Treatment for e. cuniculi

Question
Hi,
I have a 4 month old mini lop, the last of a litter of 6, who I took to the vet Friday. He has cataracts in his right eye and they are starting in his left. My vet was unfamiliar with this in rabbits but research I've done suggests he contracted E. Cuniculi from mum before he was born. I'm going to treat him with Lapizole (fenbendazole) for 28 days. I would also like to treat his mum but she has a new litter currently (6 days old). Should I wait until they are weaned do you think?
Do you know how common it is for does to pass on e c whilst pregnant? Should I be concerned about previous litters, or the current litter (her third)? Do you think I should treat my other rabbits? I also have two sisters who live together and do not breed and two entire bucks.
It seems that the veterinary profession do not know that much about e c yet so I have lots of questions - sorry!

Answer
Dear Tracy,

The cataract lesions caused by E. cuniculi in rabbits look quite different from other types of cataracts.  I think you might want to enlist the services of an experienced veterinary opthalmologist to be sure these cataracts are from E. cuniculi, and not some other health problem.  Age of four months is quite young for a rabbit to show signs of E. cuniculi, though it's not unheard of.  If the rabbit is purebred (with all that implies about his immune system), then it's more likely.  But still unusual.

E. cuniculi is generally not believed to be passed through the placenta.  But baby rabbits can contract the parasite via contact with infected urine shortly after birth.  Very hard to prevent this.  It might help to treat *all* the bunnies with fenbendazole and/or ponazuril (toltrazuril sulfate), so perhaps ask the vet about this.

Many vets are quite knowledgeable about E. cuniculi these days.  You just have to find the right vet.  You don't say exactly where you are, but since you're using Lapizole, I am guessing you're in the UK.  I hope you can find a vet via the international listings here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

If you're anywhere near Harrogate in Yorkshire, then there is no better rabbit vet than Dr. Frances Harcourt-Brown (and her surgeon husband, Dr. Nigel Brown):

http://www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/harcourt-brown/

I hope this helps.

Dana