Baycox use for Coccidia

Question
Hello Pam,
I have been reading information on Baycox (toltrazuril)for "prevention" of coccidia in rabbits. I have purchased a 200ml bottle of Toltrazuril 50g/l liquid.  As a breeder of Netherland dwarf rabbits this is wonderful news.  In the past our we have used Albon from our vet as a "treatment" whenever the young bunnies broke with it or if they developed diarreha from the stress of travel/showing.  My question is; When is the best time to use it?  Prior to weaning and if so at what age? Our dwarfs normally stay with their mums up to 7 weeks of age.  Can we use it prior to travel and showing?  Our vet is not a bunny  vet and trys his best to work with us. I realize it is off label use as is most anything for rabbits.  I would also like to know the correst doseage according to "bunny experts" as our vet gave us a wide range and told to repeat in 5 to 7 days.
Our rabbits are well loved and cared for...if I can prevent a coccida bloom with the use of Toltrazuril that would be wonderful.

Answer
Hi Cathy,

Can you please ask me this question again and mark it as private.  I will give you my direct e-mail address.  I am not sure how you got the Baycox last time I checked you couldn't buy it in the states.  I know you can order it from Australia but my concern about that is that it is considered a vitamin over there and it is not regulated.  I do not know the dose for the Baycox because we don't use it.  However I do know a breeder in NY who works in research and has had experience with it.  I wouldn't feel right giving you any doses because I do not know if they are the same as the ponazuril, although I suspect they are.  However if you send a private message I would be happy to give you her contact information.  

As for giving it before shows, I am told that it is safe but obviously there hasn't been any research.  My best advise for shows is to carry a spray bottle of vanodine with you.  They are selling it again at bunnyrabbit.com.  We keep a small spray bottle in our pocket and as the rabbits come off the table we spray the bottom of their feet.  As you know coccidiosis is caused by oocysts which are passed through the fecal pellets.  Almost all rabbits carry these oocysts but most of them don't shed them unless they have the active disease.  If a rabbit passes fecal pellets or fecal matter on to the show table and the next rabbit walks through it and then licks its feet they may now come down with the same illness.  Most of the time when a litter comes down with it they have got it from their mother.  Keeping the cage clean and sanitized is the single most important thing you can do for them.  Personally I do not use wire cages but if I had an outbreak of coccidiosis I would want wire.  I wont tell anyone to use wire cages but if you aren't and you are having a coccidiosis issue I would switch.  If that is not possible it is imperative to clean them daily.

Bleach will not kill coccidiosis.  You need to use an ammonia solution and I leave the cages outside in the sun for several weeks.  Even then you can still find oocysts under a microscope.  This disease is devastating and I agree with you that the previous treatments were pretty much useless.  Our staff vet has been prescribing ponazuril for over a year and has had great outcomes.  If your vet is interested there is an article written by Dr. Dana Krempels about diarrhea in rabbits and the use of ponazuril.  You can find that article here:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/squirts.pdf

My advise would be to print this out and give it to your vet.  Most vets are willing to listen to the breeders who often have far more experience than they do.  They may see rabbits a few times a year but the breeders see them every day.  Our farm vet knew zilch about rabbits but we sent her data that we found and we did a lot of the research ourselves.  Now we would not take them to anyone else.

Good luck

Pam