ThunderHill
Well-known member
Hi! We processed 5 fryers today and found this single white spot on one liver. All others looked fine. Do you think it is Coccidiosis, and if so, is the meat still okay to eat?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Do you think this is Coccidiosis? And is the meat safe?
- Thread starter ThunderHill
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.Yes, coccidia, meat is safe, liver is not. DO NOT feed to your critters. Dispose of properly.
ThunderHill
Well-known member
Thanks. I guess this is probably from where I started feeding foraged weeds a while back. I've been sticking to branches from up off the ground lately, but for a while I was offering dandelions and things from right off the ground. Do you have any advice for any action I should take with the rest of the herd?
Following.
That's scary. I like doing to forage, too. I've created a raised bed with food just for my rabbits. I'm going to make sure no other rabbits can enter from now on. I am wondering if this disease can be spread by other forage eating critters, or just rabbits. Anyone know?
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ThunderHill
Well-known member
I'm taking it to the university vet diagnostic lab for testing just to be sure. I'll post the results once I have them.
I'm pretty sure I would just cut out the nodule and cook the liver anyway. Definitly harmless after cooking thoroughly enough.
Anyway, if your climate supports that germ, well, then measures may need to be taken. If you never had actual problems, there is no point being scared. Eimeria is most pathogen at 6-8 weeks. I never had any issue despite that my rabbits forage, dig, and are not in a sterile environment. As were their anchestors, which might help a lot.
The germs imo should be quite omnipresent where normal life is happening, Eimeria can thrive in anything from birds, fish, reptiles, you name it.
So, I wouldn't panic, evaluate the problems that it creates, and act accordingly. One nodule, or just one rabbit affected wouldn't put me on edge. The way I keep my rabbits there wouldnt be much I could do anyway, apart from not breeding that rabbits again.
Anyway, if your climate supports that germ, well, then measures may need to be taken. If you never had actual problems, there is no point being scared. Eimeria is most pathogen at 6-8 weeks. I never had any issue despite that my rabbits forage, dig, and are not in a sterile environment. As were their anchestors, which might help a lot.
The germs imo should be quite omnipresent where normal life is happening, Eimeria can thrive in anything from birds, fish, reptiles, you name it.
So, I wouldn't panic, evaluate the problems that it creates, and act accordingly. One nodule, or just one rabbit affected wouldn't put me on edge. The way I keep my rabbits there wouldnt be much I could do anyway, apart from not breeding that rabbits again.
ThunderHill
Well-known member
As an update, this is what we got back from the lab. I'm going to call tomorrow to see if they can translate for me, but is anyone on here versed in whatever language this is?
To me it seems like they're saying it looks consistent with a parasite, but they didn't really find anything. Your thoughts?
To me it seems like they're saying it looks consistent with a parasite, but they didn't really find anything. Your thoughts?
An occasional spotty liver is nothing to get too upset about. Rabbits sent for processing are expected to have a certain percentage of livers showing signs of coccidiosis. Too many and the processor would dock part of his purchase price.
It's an annoying thing because it renders the liver inedible, but rabbits can be perfectly healthy in spite of a few nodules on the liver. If it starts showing up regularly, then you will definitely want to treat for it.
Certain plants have a natural ability to curtail parasites. I'll see if I can find the list.
It's an annoying thing because it renders the liver inedible, but rabbits can be perfectly healthy in spite of a few nodules on the liver. If it starts showing up regularly, then you will definitely want to treat for it.
Certain plants have a natural ability to curtail parasites. I'll see if I can find the list.
Bunnytrailfarm
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I have liver cirrhosis and I take a coriguard type of med. because humans eat plats off the ground as well. What about trying a corrid med.? They sell it for goats, horses, and drench for pigs and cattle. Just a thought.
Missed this.
They are saying it was a parasitic infection, possibly/probably with a nematode, which is NOT what coccidiosis is (coccida are protazoa).
A nematode is a small worm, like pin worm, but there are many kinds and some are parasitic and some are beneficial and live in the soil. They did not find enough worm remnants to make a positive identification, and the fact that they exist doesn't mean it is a full infestation. It sounds like the rabbit picked up some kind of worm, it migrated out of the gut or other original tissue (skin, lung) because they are small enough to move through blood vessels, and ended up in the liver, where the rabbits own immune system was in the process of eradicating it.
Some parasites are host specific, and if the wrong host picks them up, they are easily, but not instantly, killed by the host system. So I would not panic and just watch for any MORE of these.
ThunderHill
Well-known member
@eco2pia Are the lymphocotes and macrophages remnants of the body fighting the nematode/intruder? And I assume the fibrous tissue was the body walling off the problem into a little capsule (what was shows as white in the photo), correct?
@ThunderHill How much did you spend on the necropsy? Where were you able to find a lab?
Would cooking completely (165*) kill off whatever it was? Would feeding raw to a pet, if it were a nematode, or coccidia, be safe?
@ThunderHill How much did you spend on the necropsy? Where were you able to find a lab?
Would cooking completely (165*) kill off whatever it was? Would feeding raw to a pet, if it were a nematode, or coccidia, be safe?
ThunderHill
Well-known member
Thank you. Excellent info!
Yeah Lymphocytes and macrophages are immune cells and it is a typical response to sequester a foreign body, be it a splinter or a worm, using a capsule made of connective tissue. Your body builds a little blister around it and the cells and dead tissue or invader bits inside are what we often see as pus.
Cooking would kill any nematode, and most parasites that I am aware of. Feeding it raw and fresh would concern me if all I had was a spotty liver with no further info. In this case I do not think feeding raw would be an issue, but in any case freezing the meat is also a method for killing parasites that is very effective with nematodes, and many others.
Freezing!! I would have never thought of it, but thats brilliant!
When we have rabbits to process its a dog food source, so I'd hate to endanger them with fresh if I saw something like this. I'll freeze if I ever have a doubt. Brilliant again!!
MuddyFarms
Well-known member
Different types of meat and parasites require specific freezing temps and lengths of time being frozen, so that is something you might want to research to determine how long you might want to freeze it. Fish is different from pork and even venison, for example.
