Coccidiosis involving both pathogenic and non-pathogenic species of ''Eimeria'', is quite prevalent amongst intensively kept rabbits but is rarely encountered in pets, except in young animals at or around the time of weaning so the condition may be encountered in very young animals offered for sale. However, the clinician should be watchful for the occurrence of this parasite during the summer months when the sporulation rate of oocysts is reduced to below the usual 2 to 5 days. The parasite causes a rise in the pH of the gut which favours the proliferation of the bacteria, ''Escherichia coli'', in the gut. The levels of ''E. coli'' in the intestinal lumen of a rabbit rises directly in proportion to infestation with ''Eimeria'' species. | Coccidiosis involving both pathogenic and non-pathogenic species of ''Eimeria'', is quite prevalent amongst intensively kept rabbits but is rarely encountered in pets, except in young animals at or around the time of weaning so the condition may be encountered in very young animals offered for sale. However, the clinician should be watchful for the occurrence of this parasite during the summer months when the sporulation rate of oocysts is reduced to below the usual 2 to 5 days. The parasite causes a rise in the pH of the gut which favours the proliferation of the bacteria, ''Escherichia coli'', in the gut. The levels of ''E. coli'' in the intestinal lumen of a rabbit rises directly in proportion to infestation with ''Eimeria'' species. |