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| | From:  Nefer1027 (Original Message) | Sent: 6/27/2007 6:45 PM |
*Note: Information was found from a combination of sources, such as experienced breeders, our vet, and ‘Official Guide Book: Raising Better Rabbits & Cavies’ by the ARBA
Below is a listing of rabbit disorders that we have dealt with since 8-02. We have been fortunate enough to work with a veterinarian who specializes in small animals.
CAUTION: this information is meant to supplement current knowledge and is no substitute for the care of a qualified veterinarian. If you are unsure what is wrong with your rabbit, please contact your rabbit savvy vet for help. BACTERIAL PROBLEMS
Weepy Eye (Conjunctivitis):
Symptoms: matted fur in the corners of the eye; discharge on the eye surface; tissue around the eye may be red or look irritated.
Treatment: Use local ophthalmic or penicillin G ointment 2-4 times per day for 3-4 days; may want to check with your vet for blocked tear duct or respiratory infection.
Prevention: keep cage clean; watch for respiratory infections in general.
Roxy had this problem; we had to retreat her periodically for it.
 Vent Disease (‘vent’; Rabbit Syphilis)
Symptoms: Scabby lesions on the genital area; additional scabs in the nose to mouth area; scabs may have a white/yellow discharge; abortions may occur.
Treatment: All affected animals need to be treated; daily application of penicillin ointment or daily intramuscular shots of penicillin for three days. (20,000-40,000 IU per lb./body weight).
Prevention: Check animals before breeding them; do not breed infected animals; quarantine new animals; use caution when lending stud bucks.
Benten was born with this problem, though it was not detectable in either the sire or dam, which we lost after Benten was 2 weeks old. We had to hand feed Benten for an additional 6 weeks, give her the penicillin shots and bathe her bottom daily as well as applying the ointment. She survived and is doing well.
Pasteurellosis (Snuffles; upper respiratory infection)
Symptoms: Intermittent or constant sneezing; thick, white discharge from nasal area; is a precursor for other conditions.
Treatment: Antibiotic, but testing for the most effective one is recommended. With an antibiotic, need to administer daily yogurt with acidophilus.
Prevention: Strict culling; improve ventilation; minimalize stress factors; isolate sick animals; regular cleaning of feed and water dishes.
Stanzi was successfully treated for this problem with Baytril antibiotic; it is best to treat as soon as you notice the symptoms.
Abscesses (‘weepy eye’; ‘wry neck’; inflammation of other organs)
Symptoms: Lump in any part of the body, but often found in the neck/shoulder area.
Treatment: Take care of as soon as the lump is detected; cull animal from the herd; abscess needs to be lanced with a scalpel, making a large incision to drain the pus. Flush the wound with hydrogen peroxide or iodine solution daily, and use a broad-spectrum injectable antibiotic for 3-5 days, as directed by your vet.
Prevention: Keep area and hutches clean and sanitary; upgrade nestbox sanitation; remove nest boxes early; separate the young at an early age to prevent fighting.
Natalya developed several abscesses at one time. We vet checked and treated her, but were only able to prolong her life by three weeks before the disease spread to an uncontrollable rate. PARASITIC CONDITIONS
Fur Mites:
Symptoms: Loss of fur around face, neck, and back; appearance of ‘dandruff’ in fur.
Treatment: Use cat flea powder or shampoo; can use ivermectin orally or topically products (check with your vet first). Repeat as necessary.
Isolation during treatment period; cleanliness in the rabbitry; quarantine new rabbits.
We have successfully treated several rabbits, including Apollo who have come to us with this condition and found them good homes. |
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INTERNAL PARASITES
Coccidiosis (Internal):
Symptoms: Diarrhea; poor rate of weight gain; poor fur/flesh condition; pot bellied; poor resistance to other diseases; other secondary infections.
Treatment: Use a coccidiostat on a regular basis as medicated water or feed additive; recommend rotating medications such as sulphaquinoxaline with other coccidiostats (using a vet’s advice).
Prevention: Cleanliness; self cleaning hutches; use of automatic waterers and feeders; wire brushing of cage floors on a routine basis; prevention of food, water, and environmental contamination.
We have found problems with store bought animals that were sharing food and water dishes, as some of them came to us. We have also treated rabbits that have come to us from less than sanitary places. NON-INFECTIOUS CONDITIONS
Fur Chewing:
Symptoms: Chewing of Fur on certain areas of the body; rabbit or other animals in the pen can chew fur.
Treatment: Identify the cause if possible; add straw or hay to the diet to increase fiber; remove fur chewer from the pen. Adding 5 lbs. Of Magnesium Oxide per ton of feed may also help.
Prevention: High fiber rations and the addition of magnesium oxide to the diet.
