There are four major infectious diseases seen in pet rabbits. Rabbit handbook diseases examine your animals daily. Nutritional requirements and clinical examination are covered in chapters 2 and 3. This relatively new and highly contagious disease is an import from europe, where it has caused much havoc in rabbit farms. When antibiotics are a part of the treatment program, a withdrawal period of 10 days must be allowed before the animal is slaughtered for food. However, in my time of raising rabbits and communicating with a lot of others who raise rabbits ive noticed there are certain rabbit diseases and ailments that commonly occur. Ringworm most commonly occurs on the rabbits head, ears, and face.
Tularemia, often called rabbit fever or deerfly fever, is caused by the bacterium francisella tularensis. The first report of the virus in the western hemisphere was in mexico city in 1988. Inappetence can last 23 days, but the rabbit usually begins eating again on its own. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus rhdv is a virus in the genus lagovirus and the family caliciviridae. The stomach becomes taut, firm to the touch as the condition worsens. It is important to understand these and also recognize them in a timely fashion so they dont get out of hand. This growth is normally kept in check by the normal wearing action of chewing and grinding of opposing teeth.
There are so many more diseases and health issues in rabbits that we cannot even scratch the surface ofit all. Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium francisella tularensis. Nov 24, 2018 15 most common chicken diseases, symptoms and treatment nothing beats wandering down to the bottom of the garden to collect your freshly laid eggs for breakfast. Family caliciviridae, genus lagovirus, rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus rhdv rhdv was identified in 1984 as the agent of a highly contagious, acute and fatal disease of rabbits rhd. Can occur on other parts of body where there are wounds or scratches. Treatment consists of weekly subcutaneous administration of penicillin g.
There is, unfortunately, no specific treatment for myxomatosis so only supportive care fluids, antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, and pain medication can be offered by your vet. Note how much food and water are consumed, and the nature and quantity of wastes. Do not foster litter to another doe as it is h h infectious. Clean and disinfect the sore areas as well as the hutch immediately. Treating sick rabbits is usually a waste of time and money at the. Paws are good indicators of the rabbits health 2 pseudomonas aeruginosa, by esther van praag, ph. The disease mainly affects animals, especially rodents, rabbits and hares, though it can also infect birds, reptiles and fish. Owners should be encouraged and taught how to examine their rabbit regularly, in addition to. Teats become firm, co ted and, caked, and en hard knots or abscesses be enou h used fast the thumb and. Inu or the milk not 1m nicillin shots for 3 to 5 d feed reens. Two other infectious diseases of rabbits are encephalitozoonosis a neurologic disease caused by the parasite encephalitozoan cuniculi and respiratory infection caused by the bacteria pasteurella multocida. Rabbit disease cause, symptoms, prevention and treatment. This virus was purposefully introduced in australia and areas of europe in the 1950s to reduce the wild rabbit population, and it has since become a bane for our pet rabbits. Typical early signs are a nasal discharge, watery eyes, head shaking.
Because domestic rabbits tend to be very susceptible to the virus and suffer while showing symptoms of the disease, euthanasia is often recommended. Regular grooming of normal furred rabbit and shearing of the wool on all fiber animals will go far in helping to prevent this condition. The mortality rate is incredibly high if a rabbit contracts this disease, at around 96%, and there is no known treatment. Symptoms may include fever, skin ulcers, and enlarged lymph nodes. Causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of various animal diseases introduction it is impossible to accurately estimate all the losses caused by livestock diseases, but the united states department of agriculture estimates that losses caused by mortality, reduced productivity, lower fertility, condemned prod. The virus was intentionally introduced in australia, france, and chile in the 1950s to control wild european rabbit populations. If the rabbit is found to have the disease it should not be bred. Treatment involves a long and sometimes repeated course of antibiotics.
Department of public health acute communicable disease control. Most mild infections will clear up without further treatment. Should there by any doubt as to the effectiveness of a treatment it is recommended that you consult. Viruses are not important causes of clinical disease of rabbits in the usa but include the infectious fibromas, papillomatosis, rabbitpox, myxomatosis, and a herpesvirus infection virus 3. Color, fur condition, breathing, nasal discharges and ear carriage the way the ears are held are indications of health. Pasteurellosis, ear mange, and coccidiosis are diseases commonly experienced by some growers. Rabbit diseases disease cause symptoms prevention treatment abscesses bacterial infection. Symptoms include a rumbling noise, distended abdomen, mucous excretion, watery diarrhea and sometimes cecal impaction, along with decreased feed intake and high mortality. Jul 10, 2011 however, crusting, scaling, and bald spots are actually more common symptoms than the red ring. Do you face problems in identifying the disease type of your rabbit.
