Contrary to popular belief, not all rabbit victims of cocci, or coccidiosis, live in squalor. It can also be brought about by stress, unbalanced microbiotics, in the gut or genetic abnormalities, to name a few things.

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Coccidiosis is a highly contagious and aggressive parasitic infection that affect rabbits, eight of which affect the intestine the other one the liver.

 

Coccidian parasites lay their eggs in the gut and these are released into the environment via the faeces of the infected animal. The eggs are known as oocysts. Transmission is faecal-oral which means it occurs when these contaminated faeces are ingested by the rabbit.

 

Contaminated materials can include grass and other green vegetation, food, water, and bedding. Some rabbits can show no signs or symptoms but be carriers of the disease. Therefore, this increases the risk of infection. The oocysts can remain active for a year, so the importance of good hutch sanitation is vital.

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Rabbits more susceptible to the disease are young kittens between the first and four months following their birth. Older rabbits appear to be more resistant to infections.

 

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms include diarrhea, a lack of appetite, weight loss, sudden shyness or hanging back in their cage, lethargy, weakness, a swollen stomach, very strong odor and jaundice. It can be fatal extremely quickly if not treated, so you will need to act quickly and quarantine your pet.

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Infected animals should be isolated for a short period of time to prevent further transmission. The living quarters of the rabbits should be cleaned and disinfected. This is also true for bedding and feeding bowls. Overall, any faecal matter present should be removed and all objects which have had contact with the infected animal should be disinfected.

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TREATMENT
If the rabbit is suspected of this infection, the rabbit should be immediately taken to the vet for treatment.

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CARE & PREVENTION
As is true for the majority of rabbit disease, maintaining a high level hygiene is a necessity when caring for rabbits. Oocysts thrive in warm and humid conditions so all bedding should ideally be kept dry. Hutches/cages should be cleaned daily to reduce the risks of infection.

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Food including hay and vegetables should be prevented from being eaten on surfaces such as the floor.

 

Owners can use hay racks/hay balls to place these foods in, thus reducing the risks of ingestion of contaminated material. If any faecal matter is present on food or in water sources, then it should be removed immediately.