Pasteurellosis in rabbits and methods of its treatment

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In rabbit breeding, breeders often face a problem such as pasteurellosis in rabbits. This viral disease causes enormous harm to livestock farms and private farms due to the high mortality of infected animals.

Pasteurellosis in rabbits

Under normal conditions, this percentage does not exceed 15-20%, but if rabbits live in unsuitable conditions, receive insufficient amounts of nutrients from food and do not have constant access to clean water, then mortality rises to 80-90%. There is a vaccine for pasteurellosis and it has been used successfully for many decades.

What is pasteurellosis

Pasteurellosis in rabbits is a viral disease caused by Pasteurella bacillus (Pasteurella).

It is characterized by damage to the upper respiratory tract. The disease is widespread throughout the world and has no clear geographic boundaries. It is absolutely independent of seasonality, since it is not associated with the transition of rabbits from hay to fresh grass.

The death of rabbits from pasteurellosis was recorded as early as the 19th century. The description of the disease and methods of dealing with it were studied by the famous French scientist Louis Pasteur. Most often, the disease is isolated, but in the absence of normal conditions for keeping farm animals, it can develop to the size of an epidemic.

In addition to rabbits, cattle, pigs and poultry are also susceptible to pasteurellosis. Timely treatment of the disease significantly reduces the risk of developing a pasteurellosis epidemic.

Symptoms of pasteurellosis in rabbits

The first symptoms of pasteurellosis in rabbits become noticeable 3-10 hours after the bacillus enters the animal's body, but they are not very pronounced. For this reason, it is rather difficult to diagnose the disease in the early stages. The percentage of infestation in young rabbits is higher.

After 10 hours, the symptoms become more pronounced. The following symptoms become noticeable:

• profuse discharge of mucus from the nose and eyes;
• diarrhea;
• bloating;
• trouble breathing, which may be accompanied by wheezing and whistling;
• loss of interest in food or complete rejection of it;
• lethargy;
• an increase in body temperature up to 42 ° C;
• vomiting.

The animal becomes lethargic and sleeps a lot. Around the mouth and eyes, there is an accumulation of mucus from transparent to dark brown. Due to mucus in the nose, the animal sneezes and washes the nose frequently. The disease can also affect the ears, then the rabbit shakes its head and completely loses its orientation in space.

In the absence of timely medical care, the disease develops rapidly. The animal spins in one place or completely loses the ability to stand on its feet. As the infection spreads through the respiratory tract, pneumonia develops, as well as abscesses of the nasal, pharyngeal and oral mucosa.

The course of the disease and the causes of infection

Pasteurellosis of rabbits, like any other disease of the upper respiratory tract, is transmitted by airborne droplets.Infection is also possible:

• upon contact with a sick animal;
• through contaminated water or feed;
• through the dirty hands of a man caring for rabbits.

The impetus for the progression of the disease is stress due to transportation, change of housing or regrouping of animals.

After the bacillus-pathogen enters the body, its protective functions are activated, namely, the production of leukocytes. The infection enters the bloodstream and lymphatic system of the animal, causing septicemia - blood poisoning. The development of hemorrhagic diathesis is also observed due to damage to the walls of blood vessels by toxic waste products of the pathogen.

Pasteurellosis in domestic rabbits has 2 types of the course of the disease:

1. The acute form of pasteurellosis is characterized by the rapid development of symptoms. This course of the disease is observed at the very beginning. The first sign is an increase in body temperature to 41-42 ° C. After the animal begins to sneeze and often wash its muzzle, abundant mucous discharge from the eyes is also observed. The eyelid may be swollen and red. Then comes the period during which the rabbit experiences shortness of breath, sometimes with wheezing and wheezing. The animal vomits and diarrhea. After refusing food and water, the rabbit dies in 2-3 days.
2. The chronic form of pasteurellosis is characterized by a slight manifestation of symptoms that can be easily confused with manifestations of conjunctivitis, rhinovirus infection, rhinitis or keratoconjunctivitis. Over time, purulent pneumonia develops, and the development of subcutaneous abscesses is observed, which are easily detected by palpation. Their opening can occur only after 1-2 months.

The chronic course of the disease does not save from death, but only delays it, if the true cause of the disease is not found. Pneumonia quickly spreads throughout the herd and leads to massive deaths of animals.

Rabbits remain invulnerable to pasteurellosis for up to 40 days, as they are protected by maternal immunity. After this period, the animal can get sick at any time. Infection can be triggered by stress in rabbits caused by separation from their mother.

Treatment of pasteurellosis in rabbits

It is not easy to diagnose an infection in the early stages of its development.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of the results of clinical studies or after the autopsy of dead animals by bacteriological means.

Infected individuals must be isolated from the rest of the herd, and already dead rabbits must be burned: this will help prevent the spread of infection among the livestock. It is strictly forbidden to bury the corpses, since this will not destroy the pathogenic bacillus, and the epidemic will flare up again.

Pasteurellosis of rabbits in acute form can be treated according to several schemes:

• Sulfanilamide tablets for 3-4 days.
• Tetracycline or Biomycin for 3-5 days (vaccination). The drug is administered intramuscularly.

In the chronic course of the disease, these 2 treatment regimens are combined. The first 3 days - Sulfanilamide, then 3 days - antibiotic injections and again 3 days - Sulfanilamide. The course of treatment is 9 days. In parallel, it is recommended to use drugs against diarrhea and vomiting.

In no case should you treat rabbits yourself. Only an experienced veterinarian can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Early treatment for rabbit pasteurellosis increases the chance of furry survival. It is extremely important to find out the dosage of drugs from your veterinarian or carefully read the instructions for use.

Disease prevention

Despite timely treatment and its positive result, 1 out of 2 animals remains a carrier of the infection for life. When favorable conditions appear, the bacillus is activated again and begins to multiply, which leads to a new outbreak of pasteurellosis in rabbits.

Buying rabbits from unverified breeders can put your entire herd at risk.For this reason, you need to be careful when choosing a breeder.

You need to buy rabbits at the age of one month. During this period, they are not yet susceptible to pasteurellosis and the vaccine will be selected and introduced by the breeder himself.

The main method of prevention and the most successful is the vaccination of fuzzies. The first time the vaccine is administered to rabbits that have reached one month of age. Further, vaccination is required 2 times a year. To choose one or another drug for vaccination, you need to seek help from a veterinarian. The most commonly used:

• Pestorin Mormix;
• Formol Vaccine;
• Pasorin - Ol.

It is also necessary to adhere to other methods of preventing pasteurellosis:

• sick individuals are isolated from the rest of the herd;
• dead rabbits are burned, and not buried in the ground;
• carry out timely cleaning in cages, wash feeders and drinkers;
• upon detection of the fact of infection with pasteurellosis, the cells are treated with antiseptics or 1% sodium hydroxide solution, drinkers, feeders and aviaries are disinfected in the same way;
• manure is buried deeply or taken out at a safe distance from the cages with pets, it may also contain a causative agent;
• the infection is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, so the cells should be positioned so that the sun's rays enter them in the morning when it is not so hot.

Vaccination against pasteurellosis in rabbits should be carried out in a timely manner. It is a mistake to believe that one vaccine can protect a fluffy for its entire life. It is up to the veterinarian to decide how the vaccine will be administered. You need to purchase drugs only in proven places, since there is a high risk of stumbling upon a fake.