Intestinal Parasites in Rabbits
By Steph M.
Ran and Richard were experienced parents to their bun Bruce when they added Lola to their family. Bruce had always been healthy, so subsequent, subtle changes in both buns’ behaviors went unnoticed.
One day Lola unexpectedly crossed the rainbow bridge. A necropsy revealed that Lola had coccidia, a class of common internal microscopic parasite that invades through rabbit’s GI tract.
Coccidia is one of the more insidious and asymptomatic intestinal parasites that rabbits can get. They’re transmitted through ingesting contaminated food, water, or feces of other animals.
Some types of non-harmful coccidia naturally occur in a rabbit’s body, but certain species of toxoplasma*, cryptosporidium and eimeria can lead to accute disease-causing diarrhea, weight loss / anorexia, and dehydration.
Acute infection is sometimes fatal, especially if the parasite spreads to the liver. In other cases, coccidia present with mild or no symptoms at all — or they can lead to manageable chronic neurological issues such as head tilt caused by toxoplasma.
Luckly, Brue recovered after some intensive treatment. FOR asked Ran and Richard to share some lessons learned from their tragic experience.
* Note: Toxoplasma only reproduces in cats. If a cat cohabitates with your rabbit, don’t let the bun walk in the cat’s litter box. This will help your rabbit avoid ingesting spores while grooming his or her feet.
Ran and Richard’s Recommendations
Schedule an Early Checkup
Look for Warning Signs; Watch for Weight Loss
Rabbits can very subtly wither to skin and bones over time. It’s important to weigh them regularly to make sure they are not losing weight inexplicably.
Buns should have a certain roundness to them, so if your bun’s bones are showing, take them to a vet to confirm that your bun’s lean physique does not have an underlying health-related cause.
Bloating/abdominal pain/hunching, or poor coat condition can also indicate health issues.
Be Mindful of Dramatic Changes in Behavior
Insist on an Immediate Vet Appointment
Bunny health can be very delicate. An appointment several days from onset of symptoms, such as dehydration, may not be soon enough.
Understanding Common Parasites in Rabbits
Coccidia are single-celled microscopic organisms called protozoa. Protozoa may already live in your rabbit’s body, and only rarely cause disease. They’re one of two basic kinds of intestinal parasites that you may find in your rabbit.
The other, multicellular worms (helminths), are less likely to be an issue if your rabbit lives indoors. Helminths can’t survive in a home environment, but they’re fairly common outdoors. These microorganisms multiply within host cells and cause rupture upon release of progeny, damaging the host organ.
A Span of Worms
Roundworms
Transmitted through ingesting contaminated feces of other animals — often raccoons or skunks — roundworms can be fatal to rabbits. They migrate to the brain, liver, eyes, spinal cord and other organs.
Symptoms include head tilt, tremors, lethargy, and impaired mobility.
Pinworms
Harmless healthwise, some owners may not even get them treated. Telltale signs are the presence of threadlike worms in the feces. Transmitted through contaminated food and water.
Tapeworms
Less common than some other parasites, symptoms include anorexia, enlarged abdomen, and swelling under the skin. They are transmitted through ingesting food/grass contaminated feces, usually dog feces.
General Prevention
Take the following steps to reduce the risk of unwanted parasites:
- Keep your bun’s living environment very clean, dry and cool.
- Avoid letting your bun out in outdoor areas (e.g., a garden or run) where they could ingest contaminated fecal matter of wild animals and other pets.
- Avoid letting your bun drink or get wet in stagnant water that may contain contaminated fecal matter or parasites.
- Keep rabbits away from cat litter boxes.
Diagnosis
Only a rabbit-savvy veterinarian will be able to diagnose intestinal parasites. Fecal analysis is part of the diagnostic process, but other techniques may be required, especially if secondary health issues emerge.
Some intestinal parasites, such as coccidia, are very difficult to detect if they’re not being actively shed in the feces. (Coccidia only show up in feces during specific parts of their life cycle.)
Treatment
Treatment varies, depending on the diagnosis.
Vets may prescribe:
- sulphaquinoxaline or other antiprotozoal drugs, as well as antibiotics for secondary infections, when dealing with coccidia
- worming medications for pinworms, roundworms and tapeworms
Not all antibiotics and worming medications are safe for rabbits, so it’s critical to work with a rabbit-savvy vet who will prescribe an appropriate drug, dose and frequency for the treatment regimen.
And as you’re taking care of your bun’s environment, remember the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
References
http://www.netvet.co.uk/rabbits/coccidiosis.htm
http://www.rabbitmatters.com/rabbit-parasites.html
Moore, L. (2005). A House Rabbit Primer. Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica Press.
Edited by Frank D.