Bun-Bun came to us with this problem, which in his case seems to be more of a nervous problem than anything else. He is very active and friendly, but doesn’t care for the hay very much. However, he loves the fresh greens. We added the Magnesium Oxide to his feed; his fur has been slowly growing back.
 Hair Blockage (Fur Ball; Fur Block)
Symptoms: Intermittent diarrhea; poor appetite or no appetite at all; loss of weight; moulting; pulling fur; ‘string of pearls’ in the stool.
Treatment: Daily dosing with ½ teaspoon of mineral oil for 3 straight days; repeat once a week; consult your vet as necessary. Surgery might be needed if the blockage is too severe.
Prevention: weekly, small doses of Vaseline/mineral oil for animals that are susceptible; use of papaya tablets may help.
Several of our rabbits (including Trixie) have dealt with this problem; it is not unusual. You might want to watch those who are moulting or have very thick coats. We like to give chunked papaya tablets, which they like, to their feed. Plenty of fiber also helps, as does pineapple chunks or you could mix the juice in their water.
Fighting:
Symptoms: Aggressive behavior; chewing on each other while together in the same hutch, breaking skin or pulling out the other’s fur.
Treatment: Relieve overcrowding (remember 1 square foot per pound of rabbit inside of the hutch); cage cleanliness; fresh adequate food/water; Speutering animals.
Prevention: proper bonding; the best combination is a fixed couple of buck/doe
We would often see the fighting right when the kits are coming ‘of age’ (sexual maturity) at about 6 months. We often keep most of or rabbits separate from each other since they are pedigree animals and cannot be fixed to ‘show’. We have seen successful bonding, however, with some of our clients, such as with Blue and Delta. It is inadvisable to separate a bonded pair.
Red Urine:
Symptoms: Red colored urine that does not contain ‘clots/flecks’; may be seen during the winter or when trays are being used inside the hutch, which makes the condition easily seen.
Treatment: Not a disease.
Prevention: More common when rabbit is on a high legume hay diet.
We have seen this before; the condition went on its own. If concerned, consult your vet.
 ‘Young Doe Death Syndrome’:
Symptoms: Does die suddenly at 1-2 weeks after kindling or from inconsistent causes. Usually happens to first time mother, but can happen to older does.
Treatment: no specific treatment due to acute nature of condition, but supportive care can include fluids and glucose. Seek assistance from your vet immediately.
Prevention: Do not let does get overweight; supportive care of does when off feed to prevent death.
We feel that in the case of Babette’s passing, it was a similar situation. She was 15 lb. (should have been 13 lb. maximum), this was her first litter, Lucky was unusually large, and she suddenly passed on with no signs of trouble.
Fetal Giantism
Symptoms: Difficult birth (distoxia) with unusually large kits in a small litter (one-two babies); Doe straining on the nest pushing the feti out; bloody discharge from vulva area.
Treatment: C-Section; Manual assistance; help from your rabbit savvy vet.
Prevention: Do not allow your doe to get overweight (see ARBA Standard of Perfection for approximate weight recommendation); select does used to having larger litters.
Lucky was a case of Fetal Giantism. He only had the one littermate of usual size; who was a stillbirth.
In general allowing a rabbit to get overweight is not a good idea, since it can contribute to heart disease, as well as the fetal giantism if you are breeding you rabbits. A rule of thumb that we use is to feel for your rabbit’s spine; if you cannot clearly feel the spine, most likely the rabbit is overweight. |
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| Orphaned Kits
Symptoms: Sudden death of the dam due to unexpected litter size or other problems.
Treatment: feed surviving kits once to twice daily with appropriate formula, or can be placed with a foster mother with a litter of her own. Consult your vet for any questions.
Prevention: Good management to prevent orphans; breed several does at once so extra kits may be fostered to does with smaller litters.
We have hand fed kits (including little Benten) on a few occasions. In this situation, you could use Esbilac kitten formula, available at pet stores, but fresh goats’ milk is the best as it is easier on the digestive tract.
Scattering of the Young at Kindling
Symptoms: Doe fails to make a proper nest for the young and/or allows kits to be scattered on the wire. Young often die of exposure. Often found with first time mothers.
Treatment: Young may be fostered to other mothers; kits may be hand fed if necessary.
Prevention: select replacement does with good mothering instincts; may use subterranean nest boxes; control predators or rodents in the rabbitry; make certain the no bucks are too close to the pregnant or nursing dam.
We have seen this in the case of one first time doe that left a kit on the wire. I put the kit next to my skin on my chest to warm her for 45 minutes and replaced her in the nest adequately covered wit successful results.
Early Nestbox Fatality
Symptoms: Dead kits in the nestbox from 2-10 days after kindling.
Treatment: mismanagement by the mother or to small of a nestbox; the problem is often not found until it is too late.
Prevention: Proper nestbox size according to breed; proper feeding of the mother close to kindling; check to make certain that the kits are being fed (round tummies).
