How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease?

How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease
Parasitic Causes of Skin Disease in Rabbits – Cuterebra larvae are the immature form of the bot fly. The larvae burrow under the skin and leave an open hole through the skin so they can breathe. You may see moist, matted fur around the hole in the skin.

This is most commonly seen in rabbits that are housed outdoors. Treatment consists of careful removal of the larvae and cyst, often with sedation and incision over the hole to allow the entire larvae to be removed. The larvae should not be killed during removal as this can cause the rabbit’s body to overreact and cause potential anaphylactic shock which can be fatal.

Flystrike, also called myiasis, is also most common in rabbits housed outside. This occurs when the rabbits are obese and cannot groom themselves well and are housed in dirty, moist cages. The fly will lay larvae, also called maggots, on the rabbit’s skin and open wounds.

  1. Treatment consists of pain control, ivermectin to kill the maggots, wound care, and possibly antibiotics to treat secondary infections.
  2. Fleas that typically prefer dogs and cats will also feed on rabbits.
  3. You may be able to find the live fleas between the shoulders or above the tail region.
  4. Fleas are small and move quickly, so it’s often easier to look for the flea poop, aka “flea dirt”.

This looks like small black debris or ground pepper on the skin. Rabbits will fleas are often itchy. There are prescription flea medications for cats that can be safely used on rabbits but be sure to get a proper dose from your vet. Do NOT use Frontline on rabbits as this can cause fatal liver issues.

  • Be sure the cage is thoroughly cleaned frequently to remove the flea eggs and larva from the environment and reduce reinfection risks.
  • It can take months to resolve a flea infestation and all pets in the household should be on good flea control.
  • Ticks will also feed on rabbits and other mammals.
  • The ticks can lead to anemia if a large number are feeding and sucking the blood from the rabbit.

Ticks can also transmit other diseases, such as myxomatosis, papillomatosis, tularemia, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which can also infect people and dogs. Cheyletiella parasitovorax is a skin mite that is also called Walking Dandruff.

Rabbits are often itchy, have fur loss, oily areas of fur, and large white flakey lesions on the limbs and neck. These can be diagnosed with a skin scraping test or tape test. Treatment typically involves injections of ivermectin or lime-sulfur dips. This mite can also infect people, dogs, and cats! Psoroptes cuniculi is the rabbit ear mite.

The ear flap and canal become crusted and itchy. Do not remove the crusts as this can be very painful. It’s best to treat the mites themselves with ivermectin or Revolution. Many rabbits need 2 or more treatments to break the life cycle of the mites. Pain medications may also be needed to keep your rabbit comfortable as the mite treatment is working.

Sarcoptes scabiei and Notoedres cati, both scabies mange mites, cause crusty, itchy lesions on the face, nose, lips, and around the genitals. Diagnosis is made by a deep skin scraping and looking or the mites or eggs under the microscope. Treatment often includes multiple injections of ivermectin or lime-sulfur dips.

Be sure to thoroughly clean the cage and home. These mange mites can also infect people and other mammals.

Contents

How do you treat rabbit skin infection?

Treatment – Treating bacterial infections in rabbits typically occurs on an outpatient basis. Most rabbits will require bathing; the area then needs to be dried well to avoid retaining excess moisture. If the infection is serious, the surrounding area may require shaving. Your veterinarian may prescribe topical antibiotics to apply on the affected area.

What skin conditions can rabbits get?

Rabbit skin disorders are common and well studied. This article reviews both the literature and the author’s experience with rabbit skin diseases. Diseases are reviewed in an etiologic order, including behavioral, trauma, parasitic, infectious, and neoplastic.

Parasitic diseases reviewed include the fur mites, Cheyletiella and Leporacarus; ear mites; mange mites; and ticks, fleas, and flies, including Cuterebra. Infectious diseases are reviewed in groups: bacterial, fungal, and viral. Bacterial skin diseases of rabbits include abscesses, cellulitis, rabbit syphilis (Treponemiasis), necrobacillosis, moist dermatitis, and ulcerative pododermatitis.

Fungal infections include the dermatophytes, Trichophyton and Microsporum. Viral infections include myxomatosis, fibroma virus, and papillomavirus. Last, neoplastic disease lists the skin tumors most common to rabbits: squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, trichoepithelioma, and sebaceous cell carcinoma. View full text Copyright © 2001 W.B. Saunders Company. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What causes skin irritation in rabbits?

Why Do Rabbits Itch and Scratch? – When an animal experiences severe itching and scratching, it’s called pruritus, In a rabbit, it can be due to fur, skin, or ear parasites; dry skin; allergies; or infections. No matter the cause, it’s important to take care of it right away for the sake of your rabbit’s health and peace of mind.

What is a natural antibiotic for rabbits?

GOLDENSEAL – Goldenseal is another immune boosting herb for rabbits. It’s an effective anti-inflammatory treatment for rabbits who suffer from frequent infections. Goldenseal also has properties that help in treating bladder infections by acting as a natural antibiotic. How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease

What does a rabbit infection look like?

Rabbits that recover can become carriers of the virus and may shed virus up to 4 weeks. If there are signs of infection, they include decreased to no appetite, fever, lethargy, and collapse. There may be convulsions and coma, difficulty breathing, foaming at the mouth, or bloody nasal discharge.

What are the 2 main infectious diseases in rabbits?

Infectious Diseases

How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease Rabbits, just like us, are susceptible to disease. Being a prey animal rabbits may hide any injury or disease for as long as possible, making it even harder for you to notice if something isn’t right with your pet. There are two diseases of major concern in rabbits; these are Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD). These serious and widespread diseases put all rabbits at risk of becoming seriously ill, and there is a chance that they may not recover.

What is Myxomatosis? It is mainly transmitted by biting insects (e.g mosquitoes and fleas) but can also be spread with close contact between rabbits. How does Myxomatosis affect your rabbit? How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease

Unfortunately, this disease causes tumour-like swellings around the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and genital region.Additionally, a high fever, immune suppression and secondary respiratory infectionsare unfortunately likely to result in death in most cases.

Treatment It is a highly distressing disese for which there is no specific treatment. What can I do as a rabbit owner? The best way of preventing diseases is through vaccination. Consult your vet to book a vaccination for your rabbit. During the consultation your vet will also examine your rabbit thoroughly and provide professional advice on keeping them healthy.

  • What is RHD? A highly infectious and widespread disease caused by a virus which often results in sudden death.
  • You may have heard of different forms or ‘strains’ of RHD, but what actually are these? When RHD first emerged in the UK in the 1980s it was caused by a virus strain called RHD-1.
  • In 2010 a new strain, which is now the dominant cause of RHD in the UK, emerged called RHD-2.

How is RHD contracted? Through close contact and biting insects, such as mosquitos and fleas. The virus is able to survive anywhere infectious rabbits have been and can last in the environment, e.g. the hutch, enclosure or family house for months. How does RHD affect your rabbit? Unfortunately, the first sign of the disease can be death.

The virus acts quickly and often without detection. What can I do as a rabbit owner? As this disease can’t be treated, the best thing you can do for your rabbit is keep their vaccinations up to date. Given the increasing prevalence of RHD-2 in the UK, vaccination is more important than ever. Taking your rabbit for their yearly preventative health consultation and vaccination will help keep them protected against these diseases.

: Infectious Diseases

What causes fungal infection on rabbit?

