What medicine works well for rabbits with coccidiosis?
Rabbit coccidiosis is caused by various species of Eimeria coccidia parasitizing the epithelial cells of the small intestine or bile ducts of rabbits. Rabbits of all breeds and ages can be infected, but rabbits aged 1 to 3 months are most susceptible and develop severe disease with a high mortality rate, while adult rabbits develop only mild disease and are mostly carriers, becoming an important source of infection. Let's take a look below at what medicine should be given to rabbits for coccidiosis!
What are the symptoms of coccidiosis in rabbits?
According to the parasitic site of the coccidia, it can be divided into three types: intestinal, hepatic and mixed. At the beginning, the sick rabbit has reduced appetite, is depressed, lies prone and motionless, and its growth is stunted. Ocular and nasal secretions increase, body temperature rises, the abdomen becomes distended, with bloating, diarrhea, soiling around the anus, and frequent defecation. Intestinal coccidiosis causes stubborn diarrhea, even bloody diarrhea, or alternating constipation and diarrhea. Hepatic coccidiosis causes enlargement of the liver, with pain on palpation of the swollen area, and yellow staining of the mucous membranes. In the late stage of rabbit coccidiosis, neurological symptoms often appear, with spasms and paralysis of the limbs, and death due to extreme exhaustion. The intestinal type causes rapid death, while the hepatic type is slower.
How to prevent coccidiosis in rabbits?
1. Rabbit housing should be built in a sunny, dry place, and the environment should be kept clean and hygienic.
2. Feeding utensils should be cleaned and disinfected frequently, and rabbit cages, especially the cage floor boards, should be regularly sterilized with flame to kill oocysts.
3. Rabbits from after weaning to 3 months of age should be given medication to control the occurrence of coccidiosis regardless of season.
What medicines are available for rabbit coccidiosis?
1. Tusiqiususha broad-spectrum powdered anticoccidial drug, mixed into feed at 100 grams per 100 kg of feed.
2. Clopidol mixed into feed at 20 to 25 grams per 100 kg of feed, but the effect is not obvious.
3. Robenidine at 15 mg per kg of body weight per day mixed into feed, but drug resistance generally develops.
How to administer medicine for rabbit coccidiosis?
1. Subcutaneous injection
[Method] The preventive effect is achieved by injecting an injectable coccidiostat subcutaneously, where it is slowly absorbed.
[Advantages] The dosage is accurate, the intake is guaranteed, and the effect is definite.
[Disadvantages] Injection is rather troublesome, and the rabbit feels pain.
2. Direct oral administration
[Method] The preventive effect is achieved by directly feeding an orally administrable liquid coccidiostat into the rabbit's mouth to be swallowed and absorbed.
[Advantages] The dosage is accurate, the intake is guaranteed, and the effect is definite.
[Disadvantages] Administering the medicine is rather troublesome, which makes the rabbit angry, or the person administering it gets bitten, or the rabbit is injured during administration.
3. Drinking water mixing method
[Method] The preventive effect is achieved by mixing a liquid coccidiostat with drinking water in a certain proportion and letting the rabbit drink freely.
[Advantages] No injection is needed, no special administration of medicine is needed, and it saves effort.
[Disadvantages] Many rabbits drink too little water, leading to insufficient drug intake, or the rabbit refuses to drink because the coccidiostat added to the drinking water has an off taste, ultimately leading to failure in preventing coccidiosis.
4. Feed mixing method
[Method] The preventive effect is achieved by mixing a powdered coccidiostat with rabbit feed in a certain proportion and letting the rabbit eat freely.
[Advantages] No injection is needed, no special administration of medicine is needed, and it saves effort.
[Disadvantages] The drug powder has poor adhesion, making it very difficult to mix thoroughly with the rabbit feed and to have it all adhere to the surface of the feed; moreover, many young rabbits eat irregularly, or the rabbit refuses to eat because the coccidiostat added to the feed has an off taste, leading to insufficient drug intake and ultimately failure in preventing coccidiosis.
5. Medicated feed
[Method] Rabbit feed producers pre-mix the coccidiostat into the rabbit feed, and the rabbit indirectly ingests the coccidiostat by eating, thus achieving the preventive effect.
[Advantages] No injection is needed, no special administration of medicine is needed, and it saves effort.
[Disadvantages] If the palatability of the rabbit feed is poor, it will lead to insufficient drug intake and ultimately failure in preventing coccidiosis.