How and what to treat biting midsection in rabbits
Infectious stomatitis, or, as it is also called, "bite in rabbits", is a disease to which small eared animals are most often susceptible (from the lactation period to three months of age). The disease is not affected by either the breed of the fluffy or its gender. Farm and decorative breeds are more likely to suffer from stomatitis and almost always die, in contrast to wild relatives with the same problem.
Rabbits
A sick animal quickly weakens, wasting away before our eyes. Pain and discomfort can be fatal.
Biting midge symptoms in a rabbit
When rabbits get sick with biting midge, they develop inflammation of the oral mucosa, saliva is strongly secreted, ulcers and a rash appear on the tongue.
These are the main symptoms. Patients often suffer from diarrhea. Healthy individuals can easily become infected with stomatitis if they are in the same room with the infected. First, the biting midge infects an individual family, and then all young rabbits. The abode of the disease is often the farm where pets are raised. There, the animal virus spreads very quickly.
Stomatitis caused by an infection is easy to recognize, but should not be confused with normal saliva, which can be produced abundantly due to damage to the oral mucosa when eating coarse fiber foods.
Stage one symptoms
The initial stage of the disease is barely noticeable, but you should know the first symptoms in order to start treatment on time. These include:
- redness of the oral mucosa with frequent saliva;
- on the edge of the tongue and in places where there are no teeth, sometimes next to the nose, a white coating appears, which is hardly noticeable;
- the tongue swells and becomes white;
- on the 5th day of stomatitis, the color of the plaque darkens, then the skin peels off the tongue and small ulcers appear, after which it turns dark red with a huge ulcer in the center.
2-3 days after the onset of these symptoms, external signs of the disease begin to appear. Saliva is secreted more and more often: first from the corners of the mouth, then the flow intensifies.
The hair on the nose, face and neck sticks together, dark stripes appear. The pet behaves restlessly, sometimes aggressively.
Symptoms of acute stomatitis
After the salivation in rabbits increases, their general physical condition also changes. Symptoms of an exacerbation of the disease may be:
- inactivity;
- hammering into the corner of the cage / aviary;
- champing not while eating;
- rapid weight loss, due to the fact that it becomes painful for the animals to drink and eat;
- the saliva takes on the consistency of foam and flows throughout the mouth, making the fur in the lower part of the mouth wet;
- with their wet paws, animals begin to rub the area of the muzzle and nose, hence the name "biting";
- diarrhea that becomes uncontrollable over time.
If you do not start treatment, the rabbit will die in the next 5 days after the onset of profuse saliva. If you start to fight the virus in time, the animal will recover in 10 days.
The woolen covering on the muzzle and on the nose most often falls out. The resulting ulcers and abscesses take a long time to heal.
Symptoms of a mild form
In addition to the severe form of the disease, the biting midge can pass easily and painlessly. As in the acute form, symptoms of lesions of the oral mucosa are observed, but not so deep.
Drool appears only in the corners of the lips and ceases to stand out after 2 days, so the farmer may not notice that a wet infected fluff has appeared in the aviary. The general physical state of health does not change. The nose becomes barely warm and soft. At the same time, the appetite remains the same, and the rabbit is the same agile.
Methods for the treatment of stomatitis
The source of infection is patients with infected rabbits. This happens when in the affected area (on the farm) there is a severe epizootic mortality of calves.
During the treatment of stomatitis caused by an infection, veterinarians advise using a solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate. Of the non-standard methods, Apidermin is recommended. This medicine is based on natural substances: honey, propolis and pollen. It relieves pain, promotes healing of ulcers, relieves redness, and also boosts the animal's immune system and leads to rapid cell regeneration. To prevent biting midges in rabbits, you need to isolate stomatitis animals from healthy ones and start treating them.
Also, doctors recommend treating bumblebee using the following medications:
- Spray "Lugol". It is used in a mild form of the disease to treat inflamed areas in the oral cavity.
- "Streptocid". It is used at the initial stage of stomatitis.
- Roncoleukin. Used to boost immunity.
- "Penicillin". It is used in more complex forms of stomatitis for the treatment of gastrointestinal complications.
The correct dosage must be discussed with the veterinarian after examining the pet.
The appearance of the biting midge does not depend on the season, but in the spring and autumn, the percentage of infected rabbits increases. This is due to the fact that at this time a new young growth appears, in which the immunity is weakened, the density of rabbits increases by 1 m, which leads to contamination of the cell / aviary and the multiplication of bacteria.
A sharp change in air temperature, high humidity due to frequent precipitation are also significant. If during the period of heavy rainfall there is nowhere to put the pets, you need to carefully monitor their condition.
Disease prevention
Precautions must be taken to prevent the spread of biting midge. During the period when new rabbits are born, you need to examine them every day: check nasal phlegm, discoloration of the oral mucosa, control the volume of salivation. This will help determine the presence and form of the disease. Rabbits that are still feeding on breast milk are especially susceptible to stomatitis - they require special attention.
If you notice infected animals, you need to immediately isolate them from the family. In this case, the aviary should be disinfected. You can use a 3% caustic soda solution or 2% calcium hydroxide.
Conclusion
For the prevention of stomatitis, healthy rabbits are advised to give medicines for the disease in a reduced dose. You can also give your pet a solution of water and iodine.
If a week after applying the necessary measures, stomatitis symptoms are not observed, then the rabbits are cured. It is important to understand that recovered animals cannot be used for further reproduction, since the infection can remain in their blood, but the meat of such rabbits is not contaminated, and it can be safely eaten.