What is it? – Ringworm is not actually caused by a worm. It is a fungal skin disease (also known as dermatophytosis). Fungi typically live in the soil, but they are able to cause skin disease under the right conditions. Skin disease in pet or house rabbits is usually caused by Microsporum fungi.

What causes rabbit fungus?

Mycosis in rabbits is typically caused by 2 types of dermatophytes: Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Ringworm is a common form of mycosis in rabbits. It is not a worm but a fungus that appears as a round red lesion with a crusty bald center. It is typically found on the head, ears or around the face.

Can I use Vaseline on my rabbit?

Apply a barrier cream to the inside of the rabbits back legs (such as Vaseline or Sudocrem). This will help to ensure that any urine in contact with the skin doesn’t create scalding of the skin.

What antibiotics can be given to rabbits?

Director, Special Species Medicine Clinical Studies-Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Philadelphia, PA, 19104 Thousands of doses of antibiotics are dispensed each year for ferrets and rabbits. Importantly, not one single dose of any of these antibiotics is approved for the animals that are receiving the medication.

  • Presently, there are no antibiotics approved by the FDA in the United States for the small mammal pets classified as minor species.
  • It is likely owners of these animals do not realize the antibiotics they are giving to their small mammal pets are not approved for their pets.
  • Although, this does not change the fact that antibiotics are important medications for ferrets and rabbits, it is best that owners be informed of this information.

An important consequence of the lack studies to gain approval is that there are few pharmacokinetic investigations of antibiotics in ferrets and rabbits. Veterinarians do not have studies directing them to either dose or length of treatment or frequency of administration of antibiotics in ferrets and rabbits.

  1. There are no drug company brochures guiding veterinarians as to the indications of certain antibiotics in ferrets and rabbits.
  2. Veterinarians who treat ferrets and rabbits must rely largely on empirical data and anecdotal information when using antibiotics in these animals.
  3. It is therefore not surprising if antibiotic treatment failure occurs in these patients when the very basics of antibiotic administration are unknown.

The principles of antibiotic use in dogs and cats apply similarly to ferrets and rabbits. An important difference to consider is that there are fewer safe antibiotics to use in rabbits than there are in dogs and cats. For example, amoxicillin, a benign drug in most animals, can cause a fatal enterotoxemia in rabbits.

  1. Ideally, before instituting antibiotics, obtain a culture and a minimum database.
  2. Choose the antibiotic based on those results.
  3. Institute empirical antibiotic treatment if a culture cannot be obtained or before results are known.
  4. Whenever antibiotics are used empirically, consider four-quadrant coverage.

To accomplish this, choose drugs that are effective against aerobic, anaerobic, gram positive and gram negative organisms. There are seven questions to consider before empirical antibiotic treatment begins in a ferrets and rabbits: 1. What organ system is involved? 2.

  • Is the infection acute or chronic? 3.
  • What is the most likely pathogen at the infection site? 4.
  • What antibiotic is best against that pathogen? 5.
  • How much antibiotic is needed at the infection site? 6.
  • What is the dose and route of administration of that antibiotic? 7.
  • Is the antibiotic safe for rabbits and rodents? Before an antibiotic is chosen, identify the organ system involved.

This can be challenging in rabbits. It may not be apparent if the site of infection is primary or secondary. For example, jaw abscesses in rabbits are common. Yet, very few jaw abscesses are caused by puncture wounds to the face. Jaw abscesses are frequently due to organisms that travel from other sites.

One must consider where are those other sites and therefore, what other organ systems are involved? Treating a jaw abscess without recognizing that this is not an isolated event will probably lead to antibiotic treatment failure. In rabbits, one must determine if the bacterial disease is the result of an acute infection or an acute manifestation of a chronic infection.

For example, a pet rabbit exhibits signs of “snuffles” at age three. Is this because the rabbit recently developed upper respiratory bacterial disease or because a chronic pasteurellosis infection is only now becoming apparent? Determination of acute or chronic bacterial disease is imperative as this dictates prognosis, treatment length, and choice of antibiotic.

In rabbits, it is common to attribute all infections to Pasteurella multocida but numerous species of bacteria are cultured routinely from rabbits. Before culture results are known, obtain a gram stain of the infected area to potentially identify the organism. Some selected bacterial species known to infect rabbits include pathogenic species of staphylococcus and streptococcus, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Listeria, Actinomycoses, and Actinobacillus.

The best antibiotic to use is based not only on the spectrum of activity of the antibiotic but also on the safety of that antibiotic in rabbits. It is always preferred to use an antibiotic that has the least likelihood of inciting gastrointestinal disease.

Some of the safer drugs include trimethoprin sulfas, Quinolones, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, and metronidazole. Antibiotics that are intermediate in their ability to incite gastrointestinal disease include parenteral penicillin, oral or injectable cephalosporins, tetracycline, and erythromycin.

Antibiotics that are highly likely to cause gastrointestinal dysbiosis include amoxicillin, ampicillin, clindamycin, and lincomycin. They suppress the normal gastrointestinal flora allowing other flora to proliferate leading to deleterious changes. The abnormal flora changes the pH which increases volatile fatty acid production, thereby further suppressing the growth of normal bacteria.

  1. Eventually, enteritis develops and ultimately the production of toxins from Clostridium, specifically Clostridium spiroforme (iota toxins) leads to enterotoxemia.
  2. Treat antibiotic-induced enteritis and enterotoxemia aggressively to save the patient.
  3. Stop the antibiotic.
  4. Some recommend the use of metronidazole at 20 mg/kg q12 hours to decrease the amount of clostridium.

Give intravenous or subcutaneous fluids and nutritional supplementation with high fiber foods. Some advocate using cholestryramine to prevent death from the iota toxins. It has been shown experimentally to work by theoretically binding bacterial toxins and has been suggested at a dose of 2g/20 cc of water q24 hours by gavage.

The amount of antibiotic needed at the infected site is difficult to determine in rabbits because of the caseous pus they form and the walled off abscesses that are impenetrable to many antibiotics. Clearly, for abscesses, it is best to combine antibiotic therapy with wound debridement and daily flushing to increase the chance of successful therapy.

The administration for most antibiotics in rabbits is based on clinical experience. Exotic animal formularies list dose ranges, dose frequency, treatment length and methods of administration. In rabbits, consider the stress of administration when determining how the patient is to receive the medication.

  • Do not give or apply combination antibiotic and steroid preparations to rabbits.
  • Antibiotic administration in the drinking water rarely allows the drug to reach effective serum concentrations.
  • And if the drinking water develops an undesirable taste from the antibiotic, the patient could stop drinking and dehydrate.

Finally, after considering the first six criteria, determine if the chosen antibiotic is safe for rabbits. Not all rabbits develop gastrointestinal disease from the more dangerous antibiotics. And not all small mammals die from antibiotic-induced gastrointestinal disease.

But the risk of disease can be greatly lessened when the appropriate treatment is selected. Guidelines for antibiotic use in ferrets are simpler to follow than it is in rabbits. Ferrets, since they are carnivores, have a gastrointestinal system more akin to dogs and cats than to rabbits. Usually, the antibiotics that are safe to use in dogs and cats are safe to use in ferrets.

No antibiotic pharmacokinetic studies have been performed in ferrets so drug dose, treatment length, and frequency are based on clinical experience and extrapolated from other species. In ferrets, the most appropriate antibiotic based on culture results can be used without regard to serious gastrointestinal upset.

  1. Antibiotic administration in ferrets and rabbits includes the parenteral, enteral, and topical routes.
  2. Parenteral routes include intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intravenous or intraosseous.
  3. Because of their size, the intramuscular route is rarely used for an extended period of time in ferrets and rabbits.

