+ Fecal test results

[arexnamedfern]

Hello! I finally found a vet somewhat local that would do a fecal test (yay!) We have a colony of rabbits, ranging from 3 months old to 7-8 years old.

We took a rabbit for a vet evaluation, there are zero symptoms or concerns with any of them.
The results returned positive for Eimeria, which, not being familiar with, I looked online and found is coccidia.
Some places indicated that many rabbits will test + for this and it isn't a big deal in a non-symptomatic rabbit. Other places seem to think that it is the end of the world. Still others thought it was easily treated but should definitely be treated.

The vet who examined our rabbits was of the mind to only treat if anyone becomes symptomatic. No rabbits are having trouble keeping weight on, no diarrhea or other abnormalities. I have had a few litters a year for the past 7-8 years and have never had symptomatic kits, the most recent litter is currently a happy pack of 3 month olds.

What is your experience, protocol or opinion? I am having a hard time settling it in my mind to not treat them, but if that is the way to go??? If I did treat them, what is the best treatment?

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I'm not as familiar with coccidia in rabbits but it can be a big problem in sheep, especially lambs during weaning.

Coccidia exists around the animals because they carry and shed it as part of what's naturally in their system. The problem comes when one thing takes over the rest, upsetting the balance.

In lambs you have little growing bodies developing their immune system so it's easier to upset the balance. Plus they're young and nibbling everything. If there is alot of manure and dirty feeders, etc they can ingest lots of coccidia shed from the rest of the animals. If the area is kept up, however that be, deep bedding or regular clean outs or wire cages, then there is less coccidia in/on the environment for them to ingest.

If you wean the lambs this adds a stress event and can tip the scales and they'll start getting sick from it en masse. From the ones that were scooting by just above showing symptoms getting bumped down.

 

[Alaska Satin]

Hello! I finally found a vet somewhat local that would do a fecal test (yay!) We have a colony of rabbits, ranging from 3 months old to 7-8 years old.

We took a rabbit for a vet evaluation, there are zero symptoms or concerns with any of them.
The results returned positive for Eimeria, which, not being familiar with, I looked online and found is coccidia.
Some places indicated that many rabbits will test + for this and it isn't a big deal in a non-symptomatic rabbit. Other places seem to think that it is the end of the world. Still others thought it was easily treated but should definitely be treated.

The vet who examined our rabbits was of the mind to only treat if anyone becomes symptomatic. No rabbits are having trouble keeping weight on, no diarrhea or other abnormalities. I have had a few litters a year for the past 7-8 years and have never had symptomatic kits, the most recent litter is currently a happy pack of 3 month olds.

What is your experience, protocol or opinion? I am having a hard time settling it in my mind to not treat them, but if that is the way to go??? If I did treat them, what is the best treatment?

If you look hard enough, you'll always find something.

Sounds like you found a good vet. Many want to treat anything they find (and some things they haven't found). But I agree with your vet 100% - don't treat a non-existent illness! Like @ohiogoatgirl said, coccidia are everywhere. The best bet is to breed rabbits that are resistant to becoming ill from mild exposure to pathogens, and after 7-8 years, it sounds like that's what you've done!

If you have had healthy rabbits for that long, I'd be very hesitant to rock the status quo by medicating them for a disease they don't have. All meds have risks, and many of them upset the balance of the gut flora that is so important to healthy rabbits (and most other mammals). You might end up with sick rabbits for the first time ever.

In rabbits, like goats, coccidiosis tends to be hygiene-related. Dirty and especially wet conditions can prompt an outbreak. If that's the case, a common medication is Corid (amprolium); it's used for species ranging from rabbits to goats to chickens, even though each Eimeria variant is supposedly species-specific. But repeated prophylactic medication can lead to resistant pathogens, and we think we're starting to see amprolium-resistant strains of Eimeria in some of the rabbits up here. So, please don't medicate your healthy rabbits!

 

[arexnamedfern]

Thank-you for your thoughts!
I will stand down and just take the test results as an indicator to keep watch for any future issues.

We had them fecal tested because this winter a lot of wild rabbits have been coming right up to their fence. We have hay stored in lean-tos on either side of the rabbits stall and the wild rabbits are getting in to help themselves. There is wild rabbit manure along the outside of the rabbits fence. In the past, I haven't noticed this issue. Our rabbit fence and stall is kind of in the middle of the horse paddock and buts up to a chicken coop and dog pen. We put it there thinking it would be an unlikely place for wildlife, either predators or wild rabbits, to get to. But this winter, apparently wild rabbits are bold. Thus far we've been able to trap and re-locate one and the dogs have gotten two.

Anyways, that is why I wanted to have our colony tested and I spoke with the veterinarian about this issue. So, I am unsure how long they have had coccidia.