# Coccidia Treatment and Deworming?



## TheOtherHorse (Aug 21, 2009)

Do you use any preventative care regimen to avoid coccidia or intestinal parasites? 

None of my rabbits are symptomatic, but I have been feeding them weeds and grasses that I pick daily. My breeders live in wire cages with the only exposure being the fresh greens I pick for them. Some of the grow outs live in a rabbit tractor that I move twice daily for fresh grazing. While processing them I noticed a couple white spots on the livers consistent with early Hepatic Coccidosis. None were symptomatic, but I did notice that the grow out rate was slower with this group, which I originally blamed on the added forage diet instead of just pellets like prior litters, but could the coccidia have slowed growth rates too?

Now I am concerned about my breeders. Should I give them something for prevention even though I'm not seeing symptoms?

Also, what broad spectrum dewormer is used for prevention of intestinal parasites? How often, and what is the withdrawl time for meat and or breeding? Can any be used on pregnant or nursing does? I typically have a fast breed back schedule, so does are always either pregnant or nursing (or both).


----------



## paintpony (Jan 5, 2013)

Grapefruit seed extract in their water bottle.


----------



## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

^^^if does are or will be bred, I would try what paintpony suggested as I am unsure of use on pregnant does of any of the store bought wormer^^

Coccid. I know their is something you can buy at TSC..but I haven't used it and can't remember the name..maybe someone will chime in.

For the medications you can buy at the store(which I am unsure about on pregnant does-never used it on them)..the duration you have to wait for slaughter of any animal given any of these is a minimum of 30 days...but personally I would try to wait 60 days.

For internal pinworms...Fenbenzadole (Safeguard cattle wormer paste) and their are some other options ..here is a link
http://amayesingrabbitry.weebly.com/treating-for-parasites.html

I do use a preventive type treatment once a year on my breeders...Ivermectin horse paste...an English pea on a wooden popsicle stick raked into their mouth. This is for fur and ear mites and E. Cunculi(a parasite that can attack the nervous system)...some use injectable Ivermectin drench given orally instead.I give a dose to each breeder and 7 days later again. Then 2 weeks after the last dose another. then 2 weeks later another. For a total of 3 doses . I hope that isn't as confusing as it sounds:grit:. Any new rabbit gets this regime after it's 30 day quarantine when "joining the herd".

I hope this answered some of your questions..this is just what we do here. Usually the buns yearly regime here...is given during our breeding break during the hottest part of the year...in August and at this time..we update, remodel, or shift the rabbits around in the rabbitry too.

Good luck to you and happy rabbit breeding :bowtie:


----------



## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

Should say the Cocci. stuff can be found at TSC I'm told and it is put in the water and it's name sounds something like the issue...so it's Cocc___ something.


----------



## paintpony (Jan 5, 2013)

RNW,

You're thinking of Corrid. Dimethox is also used for cocci in goats, not sure if it can be used in rabbits though.


----------



## Squeaky McMurdo (Apr 19, 2012)

I put 3cc of Corid in their 36oz water bottles once a month. It hasn't hurt them


----------



## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

Squeaky..do you give it once daily every month?


----------



## Squeaky McMurdo (Apr 19, 2012)

The last time I dosed them they were 1/3 the size they are now and sharing a cage. I was experimenting because I didn't know how they would react to it and they also weren't finishing their water in a day.

I know 3cc is the daily dose over a 5 day period for a 12lb baby goat, so I think next time I will follow that regimen with my rabbits.


I don't know if it is possible to overdose with Corid. Anyone know?


----------



## paintpony (Jan 5, 2013)

Squeaky,

I don't know about overdosing. Maybe. I do know some people have linked using/overusing Corid with thiamine deficiency (goat polio) in goats. I'm not sure what the circumstances were that caused it. From what I understand in how Corrid works, is that it is a thiamine inhibitor and that is what makes the cocci die.


----------



## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Corrid is an biologically inert analog for thiamine. Coccidia oocysts need thiamine to mature to the adult lifestage, which is the damaging one. Essentially, the coccidia take in the corrid and try to use it as thiamine, incorporating it into their biochemistry - but it is not quite the same and doesn't work, to put it simply. Thus, the oocysts cannot mature, cannot reproduce, and cannot damage. It does NOT kill any lifestage, only essentially sterlizes the next generation. Thus, used at a PROPER dosage, it will inhibit the coccidia load long term/with a couple repeated preventative dosages. Used properly and on animals that don't already have a compromised gut, it should NOT cause thiamine deficiency in the animal. 

Dimethox (sulfadimethoxine) works fine for rabbits, so does sulmet (sulfamethoxine). I used baycox (toltrazuril) to rid my rabbitry of its horrendous coccidiosis problems that I was having (80%+ mortality in the growout pen)

Caged rabbits kept in CLEAN environments should not need routine deworming/coccidia treatments - that being said, I fed pellet only. Of course feed only weeds/grass that is dry (not dewy), not pooped on by your rabbits (or wild rabbits - IE, don't pick 'short' grass from your yard - pick tall grass, tall shrubs etc if you can). 

As for dewormer, I have used it occassionally mostly in animals I brought in or that were living on-ground for a while (escapees, lol). I used ivermectin and safeguard sucessfully. I gave orally. 

For a herdwide treatment, I liked the baycox. It's a one time dose, easy to give, doesn't taste bad (less fighting). Clean cages well, and dose them with the baycox the same day. Shake the bottle well because it does settle.


----------



## paintpony (Jan 5, 2013)

Donna,

I always learn something new when you post


----------



## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

mygoat..I feel like I should be copying and pasting this info into my documents somewhere...lol...good info to know


----------