The intravenous or intraosseous routes are reserved primarily for the most severe cases of bacterial disease. The subcutaneous route of antibiotic administration is the most frequently utilized parenteral route of administration in ferrets and rabbits.

In ferrets and rabbits, the enteral route is used extensively, especially with at home administrated antibiotics. Antibiotics are given by syringe or in the food. It is difficult to administer antibiotics in pill form to most small mammals. Rabbits may take medication mixed in jams or jellies. Use the topical route of drug administration for superficial infections in ferrets and rabbits.

This should be done cautiously if the topical antibiotic ingredient could cause dysbiosis if ingested by the patient. The ideal antibiotic to use in ferrets and rabbits is easily administered, bactericidal and does not cause gastrointestinal disease. These are some of the more common drugs used with ferrets and rabbits.

  • Use antibiotics such as penicillin with caution in rabbits.
  • Oral penicillin is associated with gastrointestinal disease in this species.
  • Injectable penicillin is safer to use and is recommended at 40-80,000 u/kg IM.
  • Trimethoprin sulfa drugs are commonly used in ferrets and rabbits and appear to be safe.

Use these drugs at 30 mg/kg q12hrs PO. Caution is recommended in patients with urinary tract disease. Since aminoglycosides are potentially nephrotoxic in ferrets and rabbits, use this class of drugs with discretion. Also, these antibiotics poorly penetrate abscessed areas and may be a poor choice for many rabbit infections.

Use amikacin at 8-16 mg/kg q24hrs IM/IV. The most commonly used class of drugs in ferrets and rabbits are the quinolones. This antibiotic group is safe, can be given orally, and is effective against Pasteurella and other serious gram negative infections. Enrofloxacin is used at 10-30 mg/kg q24hrs IM/SC/PO.

Metronidazole is used for anaerobic infections. Use this drug at a dose of 20 mg/kg q12-24hrs PO. The incidence of anaerobic infections in ferrets and rabbits is unknown. A new concept in drug administration is called pulse therapy. This treatment involves once a day drug administration rather than multiple daily dosing.

  1. Drugs that are effective in pulse therapy have a “post-antibiotic effect”.
  2. They are still effective even after their concentrations decrease.
  3. Also, drugs that are used for pulse therapy have their best effect at a high dose for a limited time.
  4. This is opposed to the classes of drugs that are more effective at a steady state.

Penicillins are more effective at steady state concentrations. Quinolones and aminoglycosides are more effective in pulse therapy. Pulse therapy is ideally suited for ferrets and rabbits. Drug administration can be challenging in these small animals and stressful to the patient.

How do you treat a bacterial skin infection?

– Treatment depends on the cause of the infection and the severity. Some types of viral skin infections may improve on their own within days or weeks. Bacterial infections are often treated with topical antibiotics applied directly to the skin or with oral antibiotics.

If the strain of bacteria is resistant to treatment, treating the infection may require intravenous antibiotics administered in the hospital. You can use over-the-counter antifungal sprays and creams to treat a fungal skin infection. If your condition doesn’t improve, ask your doctor about prescription oral or topical creams.

In addition, you can apply medicated creams to your skin to treat parasitic skin infections. Your doctor may also recommend medications to reduce discomfort like anti-inflammatory drugs.

What does rabbit allergy look like?

Are you allergic to your rabbit? Here are some things to try. How To Cure Rabbit Skin Disease Are you allergic to your rabbit? For those who’ve always wanted to bring a floppy-eared friend into their lives, few things are worse than finding that being around the new bunny causes sneezing and other problems. Just like you can be allergic to cats and dogs, it is possible to be allergic to bunnies.

This type of allergy is one of the less common pet allergies. It is still not fun. In most cases, symptoms of a pet allergy are much like the symptoms of hay fever. You may find that being near your bunny causes your nose to run as you start sneezing and your eyes start watering. In rare cases, more serious symptoms such as wheezing and asthma may even happen.

The main reason for rabbit allergies is the same reason for any other pet allergy – a reaction to pet dander. This is the dead flakes of skin that your pet sheds. Furry animals such as bunnies release a lot of fluff, which means that there can be a lot of sneezing if you have an allergy to the fluff.

  • If you have a family member who’s allergic to pets, there’s a good chance you or your kids may have an allergy, too.
  • As annoying as allergies are (especially when you want to cuddle that bunny so badly!), you don’t have to lose hope completely.
  • There are a few ways that you can deal with your allergies without losing your beloved bunny.

In this guide, we share some advice and tips to help you cope if you think you are allergic to your rabbit. While severe respiratory allergic reactions to rabbits are actually fairly uncommon, mild allergies are frequently listed as one of the top reasons rabbits are surrendered to shelters and rescues.

  • The proteins in the saliva left on the fur after your rabbit grooms himself is often what causes the irritation – not actually the fur itself.
  • Taking steps to reduce the chances of suffering allergy symptoms before they begin will help you and your rabbit peacefully coexist.
  • Is your rabbit really causing allergies? Your rabbit probably brought some baggage when he moved in, and it has nothing to do with the doe next door.

While allergic reactions to rabbits are certainly possible, the environment is sometimes overlooked as the cause for itchy skin, wheezing, runny noses, and watery eyes. Rule out possible culprits through a process of elimination before blaming your rabbit.

Timothy hay in particular is a common allergen. Try switching to or instead and see if symptoms resolve. Use dust-free in the litter box. Keep the guilty-as-charged supplies stored in a closet or room that is not frequently accessed. You can lessen allergies to hay and bedding by investing in air filtration systems (like HEPA filtration units).

How to cope with rabbit allergies Reactions can still be minimize, even if allergy tests confirm the rabbit himself is triggering symptoms. Bathing rabbits is not recommended, but brushing or wiping him down with a slightly damp cloth can help. Use baby gates to restrict his access to certain rooms, like the bedroom.

This way you will have a “safe haven” when allergy symptoms are the worst. Simple cleaning measures can make a world of difference, too. Clean the rabbit’s areas especially often, and dispose of soiled litter and hay immediately. Vacuum carpets, dust surfaces, and sweep the dust bunnies (pun intended) under the bed.

Don’t forget the obvious! Wash your hands after handling your rabbit and his baggage, and be sure to avoid touching your eyes. Taking it a hop further If diligent cleaning and restricting your rabbit’s access to the whole house isn’t helping as much as you’d like, ask your doctor about adding a daily allergy pill to your routine.

Because allergies are a result of the immune system becoming overstimulated, steroid nasal sprays can help when they suppress the local immune system in the nose before a reaction begins. Allergy shots can be effective for those with allergies to self-cleaning animals like rabbits. These shots essentially desensitize your body to the substances that trigger your specific allergic reactions.

You may even be able to provide your rabbit’s own fur to suppress allergies. For so many of us, the love for our furry companions outweighs the struggle and inconvenience of allergies. Sometimes we find ourselves in a tough spot. Perhaps a new baby is showing symptoms of pet allergies, or a chronically ill family member has started to suffer.

What ointment can I use on my rabbit?

Mary E. Cotter, Ed.D., in consultation with Gil Stanzione, D.V.M. – Broken Or Bleeding Toenails Photo Credit: Thinkstock If your bunny has broken a nail, or if you have cut too close to the blood vessel, apply pressure with a clean towel for a couple of minutes, until the bleeding stops. If you like, you can use styptic powder (available in drug stores), plain flour, or even a bar of soap rubbed on the end of the nail to help stop the bleeding.

