What is E. Cuniculi?

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This topic has 15sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by Bernard2020.

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- 06/26/2020 at 3:27 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  Today was Bernards first check up at the vet since we’ve had her for a month or so now and they said she has E. Cuniculi in her eye. All they said was to keep an eye on it and bring her back later. I looked it up and it seems serious. She said she thinks it’s dead so does that mean I don’t have to worry about it? She said she’s healthy otherwise and she doesn’t have any other symptoms so does that mean it’s not dangerous unless she has other symptoms? She didn’t say much about it and I’m confused if it’s a big deal or not?
- 06/26/2020 at 3:34 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  Actually, I’m not sure if she said she has E. Cuniculi but that she has the white in her eye.
- 06/26/2020 at 4:04 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  Here’s some background on EC:
  
  http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.htm
  
  http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Signs/Cuniculi_signs.html
  
  It’s a protozoan parasite that can cause a range of symptoms, and it is suspected to be very common that rabbits carry it and don’t show symptoms.
  
  EC tests are pretty unreliable, but some vets will prescribe the treatment for it if it’s suspected. There are other causes of cataracts though, so maybe your vet wasn’t sure of the cause of the eye issue and wanted to just monitor for other symptoms before treating?
  
  If your vet is not very familiar with EC you could share those two articles I linked with her.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 06/26/2020 at 4:31 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  After reading that it seems more serious than what my vet said. She seemed to not be concerned about it, she just said to come back later. Should I just wait to see if she develops more symptoms? What would you do if it was your rabbit?
- 06/26/2020 at 7:33 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  How rabbit savvy is your vet?
  
  I trust my vet 100%, so if they said it was OK to just monitor, I wouldn’t worry. But if the vet is not that rabbit savvy (maybe they only occasionally see rabbits), I would probably get a second opinion. I do appreciate when vets don’t over-treat or over-test, because that can be a problem with some vets.
  
  That said, I don’t have any personal experience with EC, just what I’ve learned from other members’ experiences here on the forum and other resources.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 06/26/2020 at 7:48 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  This was my first time there so I’m not sure if they’re good or not. The reason I picked them was because they were on the rabbit savy vet list on the House Rabbit Society website.
- 06/26/2020 at 9:05 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  Gotcha! Might be good to call and chat with the vet to get a bit more info? I think if you shared that you learned some more about EC and had some questions it might clarify things for you.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 06/26/2020 at 9:23 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  That’s a good idea, thank you so much for helping!
- 06/26/2020 at 9:40 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17228 posts
  EC doesn’t truly go away, but it does go into remission. Is the white spot a cataract? Or like a yellow-white blob? EC causes cataracts. However, it can also cause uveitis in younger rabbits (less than 2 years). Uveitis can be caused by other things as well (bacteria, etc.).
  
  For cataracts, there isn’t much that can be done. The damage is done. If EC is suspected though, it would be advisable to treat for it even if the cataract is the only symptom currently presenting. Otherwise it can start to affect other parts of the body. Uveitis, on the other hand, can improve. If the cause is unknown, then vets often treat for both bacteria and EC.
  
  I saw your other thread. I’m sorry things aren’t working out. I would try to get her back to health before you try to rehome her. EC is very common and it’s treatable in most rabbits.
- 06/26/2020 at 11:45 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  It doesn’t look like a cataract to me. It’s like a very small unsymmetrical blob. It’s not yellow either. The Dr. said the eye with it was more sensitive to light when she was looking at her. But I’m glad to hear it’s treatable. I was getting really worried after reading too much online.
- 06/27/2020 at 9:12 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  No, she didn’t prescribe anything. She just basically said come back later and keep an eye on it.
  I would post a pic but I’m not sure how. I’ll put it as my profile so you guys can see. How can I tell the difference between EC and Uveitis?
- 06/27/2020 at 10:00 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17228 posts
  Oh yes, I can see the ambiguity. It looks like uveitis to me but it isn’t super nasty looking, so perhaps the vet thought it would clear up on it’s own. Uveitis can be caused by EC or bacteria, although EC is probably the more common cause. A lot of times vets will prescribe Panacur and antibiotic medication if the cause is unknown. That way all of their bases are covered just in case. Does Bernard have any other symptoms at all? Head tilt (even slight), limb weakness, urinary incontinence, etc.?
- 06/27/2020 at 10:43 PM
  Peanutthebunny
  Participant
  239 posts
  Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a mammalian microsporidial pathogen with world-wide distribution. An important cause of neurologic and renal disease in rabbits, E. cuniculi can also cause disease in immunocompromised people.
- 06/28/2020 at 10:56 AM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  No I haven’t noticed any other symptoms. She’s not litter trained so I’m not sure about the urinary incontinence
- 06/28/2020 at 8:16 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17228 posts
  Hmm… I’m not sure what would be the best course of action. Typically, a vet will prescribe medications even if they don’t know for sure what the cause is. EC tests are notoriously unreliable, so it makes sense to treat when EC is suspected.
  
  How long did the vet say to wait? I would just hate for Bernard to start showing other symptoms when this could have been dealt with early.
- 06/28/2020 at 8:28 PM
  Bernard2020
  Participant
  139 posts
  Ya, it’s kind of weird for her to just vaguely say come back later, especially because she didn’t say when. So maybe She meant she didn’t have time at the last appointment and she wants me to make another just for the eye. She needs spayed so I’ll see if they can look at the eye and then do the spay at the same visit.
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