Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Rob Loxley — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:15:25 GMT

£3-something a bottle.

But yes, we buy most of our human generics elsewhere... Likewise most of our consumables!

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Bob Russell — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:10:02 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

Hmmm, Dunlops assure me they have plenty on the shelf

[/quote]

Not surprised judging by the recent price hike on human drugs. We are looking elsewhere and finding the prices a fraction of Dunlops. Not sure about other wholesalers!

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Rob Loxley — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:46:57 GMT

Hmmm, Dunlops assure me they have plenty on the shelf

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Natalie Brown — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:20:41 GMT

We do have quite a lot of septrin in stock and I think I will use it if we get any more with similar signs from the same supplier. Since the first batch that didn't do very well, the next few lots have all been fine though!

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:48:38 GMT

[quote user="CatherineBoden"]

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

Septrin not available at present.......

[/quote]

Do you know what the situation is with septrin. We only found out today that we can't get any more and we need it to continue a course for a patient. Our nurse tried calling the local pharmacy and he said he'd be surprised if you can get it anywhere as they found that it causes renal failure in children so no one uses it anymore. Is this why it's not available?

[/quote] Don't know is the honest answer. I was told by my staff "not available and no date" which never bodes well As for final diagnosis we usually hold onto cadavers frozen until pme histo is back in case we need more for virus tests (e.g. Em). It's a good policy to adopt if you don't get concrete results or if more tests are recommended. Hope this helps.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

CatherineThomas — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:06:46 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

Septrin not available at present.......

[/quote]

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:58:15 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

They don't claim any efficacy.

We have dairy clients who have used the following product

[/quote] Thanks Michael, really helpful, at least I've got something to recommend that does claim efficacy!

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:56:14 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]sacrifice a sick one if you have to is where i would go. [/quote] Already did this! Thanks Mark, I wish I'd had your advice before the post mortem last week. As everything looked grossly normal (apart from the section of small intestine I sent) I only requested culture on the other sections. In hindsight (after what you've said), it would have been better to do histo on multiple sections of GIT. For future reference (if there are more sick/dead bunnies to PM) virus wise, are we talking rota virus and corona virus, and how would you diagnose these? PCR?

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:48:05 GMT

[quote user="Emma Middleton"] Can anyone clarify whether Trigene is effective against coccidia or not?[/quote]

They don't claim any efficacy.

We have dairy clients who have used the following product (applied with knapsack sprayer after mucking out and pressure washing)

Link

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]sacrifice a sick one if you have to is where i would go[/quote]

Wonder if you can get away with that. I suggested killing a guinea pig in another thread and got slated! For decent gut histo its almost essential.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:33:12 GMT

Coccidiosis causes mortality associated with diarrhoea in young rabbits. However the path comment of "possibility of low grade enteritis" raises questions. I would be looking for mucosal ulcerations, intestinal oedema, inflammation and haemorrhagic enteritis to confirm intestinal coccidiosis. In a young stressed rabbit One should consider viruses, bacterial septicaemia or anything in the mucoid enteropathy umberella. In short a full histo profile is required in these cases. It may be that the coccidia are a contributory but I would be looking deeper to make sure there isnt anything else lurking. Illeus and then tympany can be secondary to many things and without a full pme, there is the possibility that you could treat for coccidiosis, still have dying rabbits and the temperature rising! ;-). Look at it this way if you bred rabbits for a living and someone came and questioned your practices with a few coccidia on a slide and a report that said "possibility of low grade enteritis" would you take the hit to your reputation? Im not being inflammatory but its always a good idea to see things from all sides so nothing comes to bite you.

Full pme with histo on multiple tissues, sacrifice a sick one if you have to is where i would go. But thats just me..