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If the nail breaks off right at the base, clean the area thoroughly with Nolvasan (you can get it through your vet), and apply a thin coat of regular triple antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin (not Neosporin Plus, or any other product that contains cortisone!!!) Try to keep your bunny in as clean an environment as possible until you can see your vet — to prevent dirt from contaminating the injury site.

Be sure to see your vet for follow-up care to this second kind of break, since bacterial infection can travel to the bone and cause serious problems. Broken Bones Take your bunny to any emergency clinic, so that the bone can be stabilized until you can see your regular rabbit vet.

  1. If the emergency clinic needs to anesthetize your bunny to do x-rays or to stabilize the leg, isoflurane is the preferred anesthesia for rabbits.
  2. If you cannot get to an emergency clinic, do your best to severely restrict your bunny’s movement until you can get to your vet.
  3. This will help to prevent further injury.

Make sure your bunny has easy access to food and water so that he does not have to move around to get to it. Runny Eyes Runny eyes do not usually constitute an emergency, but if your rabbit sustains trauma to the eye, resulting in a serious corneal scratch or ulcer, you should get veterinary treatment as soon as possible.

If you can get to a veterinary emergency clinic, the eye can be stained to assess the damage, and the emergency vet can administer antibiotic drops (usually tribiotic ophthalmic drops) or ointment, to tide you over until you can see you own vet. Do not put any medication into your bunny’s eye unless it is given to you by a qualified vet for that purpose.

Many people attempt to treat their rabbit’s eyes with leftover dog/cat/human drugs, often with disastrous consequences. If your bunny’s eye is oozing or sticky (often appearing glued shut), you can use warm compresses to loosen the gunk and clean the external area around the eye.

Teeth problems: Your bunny approaches food — maybe even picks it up and starts to eat it– but then backs off or drops the food without finishing it. He seems hungry, but unable or unwilling to eat — even treats. His activity level is more or less normal. When you rub his cheeks, you might see a pain response from spurs on his upper molars. If the problem is not accurately diagnosed and corrected soon, your bunny may start to exhibit symptoms of gas pain or gastrointestinal problems (see below) — simply from not eating normally.WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: You can force-feed him (canned pumpkin, baby-food veggies, eg.) by using a feeding syringe. You can give him subcutaneous fluids. If he develops gas from not eating properly, follow the suggestions below. Gas pain: Your bunny is sitting hunched and still. In some instances, he may stretch out fully, giving the appearance that he is trying to press his belly to the floor. You offer him treats, and he is totally uninterested. Sometimes (though not always) you can hear very loud gurgling sounds coming from his belly — even from across the room. In fact, his gut sounds, heard through a stethoscope, can be deafening. You may hear loud tooth grinding — a sure sign of pain (this sounds quite different from the soft grinding that indicates pleasure; it can sometimes be heard clear across a room). His stomach may (or may not) feel overly-stretched and taut. A bunny with gas pain often has a low body temperature (e.g.97; normal is 101-103).WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: Take his temperature!! If his temp is lower than normal, warm him up! You can do this by offering him a wrapped hot-water bottle or a heating pad, set on low — as long as the wire is well-protected so he cannot chew it, and as long as he can easily move off the heating pad if he gets too warm. (WARNING: Heating pads can cause severe burns and injury when misused. Some vets, who see these injuries frequently, discourage the use of heating pads altogether for this reason. Do not use any setting other than low for your rabbit. The pad may not feel warm to you, but it will to your rabbit!! ) You can also warm him with you own body heat: hold him in your arms, close to your body, for extended periods of time (an hour, or even longer). Give him Phazyme (pediatric simethicone) — two or three 1-cc doses, one hour apart. Give him frequent and long (10 – 15 mins., or as long as he will tolerate) tummy massages, at least part of which can be with his hindquarters raised (as demonstrated at this conference). Take his temperature periodically to monitor the effects of your efforts to warm him.Whatever else you do, fuss over him. There is ample anecdotal evidence (from many HRS fosterers and others) to suggest that bunnies who are fussed over do better than those who are not. You can also give subcutaneous fluids, as discussed by the vets in this conference— around 30 cc for a two pound rabbit, 50cc for a four pound rabbit — two or three times a day — until you can get to your vet. Sub-Q fluids will help to keep him well-hydrated. You can warm the sub-q fluids by putting the bag into a pan of water, bringing the water to a boil, and cooking the fluid bag for several minutes. Test the temperature on your wrist before administering the fluids. Lukewarm is best. Gastrointestinal problems: Very similar in presentation to gas pain: your bunny sits in a bread-loaf position, unwilling to eat and often unwilling to move. His fecal production will change: his stool will become much smaller in size or he will stop producing stool altogether. His body temperature will usually drop. There may be either loud gut sounds, or an almost total absence of gut sounds through a stethoscope.WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: Follow suggestions for addressing gas pain (above): warmth, belly massage, gas-relief if necessary, subcutaneous fluids. For further information, please read the a rticle on GI stasis by Dana Krempels: http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/ileus.html WARNING: If there is any chance your bunny has a GI blockage, do not attempt to force-feed him! This will only make the problem worse. Your most important job is to monitor his body temperature, and to keep him as comfortable and as well-hydrated as you can until you can see your regular bunny vet.

Head Tilt Your bunny loses his balance, and his head starts twisting toward the ceiling; he looks like something out of The Exorcist. He is dizzy, unable to regain coordination. If he tries to walk or hop, he falls over and starts rolling around. In some cases, his eyes dart back and forth very rapidly, and the iris appears to be almost vibrating.

  • WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: PAD YOUR BUNNY’S ENVIRONMENT!!! Your main job until you can get to your vet is to prevent your bunny from hurting himself while he’s seriously uncoordinated and/or rolling.
  • Prepare a box (or other carefully restricted environment) for him, thickly padded with towels or fake sheepskin.

The idea is to provide him with a totally cushioned and absorptive environment that will restrict his rolling and uncontrolled movements until he can get full treatment. A head-tilt presentation can be very frightening for owners. Many dog-and-cat vets will tell you that a head-tilt bunny should simply be euthanized.

The experience of many excellent rabbit vets, however, has shown that, with a dedicated owner (treatment may extend over a period of months) and a bunny who is a fighter, head tilt can be treated very satisfactorily, and many (if not most) bunnies can make a full, or close-to-full, recovery. NB: Head-tilt bunnies often continue to have lusty appetites, but their lack of coordination makes it very difficult for them to eat or drink.

Help your bunny to eat or drink in any way you can: hold the water bottle near his mouth, or carefully syringe water into him through the side of his mouth (watching to make sure he is not aspirating it!), hold his food (vegetables, hay) for him, and offer it piece by piece, etc.

  1. Severe Diarrhea Diarrhea, is not the same thing as soft, mushy stool, that sticks to a bunny’s butt (this is usually excess cecal production).
  2. It is brown, watery discharge, which is often profuse.
  3. The bunny may be limp and very weak.
  4. Because it causes such rapid dehydration, diarrhea can be life threatening.

If you can get to a veterinary emergency clinic, your bunny can receive subcutaneous fluids. If there is no such clinic near you, please ask your vet now — before an emergency arises — to teach you how to administer fluids at home. This kind of diarrhea is generally the result of parasites (coccidia) or inappropriate antibiotics administered by well-meaning (but not well-informed) vets.

