Rabbit dysentery: 3. Diagnostic differentiation

The diagnostic differentiation of rabbit mucoid enteritis from rabbit dysentery by age and post mortem findings is described. The condition termed as "rabbit dysentery" affects three- to 10-week-old growing rabbits and is essentially an acute coccidiosis, while "mucoid enteritis" develops in older rabbits as a sequel to constipation for six to eight days. The main differentiating feature of the two conditions, which have often been confused with one another owing to similarity of symptoms, is the characteristics dissimilarity of gross changes in the caecum.