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Parasites - Coccidia Infection in Rabbits



Parasites - Coccidia Infection in Rabbits

Coccidia are a protozoan parasite (Eimeria stiedai) that can infect your rabbit, causing severe liver disease and death.

Coccidia Oocysts (Picture taken from rabbits-life.blogspot.com)








What do coccidia do?

Coccidia spread as eggs (oocytes) in feces or contaminated hay/water, which are re-ingested by other rabbits and the cycle begins again.


Where ingested coccidia spread from the duodenum to the bile duct epithelium, this is where they reproduce. Eimeria stiedai can cause biliary duct obstruction, enlarged fibrotic areas of liver and vessels.


Infected Rabbits can be detected by faecal float testing to detect oocytes in the faeces of infected rabbits through a microscope.

Coccidia Life Cycle in Rabbits (picture taken from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123809209000158)



Signs and Symptoms

Many rabbits that have this disease do not show any symptoms or clinical signs. They simply carry the organism in their intestinal tracts and pass it to other rabbits in their infected stool. But if they do show signs, they may have watery, mucousy, or possibly blood-tinged diarrhea that may be infrequent or intermittent (stopping and starting again). You may notice these other signs, as well:

  • lethargy (lack of energy)

  • weakness

  • not eating/lack of appetite

  • weight loss

  • dehydration/not drinking





Treatment

Contact us or your nearest Veterinary Clinic for a check up immediately if you think there might be signs and symptoms of Coccidia Infection.


Prevention

The best prevention is good hygiene, dry bedding, clean food and food/water bowls, and sunlight exposure to dry out and kill oocysts before they can infect your rabbits!

Keep things dry, clean and well lit!










Compiled by Tongda Veterinary Services Sdn. Bhd.



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