  • See your own rabbit-savvy vet as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and follow-up treatment.
  • Bites Bunnies often inflict serious bites on one another, if they are not properly bonded.
  • Bacteria introduced into the bite wound can travel through the bloodstream and seed other body areas, eventually producing abscesses.

For this reason, you should definitely ask you vet to check any but the most superficial bites. WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: If there is serious bleeding, apply pressure until a clot forms. Gently wash the area around the bite wound with Nolvasan (chlorhexidine) solution.

  • Apply a very thin layer of regular Neosporin (triple antibiotic ointment); do not use Neosporin Plus! If the bites are extensive, try to get to an emergency veterinary service.
  • The emergency vet can clean and dress the wounds.
  • Most superficial bunny bite wounds can be treated by shaving the hair and applying topical ointment and dressing until you can see your regular vet.

If the emergency vet feels systemic antibiotics should be administered because of the extent of the bites, make sure that oral penicillin and derivatives (such as amoxicillin) are not used. Micotil and cephalosporins should also be avoided. Some bunny-friendly antibiotics: Baytril (and other fluoroquinolones, such as Orbax, Dicural, Ciprofloxacin, Maxaquin), Trimethoprim Sulfa (aka: Sulfatrim, Bactrim, Tribrissen, TMP-SMZ), chloramphenicol (take extreme care not to touch it when administering it; it can cause aplastic anemia in some people), Gentocin (and other aminoglycosides — though these need to be used carefully to prevent ear and kidney damage).

  • Although penicillin is not ordinarily a drug of first choice for most bunny ailments (and it should never be administered orally), injectable Pen-G Procaine can be very useful for specific kinds of problems.
  • Sudden Fever If your bunny spikes a sudden, very high fever (we have seen fevers as high as 106 or 107 — literally off most thermometers), cool him down by swabbing his ears with alcohol or wet-towel-wrapped ice cubes.

You can also dip your fingers into ice water, and gently stroke his ears for several minutes at a time. Try to get his temperature down to around 104 (normal is 101-103), i.e., a fever that is useful to his body, rather than harmful. Extra cooling can be achieved by taking chilled cans or frozen vegetable boxes from your refrigerator, wrapping them in towels, and packing them around your bunny.

What can I give my rabbit for a bacterial infection?

Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases of Rabbits – Exotic and Laboratory Animals Topic Resources Pasteurellosis is common in domestic rabbits. The etiologic agent is Pasteurella multocida, a gram-negative, nonmotile coccobacillus. Rabbits will usually become infected with P multocida immediately after birth, and the prevalence of colonization increases with age until about 5 months.

Most adult rabbits are believed to be infected with P multocida, It is highly contagious and transmitted primarily by direct contact, although aerosol transmission may also occur. In conventional colonies, 30%–90% of apparently healthy rabbits may be asymptomatic carriers. This is important to consider when nasal cultures are collected, because not every positive result indicates a pathologic condition.

Pasteurellosis presents with a variety of clinical symptoms, including rhinitis, pneumonia, abscesses, reproductive tract infections, torticollis, otitis media/interna and septicemia. Rabbits may develop Pasteurella septicemia and die acutely without any clinical signs.

Necropsy findings of septicemia cases may reveal only congestion and petechial hemorrhages in multiple organs. Rhinitis (snuffles or nasal catarrh) is an acute, subacute, or chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the air passages and lungs, induced primarily by Pasteurella, but Pseudomonas spp, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Staphylococcus spp, and Streptococcus have also been isolated.

The initial sign is a thin, serous exudate from the nose and eyes that later becomes purulent. The fur on the inside of the front legs just above the paws may be matted and caked with dried exudate, or this area may be clean with thinned fur as a result of pawing at the nose.

  • Infected rabbits usually sneeze and cough.
  • In general, snuffles occurs when the resistance of the rabbit is low.
  • Recovered rabbits are likely carriers.
  • Pneumonia can ensue.
  • Pneumonia is common in domestic rabbits.
  • Frequently, it is a secondary and complicating factor in the enteritis complex.
  • The cause is typically P multocida, but other bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Staphylococcus aureus, and pneumococci may be involved.

Upper respiratory disease (snuffles, see above) is often a precursor of pneumonia. Inadequate ventilation, sanitation, and nesting material are predisposing factors. The number of cases of pneumonia is directly proportional to the level of ammonia in the cage, hutch, or rabbitry.

  1. Ventilation is of utmost importance to provide good air quality.
  2. Affected rabbits are anorectic, listless, dyspneic, and might have a fever.
  3. Treatment should include systemic antibiotics, optimally based on a culture and sensitivity, because of possible resistance to common pathogens.
  4. The rabbits are usually dehydrated, and supportive care with hydration and syringe feeding is often necessary as well.

Topically administered ophthalmologic antibiotic products instilled into the nostril can also be beneficial. Necropsy reveals bronchopneumonia, pleuritis, pyothorax, or pericardial petechiae. Because rabbits commonly harbor Bordetella bronchiseptica in their upper respiratory tract, rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together, because guinea pigs are very susceptible to a severe pneumonia caused by Bordetella,

Otitis media or interna (“wry neck” or head tilt) results from infections with various agents. P multocida was reported to be isolated from 97% of cases of otitis media, including clinical and subclinical cases. B bronchiseptica and staphylococci were also found in 5%–10% of cases. An accumulation of pus or fluid in the middle or inner ear causes the rabbit to twist its head, eg, “wry neck” or torticollis.

However, not all rabbits with middle ear infections show torticollis. Longterm antibiotic treatment is required for drug penetration into the affected area. Antibiotic therapy may only prevent worsening of clinical signs, and the prognosis is guarded with medical therapy alone.

  1. A bulla osteotomy is often indicated when medical management of otitis media and interna fails.
  2. A total ear canal ablation in rabbits is not recommended because the pathophysiology of otitis in rabbits is very different from that in dogs, in which a total ear canal ablation is often performed.
  3. If drainage of the cerumen is required, a simple stoma surgery at the base of the ear canal will be enough to facilitate the opening of the ear canal.

Proper imaging of the ear lesions is indicated before surgery. Often, a CT scan of the head will help to identify the lesion and potentially help to differentiate otitis media/interna from intracranial disease in cases of torticollis (eg, Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection).

Conjunctivitis and dacryocystitis (weepy eye) is a common problem in rabbits. Predisposing factors include mechanical irritation, eyelid diseases, and dental disease. Conjunctivitis in rabbits may be associated with other disease processes, especially dacryocystitis. The most incriminated cause of conjunctivitis is P multocida ; however, this may be only a secondary infection.

Primary infections are less common than opportunistic infections. Transmission is by direct contact or fomites. Affected rabbits rub their eyes with their front feet. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be treated with topical chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, or gentamicin combined with systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy if topical treatment alone is ineffective.

Dacryocystitis and acquired nasal duct obstruction may arise from chronic rhinitis that travels up the nasolacrimal duct to the eye or occasionally from dental disease such as tooth root inflammation or abscessation. Dacryocystorhinography or injection of contrast material into the lacrimal punctum will provide good radiographic detail of the duct throughout its course and show the site of obstruction.

In long-standing cases of dacryocystitis and conjunctivitis, the punctum and segments of the nasolacrimal duct may progressively narrow and be replaced with scar tissue until they are irreversibly obstructed. To relieve discomfort and inflammation associated with these conditions, the use of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ophthalmic preparations such as flurbiprofen can be considered.

  1. Systemic NSAIDs such as meloxicam should also be used.
  2. Treatment can include gentle saline flushing of the duct through the nasolacrimal punctum, but care is warranted to not damage the nasolacrimal duct during flushing.
  3. Any mechanical damage to the fragile tear duct can result in permanent epiphora, and owners should be advised accordingly.