There are many species in the rabbit family but all domesticated rabbits are believed to have descended from a single species known as the european rabbit. Myxomatosis is spread by bites from mosquitoes, flies, fur mites, and fleas and can also be acquired from injuries caused by contaminated thorns or thistles. Rabbit raising has continued to be a backyard or part. Common rabbit diseases prevention treatment youtube. Here are the most common illnesses and ailments among rabbits. Subsequent chapters then take a body system approach to describing diseases, their diagnosis and treatment. An abscess rabbit disease is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Rabbit diseases petmd offers causes, diagnosis and treatment advice for rabbit illness symptoms. However, the biggest road block in making profit from rearing rabbits is the diseases. Do you administer the wrong medication to the illness. Diseases and parasites prevention, eradication, and control of transmissible diseases if disease prevention has failed and transmissible diseases are established in the rabbitry, heavy mortality may lead to business fail ure. Your veterinarian may provide topical treatment miconazole, clotrimazol for small lesions. So im bringing you a list of the 10 most common rabbit diseases, illnesses and.
The signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. Well help you get to know some of the major symptoms of the major rabbit illnesses, and what you can do for these health challenges, including some effective home remedies. So im bringing you a list of the 10 most common rabbit diseases, illnesses and ailments in my opinion and how you can effectively treat them or stop them from occurring. Ask your local veterinarian for dosage levels when using antibiotics and for names of antibiotic powders. Major symptoms of the more common diseases affecting rabbits, like snuffles and enteritis. A case of mucocutaneous bacterial pyoderma has been reported in a rabbit. Although symptoms may last for several weeks, most patients completely recover. The book begins with an overview of rabbit husbandry. Occasionally surgery is required if an abscess forms. However, the size of the herds has expanded from a few does to the current average rabbit herd of 20 does, and it is not uncommon to see herds of 300500 breeding does.
Rabbit diseases az the full list of rabbit diseases petmd. Pdf on dec 1, 2016, constable pd and others published veterinary medicine. Dec, 2018 blood tests and cultures can help confirm the diagnosis. The demand of rabbit meat and skin is very high in the market. Subcutaneous swelling extends around the eyes, ears, and genital region and can progress to skin hemorrhages, breathing difficulties, decreased to no appetite, fever. Because they are viral diseases, there are no effective treatments once the rabbit is infected. Clip the fur around abscess, then lance and remove the pus. Infectious diseases in rabbits vca animal hospital. Head disease yes yes teats become swollen, feverish to touch reddish in color turn blue to u leas the usual occurs in does raisi first litters and within the first three weeks of nursi.
They will be able to administer treatment in a way that wont harm your rabbit. But one thing that might put a dampener on that experience is to find out your beloved chickens are carrying diseases. Treatment before breeding, all rabbits should be checked for this disease. Like humans animals also fall ill and contact diseases. Treatment with program tm has been found to be quite effective. Reducing stress for rabbits that are infected and the quarantine of new rabbits are good ways of preventing introduction of the disease or recurrence of signs. Furthermore, the recommended treatments are based on proven field experiences. Pasteurellosis is the umbrella name given to the rabbit diseases caused by pasteurella multocida. It is strongly advised to read books and be alert and aware of your rabbit s nonnal and not so nonnal habits. All of the rabbit s teeth, the incisors, premolars, and molars, grow throughout the life of the rabbit.
Rabbit calicivirus disease was first reported in 1984 in the peoples republic of china, from whence it spread through the domestic and wild rabbit populations in continental europe. Problems of overgrown teeth can occur when the teeth are positioned unevenly in the jaw. A quick responce is essential if you are to save the rabbit. Myxomatosis is an excellent example of what occurs when a virus jumps from a species adapted to it to a naive host, and has been extensively studied for this reason. If youre a new rabbit owner, as pet or meat source, first you need to know all the. A textbook of the diseases of cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats. Rabbit lagoviruses consist of pathogenic viruses rhdvs and nonpathogenic viruses rcvs, related but genetically divergent. The rest of the diet should be leafy greens, with pellets and other treats being minimal to nonexistent. Common diseases and conditions of pet rabbits cinque ports vets.
If the rabbit is in pain, analgesics can be administrated e. Eliminate sharp objects that can injure the rabbit. There are separate chapters on behaviour, anaesthesia and surgery, and zoonotic aspects. Antibiotics used to treat tularemia include streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin. The rabbit presented with swelling and erythema of the mucocutaneous junctions of lips, nares and vulva and secondary bacterial infection due to staphylococcus intermedius. Indeed, dying bacteria release toxins inside the rabbit s body and blood circulation and appetite may be affected. It is a nonenveloped virus with a diameter around 3540 nm, icosahedral symmetry, and a linear positivesense rna genome of 6. Consequently, only those common diseases observed will be mentioned in this factsheet.
Rotaviral enteritis also has been diagnosed in the usa and seems to contribute to the overall problem of intestinal disease in rabbits. It is imperative to monitor the rabbit s eating during the treatment. Schmorls disease or skin necrosis due to fusobacterium necrophorum. Treatment usually lasts 10 to 21 days depending on the stage of illness and the medication used.