Causes of stomatitis in rabbits and methods of its treatment
Among the diseases that affect domestic animals, stomatitis in rabbits is not the last in popularity. Experienced farmers note that the "wet face" disease has an extremely negative effect on pussies, since individuals who have recovered become living carriers. This disease is hard not to notice: the rabbit's salivation increases and the oral cavity becomes inflamed. The pet becomes inactive, eats almost nothing.
Stomatitis in rabbits
Infectious stomatitis in rabbits is not uncommon. The cause is a virus that develops in various body fluids. Also, the disease is inherited, and if the female has had this disease, stomatitis in rabbits will be congenital. Nevertheless, the meat of such animals can be eaten and the skin after recovery is ready for sale. So how does stomatitis manifest itself in rabbits and how to treat it?
Causes and symptoms of stomatitis in rabbits
Stomatitis is an infectious disease caused by a filter virus. Typical signs include inflammation of the mouth and severe salivation. The virus lives in the fluids that the animal body produces: saliva, blood, or urine. Stomatitis most often affects young rabbits or pregnant rabbits. The immunity of rabbits during these periods of life is weakened, therefore, during the nesting, the rodents are especially susceptible to disease. The most favorable time for stomatitis is autumn and spring. The symptoms of the disease are bright and it is difficult not to notice them even for an inexperienced breeder:
- inflammation of the mouth;
- slimy coating on the tongue;
- wet muzzle, hair sticks together not only on the head, but also on the chest;
- the mouth is covered with white films;
- the animal moves a little and sleeps a lot;
- poor eating and weight loss;
- stomach upset;
- chewing movements.
One of the most common causes of infectious stomatitis on a farm is an infected rabbit.
It is worth noting that in most cases, stomatitis is not a serious disease and rarely ends in death. The pet is able to recover from it without proper treatment, but this makes it a lifelong carrier of the infection. It is extremely difficult to determine an inactive virus in the blood of an animal; usually, pet owners learn about infection by experience.
For decorative breeds, stomatitis does not pose a particular threat: in good conditions, the infection will not manifest itself and for a person it is not terrible. On the other hand, on large farms, infectious stomatitis is an extremely unpleasant disease. The infected individual must be immediately isolated, otherwise the filtering virus will spread to the whole population. If the rabbit is bought on the market or brought for mating from the outside, it is better to inquire about the presence of a similar virus in the animal's blood.
Most often, infection occurs due to contact of the skin of a healthy rabbit with the mucous membrane of the patient. Eared loves to lick and bite each other, this is what can cause the spread of the disease. You can also accidentally bring in stomatitis with poor-quality food contaminated with other animals or insects.
If the stomatitis treatment lasts too long and the rabbit's inflammation does not go away, you can try changing feed suppliers. Before that, you should thoroughly disinfect the aviaries, cages and feeders. Prolonged stomatitis can be caused by other illnesses, such as colds or allergies. If your pet has a runny nose or watery eyes, you need to consult a veterinarian.
Infectious stomatitis: forms of the disease and consequences
The disease has 2 forms: mild and severe. If you do not provide the necessary treatment in time, then in a mild form, the disease lasts 10-12 days from the onset of inflammation of the internal cavity of the mouth or 10 after the appearance of profuse salivation.
The severe form of infectious stomatitis is fatal: the animal dies on the 5th day. The form of the disease depends on the activity of the virus and timely intervention. If you do not treat the pet, then the chance that the disease will turn into a severe form increases sharply. Also, the disease can be aggravated if the sanitary standards for keeping rodents are not observed. Among the violations are the following:
- excessive crowding of rabbits;
- sudden changes in temperature and humidity;
- unbalanced diet;
- dirty cage.
If the content is incorrect, there is a risk of losing the rabbits.
Treatment in the early stages of the disease and prevention of stomatitis will help to avoid serious losses.
Medical treatment of stomatitis in rodents
In this disease, the most important thing is to act promptly.
