soon🤞 Pictured with judge Callie Webber who gave her her first and last legs

For the specialty, But here is our leg yay !! And some Candids!

On December 21st, I took a bad fall that knocked me unconscious and injured my back. Over the last three weeks, I’ve been in and out of the ER and doctors’ offices with progressively worsening symptoms, which finally led to an emergency MRI yesterday. The result: this is a serious acute-on-chronic lumbar injury that requires close spine follow-up and aggressive pain management. I’ve been referred to neurosurgery and am currently waiting to find out not if, but when, surgical intervention may be necessary. I’m going to be very direct for a moment: I need to increase sales right now just to cover basic necessities. I’ve lost a significant amount of work, and my regular hours were already cut, so this genuinely matters. If you’ve found value in my rabbit content, the most effective way to support that work is through the Rabbit Nutrition Course or a subscription. You can subscribe on TikTok for $2.99/month, but you’ll get substantially more value on Skool. Skool Premium ($5/month or $48/year) includes: – The same videos – Plus what TikTok doesn’t allow: actual research papers, linked studies, downloadable resources, deeper explanations, and ongoing updates Skool VIP ($25/month or $240/year) gives: – Instant access to all current and future courses – A digital copy of my genetics book when it’s released No fluff. No algorithms deciding what you see. Just full, research-based material in one place. If you’ve been meaning to support my work, this is the most effective way to do it right now. I’ll also be sorting my live rabbits tomorrow and reviewing which animals will be available for sale, as I need to reduce numbers while I manage my health and recovery.