Coccidiosis (Parasite)

Cause:
A microscopic parasite. One type infects the liver, four other types infect the intestinal tract.

Symptoms:
Loose bowels, diarrhea, pot belly with poor weight gain, rabbit sits in hunched position with its hind legs extended forward, liver is spotted with white nodules, coccidia in fecal contents.

Treatment:
Use a sulfa medication in the water for 5 to 6 days a month or feed a medicated pellet periodically.


A rabbit is born free of coccidiosis but may become infected by licking their feet, body fur or infested cage equipment. They may also be infected through eating feed or drinking water contaminated by the oocytes "eggs" of these parasites.

The type of parasite that infects the liver is perhaps the most familiar to the rabbit breeder. Rabbits will go off feed, loose flesh condition, have loose bowels, and when slaughtered the liver will show white, circular spots (lesions) on and through the liver. A medication rabbit pellet with 0.25% sulfaquinoxaline, or a sulfa in the drinking water will eliminate or control the liver type.

The intestinal type of coccidosis is more difficult to treat. In mild cases there are no external symptoms, however the microscope would reveal the presence of oocytes in the droppings. When medium to heavy infestations occur, symptoms will be soft dropping, mild diarrhea and loss of body flesh. A rabbit that survives a bout of heavy diarrhea up to the age of 3 months may never again show outward signs of the disease.

Natural methods for controlling coccidia infestation can be taken advantage of by using self-cleaning hutch floor. These eliminate a large percent of the dropping before they are mashed or the coating is broken down and the oocytes are released. It may be impossible to eliminate it from the rabbitry entirely, but using proper feeding and management practices along with self-cleaning floors, taking proper sanitary measures, and handling the animals as little as possible will reduce the infestation where the disease will not become a source of economic loss. Keeping the rabbits in prime health and using a medicated pellet or sulfa in the water on a regular basis will help the rabbits build up a resistance to the infections.
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