We have found this in the case of mothers being brought to us with unexpected pregnancies, first timers, or if they were too young. The important thing is to monitor the litter and the mother, make certain they are being fed, and the area in the hutch and nestbox is clean as possible.
Sore Hocks (Ulcerated Foot Pads)
Symptoms: Ulcerated or raised on the bottom of the feet; All 4 feet may be affected; Rabbit may sit on solid area or in crocks to relieve the discomfort; inactivity; failure to mate; inactivity. Watch for secondary infection.
Treatment: Provide large solid area for the animal to rest on; treat affected area with an astringent until the area is healed.
Prevention: Select rabbits that are calm and have large well-furred footpads.
Windy had this problem, as did some of our other rescues. Our key point is to periodically check the feet. If the rabbit has a history of sore hocks, we would simply put him in a solid bottomed hutch. For treatment, we would make sure the cage is kept clean, clean the feet, and put antibiotic ointment on affected areas.
Malocclusion (Buck Teeth or Wolf Teeth)
Symptoms: Elongation of the upper or lower front teeth; the rabbit may not be able to eat.
Treatment: Teeth can be clipped; animal cannot be shown, as often this condition is inherited.
Prevention: Do not breed rabbits with this problem.
We had two rabbits (Kyle and Noah) with this problem and have managed it successfully using a cable wire cutter to trim the teeth every time they get too long (see a vet if you need to be shown how to clip the teeth). We also encouraged the rabbit getting plenty of hay and chew toys (apple branches are great) to help wear down the teeth.
Paralysis of the Hindquarter
Symptoms: Rabbit drags his hind legs; possible loss of bladder or bowel control; a violent scream from the rabbit at the time of injury or no condition may occur with no apparent cause.
Treatment: Seek professional advice for an accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment advice; be prepared if euthanasia is recommended.
Prevention: Proper handling technique.
Roxy Heart came to us with this condition. I had to clean her hutch daily, line it with straw, have supervised playtime, and bathe her at least every other day/as needed. We were able to prolong her life for 9 months. We recommend that if you can rig a bunny wheelchair, this is advised for better exercise.
Hutch Burn
Symptoms: Chapped/scalded area around the vent area or inside of the hind legs. Watch for secondary infections.
Treatment: Thoroughly clean the hutch and affected areas of the rabbit; use antibiotic ointment on affected areas of the rabbit.
Prevention: Keep clean hutches; watch angle of urine guards.
We had a couple of rabbits with this problem on solid bottom hutches. Moving them to wire cages with a resting board helps, if possible. Lining the bottom of the hutch with straw also helps in additional treatment.
Coprophagy (eating of the night feces)
Symptoms: Usually seen in the late night or early morning when the rabbit consumes soft fecal material. Normal Activity.
Treatment: Do not disrupt, as this is the way that rabbits get their B vitamins to improve their general digestion.
Prevention: This activity is normal to increase digestion and absorb nutrients in the diet.
Note: The night dropping can smell unpleasant and may even resemble diarrhea, as it is soft. If you have questions, contact your vet. OTHER CONCERNS
Overweight
Symptoms: layers of fat visible; excessive eating; inability to feel the rabbit’s backbone.
Treatment: Slowly reduce the amount of feed; keep timothy hay consistent; reduce the amount of treats; encourage exercise daily outside of the hutch if possible.
Prevention: Limit the amount of treats given; feed the rabbit once a day according to size; allow at least ½ -2 hr. exercise time daily.
Overweight rabbits are susceptible to increase rate of heart attack or trouble with breeding.
Underweight
Symptoms: Prominent hip, shoulder, and other bones; poor flesh condition; lethargic
Treatment: Increase in healthy diet, additional water; add exercise time slowly. Consult vet if necessary.
Prevention: Keep the rabbit on a healthy diet and consistent feedings, and care.
General Diarrhea
Symptoms: Stool more of a liquid consistency; lack of appetite.
Treatment: Remove pellets; keep rabbit on a diet of timothy hay, rolled oats, and plenty of water. Recommend adding fruity yogurt with acidophilus to diet (1 teaspoon per day). Consult your vet if necessary.
Prevention: Fresh feed and water; clean cage; consult vet if this persists, as it could be a secondary infection.
False Pregnancy
Symptoms: pulling hair; nesting; behavior change
Treatment: Go ahead and put the nestbox in just in case and consult your vet. This is usually a case of over abundant hormones. You also may wish to palpate (feel n the pelvic region) the doe.
Prevention: Spay the doe.
OUR POLICY ABOUT BREEDING
We agree with limited, responsible breeding of pedigree/show animals only with the breeder taking full responsibility for re-homing the pet quality animals.
We support speutering all rabbits without pedigrees or that are of pet quality.
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thanks Deb...pages have been made and linked |
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