Why is the rabbit's head turned to the side?
Nowadays, more and more people are practicing raising rabbits. At the same time, the owners of these cute animals often stumble upon such a problem as the skewed head of animals. How to be in such a situation and why does the rabbit have a head on its side? These are questions to be dealt with.
Why is the rabbit's head on its side
What is the reason for the skew
If the rabbit keeps its head on its side, it is a sign of illness. Owners may not immediately see that their pet is sick. The nature and appearance of the animal at first does not indicate the appearance of an ailment, so you should definitely take the animal to the clinic.
In order for the pet not to encounter a similar problem, you need to examine it from time to time for the appearance of violations. It is also extremely important to pay attention to changes in diet and a sharp deterioration in the mood of the animal. These little things will help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis. If treatment is started on time, there is a chance of a complete recovery of the pet.
Diseases from which the muzzle is directed up or down:
- encephalozoonosis;
- ear infections;
- inflammation;
- ear mite;
- stressful condition.
Encephalozoonosis as one of the problems
Encephalozoonosis is a serious disease caused by pests that live in the body of an animal. Its symptoms can be quite varied, so it is difficult to detect the disease. Almost everything depends on the rabbit's well-being and the level of progression of the disease. If the animal is holding its head in an unnatural position, this is the first signal.
The disease is extremely dangerous, capable of affecting any pet in the herd. The situation is complicated by the fact that they have not yet come up with an analysis that can determine encephalozoonosis, as well as say which parasite lives in the body.
The rabbit tilts its head lower and higher. During this illness, the pet may even fall from the fact that it throws it back too much. The general condition of the baby often changes, he gets better and worse. In severely neglected cases, the animal may refuse to eat at all.
Veterinarians make a diagnosis based on the main symptoms, and also if all other diseases do not fit the description. It is impossible to completely cure the disease, but special drugs can alleviate the condition of the rabbit. The disease is dangerous not only for healthy animals, but also for their owners.
Ear infections
Very often, a pet keeps its head on its side precisely because of ear infections. They exist of several types, distinguish:
- bacterial;
- fungal.
To understand if a pet has ear problems, an analysis is taken from a sore ear. When the infection is confirmed, the doctor prescribes special ear drops.
If the rabbit could not be cured, the drops did not help him, his head will remain on its side. After that, the pet will begin to gradually get used to looking at the world from a new position.
In addition, inflammation may appear in rabbits, in this case a course of antibiotics is prescribed.
Ear insects
An ear mite is a tiny insect that lives in an animal's ear, and not individually, but in whole groups. It feeds on ear fluid.
When damaged, rabbits experience severe discomfort, hear how the ticks move, and therefore tilt their head. You can understand that the reason for throwing the head back is precisely in this, according to the behavior of the pet: he starts scratching his ears or lifts his head.
It is very simple to cure this disease, the main thing is to correctly prescribe a course of treatment.
Stressful state
Many pets can get very nervous and scratch their bodies under stress, while they often tilt their head to the side. A stressful event can be caused by poor pet care, so it is extremely important to create normal conditions for the development and life of the rabbit.
You should not acquire several pets at the same time, planning to keep them in one place: this can bring the rabbits to a nervous breakdown. You should also tell the children how to behave with pets. When an animal has accidentally done something, you do not need to beat him, it is enough to scold him in a calm voice.
Prevention of ear diseases
Your pet's ears and head are extremely sensitive, so you need to take great care of them. It is necessary to adhere to a number of preventive measures:
- Before buying, the pet is carefully examined, and then it is placed in a cage separately from other rabbits for several weeks. This is necessary in order to avoid various infections.
- From time to time it is necessary to wipe the cage with a special disinfectant.
- You should also wash your pet very carefully: it is important to avoid getting water in the ears and try not to get your head wet.
It is very important to monitor the health of the pets and, at any hint of illness, take them to the veterinarian.
In order for such diseases never to appear, you need to follow the simplest precautions. In a cage where rabbits live, there should be no sharp corners, objects, and dirt, otherwise the animals may injure themselves and introduce infection into the wound. Drafts in the house are also unacceptable: the animal can catch a cold and get sick.
After bathing, the rabbit is wiped dry or dried with a hairdryer. If the coat remains wet, the pet can catch a cold. It is necessary to feed the rabbit with various vitamins and minerals, it is important to buy only balanced and fresh food.
Rabbits are very weak creatures. Improper care of them can create undesirable consequences.
If your rabbit has its head on its side, without hesitation, go to the vet: starting treatment on time can avoid many complications.
By following simple safety rules, it is easy to raise healthy rabbits. Preventing a problem from occurring is always better than wondering what to do when your rabbit's head tilts to one side. If you do not pay enough attention to this symptom, over time, the pet no longer just throws its muzzle to the side, but also falls on its side, which indicates a more serious stage in the development of the disease. So, it's better to foresee everything once, than after dreaming to rewind time back.