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:55:47 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]I think there needs to be a bit of caution here. there isnt actually a diagnosis yet, just some coccidia on a slide [/quote] I agree with your point Mark and appreciate your comments. I'm not a rabbit expert and have no experience of coccidiosis in rabbits until now. The histo of the small intestine was inconclusive, with a possibility of low grade enteritis. The pathologist also commented on the normal flora cultured and said that this is possibly precipitated by dietary factors. Any thoughts on what might be triggering the diarrhoea, anorexia, general GI disorder if it isn't the coccidia? I'm sure they are feeding a high fibre pellet and hay, but this needs to be checked.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:36:06 GMT

[quote user="Natalie Brown"]I'm going to suggest they treat as well.[/quote] Out of interest Natalie, what are you going to use? The Septrin sounds good, but if supply is a problem then maybe not.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:33:38 GMT

I think there needs to be a bit of caution here. there isnt actually a diagnosis yet, just some coccidia on a slide (surprise surprise). I would want some histo to show that the GIT or organs were affected by this parasite before I started blanket treating with non licensed products, You might be setting yourself up for a fall if something went wrong. I would feel safer with a piece of paper prooving that that was the issue especially as the breeder is likley to be quite pissed off and want some more concrete evidence that the issue was at source, as for prophylactic E cuniculi treatment, dont get me started.

Goodluck

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:33:33 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]Pointless without environmental control however, as others have noted.[/quote] Can anyone clarify whether Trigene is effective against coccidia or not? I have been reading on the net from various sources (some totally unreliable) that Virkon and Trigene are not effective and that Jeye's Fluid is. Does anybody know any better??

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

David Mills — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:24:59 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

Septrin not available at present.......

[/quote]

We must have stockpiled it all for our shelter cats...

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:23:54 GMT

Septrin not available at present.......

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

David Mills — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:21:48 GMT

Treatment for clinical coccidiosis in rabbits or any other small furry can be achieved most easily with septrin (TMPS) at 25mg/kg (works out approx 2ml per kg) SID for 21 days. It's banana flavoured so most bunnies love it. Available from pharmacies or suppliers v cheaply. Pointless without environmental control however, as others have noted.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Natalie Brown — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:50:44 GMT

I too have done a p-m on a rabbit that died (after quite a few of the new shipment to a pet store had been dying from the same symptoms) and my only finding was coccidia oocytes on a slide from the intestines.

I'm going to suggest they treat as well. Possibly the supplyer's whole batch is infected therefore? I also had one with a head tilt but I guess it's highly likely they all have/are exposed to E.cuniculi coming from a breeding colony so i've also got the pet shop treating for prevention with panacur.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Rob Davis — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:16:35 GMT

Septrin? Used it in bunnies many times but not against coccidia

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:10:25 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

Coxoid

[/quote] Have just looked it up, might give it a try as cheap and designed for rabbits too. Thanks Rob.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Rob Loxley — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:19:30 GMT

Coxoid

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:58:47 GMT

It was human generic via Dunlops. £6.15 list

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Emma Middleton — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:31:27 GMT

Thanks Bob. All I came across in the compendium was Cocciplus which I think is licensed in pigeons, but is £55 to us for a box of powder sachets, so Baycox sounds like a better option (it's a liquid isn't it?). Michael - what form of trimethoprim did you use (i vaguely remember seeing some Trimacare tablets sitting in dispensary for ages, they might still be there...)

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Michael Woodhouse — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:11:34 GMT

Baycox is very much available, but I have never used it in bunnies. I did treat a bunny with oral trimethoprim for cocci and it seemed to get better. Might be more available and cost effective than buying a bottle of Baycox for a small animal practice?

This is not bunny knowledge but general cocci - Bob, I know there are products that kill it but they never seem good enough. Once you have cocci (whatever the species) it's there in greater or lesser levels forever. Don't expect to get rid of it and expect flare ups. That has been my experience in cattle and sheep. Outdoor pig units pack up and move site every few years once the cocci builds up to an unmanageable level. It's that serious.

Re: Treating coccidiosis in rabbits?

Bob Russell — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:46:47 GMT

The only treatment I have used is Baycox (Toltrazuril). If it is still available speak to Bayer. It is for poultry but off-licence can be used in rabbits.

I may be out of date and something else may be better!

Careful choice of disinfectants because not all destroy the oocysts. Feed off the ground to keep the food dry and clean.

I suspect the breeder has quite a problem on their hands. Perhaps get the young rabbits elsewhere?