First of all, a sick individual should be immediately removed from healthy individuals and the aviaries, equipment and feeders should be disinfected. Next, it is required to start treatment, and not only sick rabbits, but also those who could have come into contact with infected ones. Obviously, it is easier to treat a mild form than to reap the consequences of a severe one. There are many treatments available for infectious stomatitis in rabbits:
- treatment of the inflamed mucosa with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- instillation of penicillin once a day;
- streptocide;
- lubrication of the oral cavity with a cotton swab soaked in a solution of copper sulfate.
If the rabbit hasn't lost too much weight, it will return to normal in a week. It is important to remember that the dosage here is calculated for an adult; for rabbits, you need to use completely different proportions. Among the folk methods, one can single out rinsing the mouth and affected areas with various herbal decoctions. For this, fees are suitable that have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body:
- chamomile;
- Oak bark;
- sage;
- calendula.
The herbs are thoroughly washed and filled with boiling water. Using a cotton swab, you need to treat the affected mucous membrane of the animal. As a preventive measure, the oral cavity of a rabbit, which is a carrier of the virus, should be treated once a month. Some breeders advise using homemade propolis ointments. This ingredient is a natural antiseptic and can help fight inflammation and the spread of infection throughout the body.
In specialized clinics, injections are used as a treatment, but this method is considered radical and is used only in the last stages of the disease, when the life of a rodent is at risk. A sick animal is given an injection of penicillin intramuscularly, sometimes ointments based on the same penicillin or other anti-inflammatory elements are used.
Infectious stomatitis as a cause of rabbit weight loss
It is worth remembering that the main victim of the "wet face" is the young.Because of the affected oral cavity, it is painful for rabbits to chew food, which often causes severe exhaustion.
For the duration of the illness, it is extremely important to provide the fluffy pet with a soft diet, remove all hard cereals from the menu. In critical cases, the rabbit can be fed liquid feed using a syringe with a special attachment. It is important not to miscalculate this moment: outwardly it will seem that the eared one is absolutely healthy. Liquid cereals, herbal decoctions and special mixtures will help to balance the diet. You can not delay helping the rabbit: a long absence of solid feed in the diet will badly affect the teeth of the animal.
Prevention against stomatitis in rabbits
When symptoms of the disease are found in one of the individuals, it is required to protect healthy rabbits from contact with it. At the same time, it is required to monitor the quality of the feed. If your crops contain a lot of debris or insects, it is best to change the supplier. The rabbit's diet should contain the necessary complexes of vitamins and minerals. Weakened immunity is the first reason for the spread of the disease.
It is necessary to comply with the sanitary standards for keeping pets, in a timely manner to clean up the enclosures and cages. Twice a year, the animal's house needs complete disinfection.
As a preventive measure, the oral cavity of rabbits is wiped with a decoction from an anti-inflammatory collection. You can also add iodine or potassium permanganate to your pet's water (no more than 5 drops per 10 liters). Prevention should be intensified in early spring and autumn, as this is the most favorable time for the spread of the stomatitis virus.
Conclusion
Infectious stomatitis in farm rabbits is an unpleasant viral disease that mainly affects newborn rabbits and pregnant females. The disease has vivid symptoms and is difficult to overlook. To prevent this disease, the amount of vitamins and minerals in the diet of animals with reduced immunity should be increased. The disease has two forms and they depend on the activity of the virus in the blood. In the treatment of a "wet face", not only medications help, but also folk methods. If infectious stomatitis is paired with another disease, it is important to consult with a veterinarian about the order in which treatment should be carried out.
During illness, a pet is often wet from profuse salivation, so that the risk of colds increases. As a preventive measure, disinfection of the pet's home and decoctions from antiseptic herbal preparations are recommended. The most important thing in the fight against this disease is timely treatment. Stomatitis is not terrible in a mild form and does not affect the qualities of a rabbit as a producer of meat or wool. Infected individuals are allowed to mate with the same carriers of the virus. It is important to remember that the offspring of such rabbits are especially vulnerable to stomatitis at first. The disease will bypass those pets who receive enough vitamins and are kept in good conditions.