Pasteurella can cause genital infections, but several other organisms also may be involved. The spirochete Treponema paraluiscuniculi is the causative agent of rabbit syphilis. Genital infections are manifest by an acute or subacute inflammation of the reproductive tract and most frequently are found in adults, more often in does than bucks.

In the case of Treponema, a severe conjunctivitis or dermatosis between the toes can also be a key clinical sign. If both horns of the uterus are affected, the does often become sterile; if only one horn is involved, a normal litter may develop in the other. The only sign of pyometra may be a thick, yellowish gray vaginal discharge.

If bloody discharge from the vulva is observed and a large uterine horn can be palpated, uterine adenocarcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis. Bucks may discharge pus from the urethra or have an enlarged testicle. Chronic infection of the prostate and seminal vesicles is likely, and because venereal transmission may ensue, it is best to cull the animal in a production colony.

Combination of clinical signs, bacterial culture, and serotyping

A diagnosis of pasteurellosis should not be made solely on the presenting signs, but should include bacterial culture and blood work (CBC and blood chemistry profile). In severely affected cases, more advanced diagnostic tests such as radiography, ultrasonography, or a CT scan may also be needed.

Carriers of P multocida can be identified by an indirect fluorescent antibody test on nasal swabs. A technique that uses small, saline-moistened, pediatric nasopharyngeal swabs has proved superior to the standard, larger nasal swab. The swab is directed medially through the external nares past the turbinates and onto the dorsal surface of the soft palate; sedation is recommended.

The swab is then retracted and can be used in the fluorescent antibody test or plated onto a culture medium. An ELISA test to detect antibodies against P multocida may also help detect carriers. PCR can discriminate between different isolates and is commercially available.

It is important to remember that Pasteurella can be sampled from a large percentage of clinically normal rabbits, and culture results must be interpreted carefully and in combination with the clinical signs and the antibiogram from sensitivity testing. Not every strain of Pasteurella is pathogenic. Five serotypes (strains) of Pasteurella have been described, with two of them most commonly involved in pathologic conditions in rabbits.

The serotype, identified during a culture and sensitivity test, is tested to determine the most effective antibiotic.

Antimicrobial treatment may help control signs but will likely not eliminate infection

Treatment is difficult and will most likely not eradicate the organism. Antibiotics seem to provide only temporary remission, and the next stress (eg, kindling) may cause relapse. Prolonged treatment for 6–8 weeks is often needed. Many of the newer antibiotics are already ineffective because of an increase in resistant strains.

Before treatment, a culture and sensitivity should be done to determine the best antibiotic to use. Antibiotics effective against Pasteurella include enrofloxacin, trimethoprim sulfa, chloramphenicol, penicillin G, and azithromycin. Very often, systemic antibiotic therapy can be augmented by local antibiotic therapy.

Gentamicin ophthalmologic drugs instilled into the nostrils can supplement systemic antibiotics for treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. Fluoroquinolones are usually good drugs if no resistance has built up, which is unfortunately common. Oral medication is usually well tolerated and without adverse effects.

In case of unsatisfactory results, doxycycline can be added, because both drugs appear to have a synergistic effect. Sometimes, amikacin or azithromycin must be used, based on culture results. Although medication in the drinking water is not recommended because of the tainting of the flavor and potential underdosing, this is sometimes the only possible route to treat animals on a larger scale.

Enrofloxacin (200 mg/L of drinking water for 30 days) can be effective for upper respiratory P multocida infections. Procaine penicillin (60,000 IU/kg/day, SC, for 10–14 days) is also recommended for individual rabbits, but caution is warranted, because deaths from enterotoxemia can follow if the drug is accidentally given orally.

  1. Additional treatments may include anti-inflammatory drugs, careful flushing of the nasolacrimal duct, nebulization therapy, ear and eye drops, administration of fluids, and surgery.
  2. Two methods to free a production colony of Pasteurella have been reported.
  3. The first involves culture and culling of positive animals; once the colony is Pasteurella -free, it must be maintained in isolation.

In the second method, pregnant does past kindling are treated with enrofloxacin. While does remain Pasteurella -culture positive, the kits remain Pasteurella -culture negative. Carriers can be identified by an indirect fluorescent antibody test on nasal swabs.

Pasteurella multocida infects most rabbits, but many animals are asymptomatic carriers. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and bacterial culture. Antibiotics can control signs but are unlikely to eliminate infection.

