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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #222: Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis

Exotic veterinary case - Medium - October 11, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. At a young-rabbit health check, Clover is smaller than her pen mates and has developed a rounded abdomen.
  2. Several rabbits in the same group have reduced appetites and are failing to gain weight.
  3. Ultrasound identifies an enlarged liver, directing the investigation beyond a purely intestinal problem.
  4. A more severely affected rabbit from the group dies; necropsy reveals numerous yellow-white nodules through its liver.
  5. Microscopy shows enlarged bile ducts containing coccidial stages, localising the infection to the hepatobiliary system.
  6. The parasite is identified as Eimeria stiedae, confirming hepatic coccidiosis in the affected group.

Diagnosis

Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis

Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis is supported by bile-duct lesions and E. stiedae. Intestinal coccidiosis can also cause poor growth, but a generic positive faecal result would not establish this hepatic form. Remember: Identify where the disease is occurring: coccidia in a faecal sample do not by themselves prove liver involvement.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this exotic case supports the provided diagnosis, Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: At a young-rabbit health check, Clover is smaller than her pen mates and has developed a rounded abdomen.
  2. Clue 2: Several rabbits in the same group have reduced appetites and are failing to gain weight.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: Ultrasound identifies an enlarged liver, directing the investigation beyond a purely intestinal problem.
  2. Clue 4: A more severely affected rabbit from the group dies; necropsy reveals numerous yellow-white nodules through its liver.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Microscopy shows enlarged bile ducts containing coccidial stages, localising the infection to the hepatobiliary system.
  2. Clue 6: The parasite is identified as Eimeria stiedae, confirming hepatic coccidiosis in the affected group.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this exotic case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Rabbit Hepatic Coccidiosis?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.