Parasitic Disease of Rabbits Flashcards
What protozoans cause the most common and most significant clinical disease in rabbits?
Coccidians
What species of Coccidia causes hepatic disease?
Eimeria stiedae
What species of coccidian causes intestinal disease?
Eimeria spp
What are the clinical signs of the hepatic coccidian?
Liver dysfunction Blockage of the bile ducts Weight loss Hepatomegaly Icterus
What are the clinical signs of the intestinal coccidian?
Profuse, watery or bloddy diarrhea
What is caused by the protozoal parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi
Encephalitozoonosis
What organs does Encephalitozoon cuniculi cause lesions to form?
Brain and kidney
How is Encephalitozoonosis transmitted?
Ingestion of the parasite
Transplacental
How is Encephalitozoonosis treated?
Treatment is lifelong
Focuses on minimizes the symptoms of the disease
What are the clinical signs of Encephalitozoonosis?
Usually not present
Neurologic signs (depression, torticollis, ataxia)
Lesions
Rabbits may serve as a resrvoir host of what protozoal parasite for infection of other animals?
Cryptosporidium cuniculus
What is the intermediate host of Cryptosporidium cuniculus?
Sarcocystis cuniculi
Rabbits are usually asymptomatic for Cryptosporidium cuniculus but encysted forms may initiate what?
Inflammatory response resulting in eosinophilic myositis and myocarditis
How is Cryptosporidium cuniculus transmitted?
Ingestion of infective oocysts
Migrating larvae of what nematode causes viseral larval migrans in rabbits?
Baylisascaris procyonis
What is the pinworm of rabbits?
Passalurus ambiguus
What protozoal parasite is rarely found in rabbits
Cestodes
What is a nonburrowing mite that feeds on the epidermis of the ear canal?
Psoroptes cuniculi
What are the clinical signs of ear mites?
Painful inflammation Intense pruritis Dry, crusty, brown material Foul smell Raw skin
How are ear mites treated?
Application of mineral oil
What mite is a nonburrowing mite, has zoonotic potential, and is commonly referred to as Fur mites?
Cheyletiella parasitovorax
What are the clinical signs of Cheyletiella parasitovorax?
Nonpruritic alopecia over the back and intrascapular area
What ectoparasite is possible but rarely seen?
Sarcoptic mange
What is the only tick of any clinical significance in domestic rabbits?
Haemophysalis leporispalustris
What ectoparasites are seen in poor husbandry conditions?
Fleas and lice
What causes cysts in the skin of the rabbit and contains fistulated openings (Warbles), and surgery is required to remove the larvae?
Cuterebra species