Listeriosis, a sporadic septicemic disease characterized by sudden deaths or abortions, is most common in does in advanced pregnancy. Poor husbandry and stress may be important in initiating the disease. Clinical signs are variable and nonspecific and include anorexia, depression, and weight loss. In contrast to the disease in cattle and sheep, listeriosis seldom affects the CNS in rabbits. The causal agent, Listeria monocytogenes, spreads via the blood to the liver, spleen, and gravid uterus. At necropsy, the liver consistently contains multiple, pinpoint, gray-white foci. Because diagnosis is rarely made pre-mortem, treatment is seldom attempted. L monocytogenes can infect many animals, including people. It is difficult to isolate with normal methods, and special techniques are often required. This problem is more common in commercial operations than in pet rabbits. Enterotoxemia is a severe diarrheal disease, primarily of rabbits 4–8 weeks old when naturally infected; it also can affect rabbits at all life stages if an inappropriate antibiotic is given orally. Signs are lethargy, rough coat, greenish brown fecal material covering the perineal area, and death within 48 hours. Often, a rabbit looks healthy in the evening and is dead the next morning. Necropsy reveals the typical lesions of enterotoxemia, ie, a fluid-distended intestine with hemorrhagic petechiae on the serosal surface. The primary causative agent is Clostridium spiroforme, which produces an iota toxin. Little is known about transmission of the organism; it is assumed to be a commensal normally present in low numbers. The type of diet seems to be a factor in development of the disease; enterotoxemia is seen less often when high-fiber diets are fed. Because most beta-lactams, lincomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin induce Clostridium -related (eg, Clostridium difficile ) enterotoxemia because of their selective effect on normal, gram-positive bacteria, their oral use is contraindicated in rabbits. Enterotoxemia is a consideration for these antibiotic therapies. These diarrheas are remarkably similar to those that occur naturally (described above as enterotoxemia). Treatment of colony rabbits is seldom attempted because of the rapidity of death. However, when population size permits, cholestyramine has been used with promising results, both as a preventive and a treatment. Reducing stress of the young rabbits (weaning, etc) and ad lib feeding of hay or straw are helpful in prevention. Adding 250 ppm of copper sulfate to the diet of young rabbits also helps prevent enterotoxemia. Individual animal treatment for enterotoxemia should include aggressive fluid therapy and intensive supportive care. Monitoring of hydration status, body temperature, and heart rates is extremely important. There is little evidence that antibiotics are helpful. Prognosis for advanced cases is often poor. Diagnosis of enterotoxemia depends on history, signs, lesions, and demonstration of C spiroforme, A stained fecal smear can be examined to look for the clostridial organisms. Very often, the Clostridium contains a spore that gives it the appearance of a safety pin. Centrifugation of intestinal contents at 20,000 g for 15 minutes followed by culture of the supernatant-pellet interface will reveal the organism. For a definitive diagnosis, the presence of iota toxin in the supernatant of centrifuged cecal contents can be demonstrated by in vivo or in vitro assays., caused by Clostridium piliforme, is characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, anorexia, dehydration, lethargy, staining of the hindquarters, and death within 1–3 days in weanling rabbits 6–12 weeks old. Acute outbreaks have been associated with >90% mortality. Some rabbits may develop chronic infections that present clinically as a wasting disease. Infection occurs by ingestion and is associated with poor sanitation and stress. The lesions consist of necrotic enteritis along with multifocal necrosis in the liver and heart. Necrotic patches on the serosal surface of the cecum are typical lesions for this disease. Diagnosis is made histologically; special stains (eg, Giemsa or Warthin-Starry silver) show the characteristic intracellular bacterium. Culturing is impractical, because the bacterium does not grow on artificial media. Serologic tests are available from animal diagnostic laboratories. Tyzzer disease affects a wide spectrum of other species but has not been reported in people, although titers have been documented in pregnant women. Although antibiotics used in treatment of other animals have not been effective in rabbits, oxytetracycline has been of some value in limiting an outbreak. No vaccine is available. Aggressive disinfection and decontamination of the housing facility to reduce the presence of hardy spores is indicated with either 1% peracetic acid or 3% hypochlorite. Escherichia coli as a cause of rabbit diarrhea has been confused by the circumstance that E coli often proliferate when rabbits develop diarrhea for any reason. Enteropathogenic strains of E coli (serotype O103) commonly express the eae gene, which codes for intimin, an outer membrane protein associated with the attaching and effacing lesions. Serotypes O15:H, O109:H2, O103:H2, O128, and O132 are also important. Healthy rabbits do not have E coli of any strain associated with their GI tract. Two types of colibacillosis are seen in rabbits, depending on age. Rabbits 1–2 weeks old develop a severe yellowish diarrhea that results in high mortality. It is common for entire litters to succumb to this disease. In weaned rabbits 4–6 weeks old, a diarrheal disease very similar to that described for enterotoxemia is seen. The intestines are fluid filled, with petechial hemorrhages on the serosal surface, similar to the pathology described for both Tyzzer disease and, Death occurs in 5–14 days, or rabbits are left stunted and unthrifty. Diagnosis is made by isolating E coli on blood agar and then having the isolate biotyped or serotyped. Electron micrographs of E coli attached to the mucosa are also helpful. In severe cases, treatment is not successful; in mild cases, antibiotics may be effective. Severely affected rabbits should be culled, and facilities thoroughly sanitized. High-fiber diets appear to help prevent the disease in weaned rabbits. Proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis has been reported to cause diarrhea in weanling rabbits. Clinical signs include diarrhea, depression, and dehydration, which resolve over 1–2 weeks. Disease does not cause death unless associated with a dual infection with another enteropathogenic agent. Diagnosis is based on necropsy findings of a thickened and corrugated ileum and histologic identification of the rod-shaped to curved or spiral silver-staining organism in crypt enterocytes. The organism requires cell-containing media (enterocytes) for culture. Immunohistochemistry and PCR may be useful to identify L intracellularis, Isolation of sick animals and symptomatic treatment is advised. Chloramphenicol or florfenicol is the treatment of choice, but some rabbits appear sensitive to these antibiotics when given orally, so careful GI monitoring is required. Mucoid enteropathy is a distinct diarrheal disease of rabbits, characterized by minimal inflammation, hypersecretion, and accumulation of mucus in the small and large intestines. The cause is unknown, and it may occur concurrent with other enteric diseases. Predisposing factors include dietary changes, a low indigestible fiber diet (dietary fiber < 6%), antibiotic treatments, environmental stress, and challenges with other bacteria. Clinical signs are gelatinous or mucus-covered feces, anorexia, lethargy, subnormal temperature, dehydration, rough coat, and often a bloated abdomen due to excess water in the stomach. A firm, impacted cecum may be palpable. The perineal area is often covered with mucus and feces. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and necropsy findings of gelatinous mucus in the colon. Rabbits may live for ~1 week. Treatment is difficult and often unrewarding in severe cases, but intense fluid therapy, antibiotics, and analgesics should be tried. Prevention is the same as for any rabbit enteropathy by focusing on an adequate, fiber-rich diet. Mastitis is common in commercial rabbitries and is occasionally seen in smaller units but rarely in pet rabbits. Poor sanitation enhances spread throughout the rabbitry. Mastitis affects lactating does and may progress to a septicemia that rapidly kills the doe. Generally, it is caused by staphylococci, but streptococci and other bacteria have been isolated. Initially, the mammary glands become hot, reddened, and swollen. Later, they may become cyanotic, hence the common name, "blue breast." The doe will not eat but may crave water. Fever ≥105°F (40.5°C) is often noted. If antibiotic treatment is started early (the first day the doe goes off feed), the rabbit may be saved and damage limited to one or two mammary glands. If more than two glands are lost, keeping the doe may not be economical. Because penicillin often causes diarrhea in rabbits, does should be treated only after the pelleted ration has been replaced with hay or some other high-fiber diet ( see ). Kits should not be fostered to another doe, because they will spread the infection to the foster mother. Hand-rearing of infected young may be attempted but is difficult. The incidence of mastitis can be reduced if nest boxes are maintained without rough edges to the entrance, which can traumatize the teats when the doe jumps in and out of the nest box. It is essential for the nest box to be sanitized before and after use. Vaccines have not proved to be beneficial to prevent mastitis. Treponematosis, a specific venereal disease of domestic rabbits, is caused by the spirochete Treponema paraluiscuniculi, It is seen in both sexes and is transmitted by breeding and from the doe to offspring. Although closely related to the organism that causes human syphilis ( T pallidum ), T paraluiscuniculi is not transmissible to other domestic animals or people. The incubation period is 3–6 weeks. Small vesicles or ulcers are formed, which ultimately become covered with a heavy scab. These lesions usually are confined to the genital region, but the lips and eyelids may be involved. Infected rabbits should not be bred. Diagnosis is based on the lesions and observation of the spirochete's corkscrew motility under darkfield microscopy. Serologic tests used to diagnose T pallidum, such as the VDRL slide test and the rapid-plasma regain card test, are widely available and can be used to diagnose T paraluiscuniculi, is a differential diagnosis. Benzathine penicillin G, 42,000 IU/kg, SC, at weekly intervals for 3 weeks, is necessary to eradicate treponematosis from a herd. Procaine penicillin (60,000 IU/kg/day, SC, for 7 days) is also recommended for individual rabbits. All rabbits must be treated even if no lesions are present. Lesions usually heal within 10–14 days, and recovered rabbits can be bred without danger of transmitting the infection. Clinical dermatophytosis commonly affects individual rabbits, but epizootics can also occur. Ringworm is generally associated with poor husbandry, poor nutrition, and other environmental stressors. The cause is most commonly Trichophyton mentagrophytes and occasionally Microsporum canis, Transmission is by direct contact. Fomites, such as hair brushes, that evade proper disinfection can play a significant role in spreading infection. Asymptomatic carriers are very common. The lesions usually appear first on the head and may spread to any area of the skin. Affected areas are circular, raised, reddened, and capped with white, bran-like, flaky material. A negative result with a Wood's lamp illumination does not exclude dermatophytosis, because all agents do not fluoresce. Hair plucked from the edge of the lesion may be cultured on special media, such as dermatophyte test media or Sabouraud's agar. A KOH skin scraping taken from the periphery of the lesion that reveals fungal forms confirms the diagnosis. Because rabbits with active infections are infectious for people and other animals, they should be either isolated and treated or euthanized. Griseofulvin at an individual dosage of 25 mg/kg body wt/day, PO, for 4 weeks, or in the feed at 825 mg/kg of feed, is effective but not approved for use in rabbits; it should not be used in rabbits intended for human consumption. Griseofulvin may be teratogenic and should not be used in pregnant does. Topical antifungal creams containing itraconazole (5 mg/kg/day, PO, for 4–6 weeks), clotrimazole, or miconazole may be effective extra-label treatments. For rabbitries, treatment with either 1% copper sulfate as a dip or 8 oz of MECA (metabolized chlorous acid/chlorine dioxide compound, 1:1:10 mix of base:activator:water) sprayed on six times in a 26-day period was shown to be effective. is rare in domestic rabbits, but wild rabbits and rodents are highly susceptible and have been involved in most epizootics. Up to 90% of human cases of tularemia are linked to wild lagomorph exposure. The etiologic agent, Francisella tularensis, is an aerobic nonmotile, gram-negative, pleomorphic, bipolar coccobacillus prevalent in the south central USA. It is highly infectious and passed through the skin, through the respiratory tract via aerosols, by ingestion, and via bloodsucking arthropods. Tularemia causes an acute fatal septicemia. Diagnosis is based on necropsy findings of septicemic bacterial disease with numerous small, bright-white hepatic foci, congestion, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. Treatment of the animal is not indicated. Tularemia is a reportable disease. : Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases of Rabbits - Exotic and Laboratory Animals

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Can rabbit diseases spread to humans?

Ringworm – This is actually a fungal infection, not a worm – can be passed from rabbit to human, and vice-versa! Both the infected rabbit and human/s require treatment. Theoretically, salmonella, listeria and pseudotuberculosis can be passed from rabbits to humans, but the risk is vanishingly small and you are far more likely to catch these diseases via contaminated food.

Can rabbit fungus transfer to humans?

Rabbit diseases caused by parasites – Some of the parasitic diseases transmitted by rabbits are:

Cheyletiellosis : caused by the Cheyletiella parasitivorax mite whic affects rabbits. It is very contagious and capable of infecting people. It produces a localized or generalized dermatitis causing multiple on both the extremeties and body. However, since people are not the final host of the mite, these symptoms usually disappear within a maximum of three weeks. Giardiasis : Giardia duodenalis is a flagellated protozoan that is transmitted from the feces of infected rabbits. Infected deces is generally pasty and runny. It is especially dangerous in immunosuppressed people or in children, so any change in the appearance of our rabbit’s feces should make us suspect this parasite. Leishmaniasis : rabbits have been shown to act as transmitters of Leishmania infantum, but a sandfly mosquito needs to pass between the rabbit and the person for the disease to spread. In people, this disease causes difficulty in breathing and swallowing, ulcers on the skin, mouth and lips, congestion, and nosebleeds. It can also cause visceral leishmaniasis which causes diarrhea, fever, cough and vomiting in children. Adults may experience symptoms such as fever, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, weight loss and cold sweats. Coccidiosis : is a disease caused by protozoa that mainly affects the digestive system and can cause diarrhea (sometimes with blood present), intestinal inflammation and dehydration. Eimeria is the most important parasite in rabbits and can be transmitted to people mainly via the handling of rabbit feces. Microsporidiosis : Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a very common parasite in rabbits. If transmitted to humans, it can cause a systemic disease which mainly affects the brain and kidneys.

Rabbit diseases caused by fungi If a rabbit is sick due to a fungal infection, they will have various symptoms. They can transfer diseases to humans, but they won’t always display the same symptoms:

Ringworm : after contact with the skin or hair, we can become infected with the spores of dermatophyte fungi of the Microsporum and Trichophyton genera. The hyphae grow in the outer layer of the epidermis (stratum corneum), lifting the hair cuticle until the hair falls out. Affected rabbits usually have circular alopecic patches, visible red patches on their skin. However, sometimes the animal is an asymptomatic carrier and it is only the caregiver who has the symptoms. When transferred to humans symptoms include welts and circular areas with reddish edges that itch, mostly located on the neck, chest and arms. Sporotrichosis : the fungus Sporothrix schenckii can be transmitted by rabbits and most frequently produce a lymphocutaneous inflammation in humans. There will be the appearance of papules that first turn into pustules, then subcutaneous nodules that slowly expand through the lymphatic system. They can become ulcerated and ooze. Another form is pulmonary (in the lungs). Although this last form is rare, it has a high mortality rate.

What ointment can I use on my rabbit?

Mary E. Cotter, Ed.D., in consultation with Gil Stanzione, D.V.M. – Broken Or Bleeding Toenails Photo Credit: Thinkstock If your bunny has broken a nail, or if you have cut too close to the blood vessel, apply pressure with a clean towel for a couple of minutes, until the bleeding stops. If you like, you can use styptic powder (available in drug stores), plain flour, or even a bar of soap rubbed on the end of the nail to help stop the bleeding.

If the nail breaks off right at the base, clean the area thoroughly with Nolvasan (you can get it through your vet), and apply a thin coat of regular triple antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin (not Neosporin Plus, or any other product that contains cortisone!!!) Try to keep your bunny in as clean an environment as possible until you can see your vet — to prevent dirt from contaminating the injury site.

Be sure to see your vet for follow-up care to this second kind of break, since bacterial infection can travel to the bone and cause serious problems. Broken Bones Take your bunny to any emergency clinic, so that the bone can be stabilized until you can see your regular rabbit vet.

If the emergency clinic needs to anesthetize your bunny to do x-rays or to stabilize the leg, isoflurane is the preferred anesthesia for rabbits. If you cannot get to an emergency clinic, do your best to severely restrict your bunny’s movement until you can get to your vet. This will help to prevent further injury.

Make sure your bunny has easy access to food and water so that he does not have to move around to get to it. Runny Eyes Runny eyes do not usually constitute an emergency, but if your rabbit sustains trauma to the eye, resulting in a serious corneal scratch or ulcer, you should get veterinary treatment as soon as possible.

If you can get to a veterinary emergency clinic, the eye can be stained to assess the damage, and the emergency vet can administer antibiotic drops (usually tribiotic ophthalmic drops) or ointment, to tide you over until you can see you own vet. Do not put any medication into your bunny’s eye unless it is given to you by a qualified vet for that purpose.

Many people attempt to treat their rabbit’s eyes with leftover dog/cat/human drugs, often with disastrous consequences. If your bunny’s eye is oozing or sticky (often appearing glued shut), you can use warm compresses to loosen the gunk and clean the external area around the eye.

Teeth problems: Your bunny approaches food — maybe even picks it up and starts to eat it– but then backs off or drops the food without finishing it. He seems hungry, but unable or unwilling to eat — even treats. His activity level is more or less normal. When you rub his cheeks, you might see a pain response from spurs on his upper molars. If the problem is not accurately diagnosed and corrected soon, your bunny may start to exhibit symptoms of gas pain or gastrointestinal problems (see below) — simply from not eating normally.WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: You can force-feed him (canned pumpkin, baby-food veggies, eg.) by using a feeding syringe. You can give him subcutaneous fluids. If he develops gas from not eating properly, follow the suggestions below. Gas pain: Your bunny is sitting hunched and still. In some instances, he may stretch out fully, giving the appearance that he is trying to press his belly to the floor. You offer him treats, and he is totally uninterested. Sometimes (though not always) you can hear very loud gurgling sounds coming from his belly — even from across the room. In fact, his gut sounds, heard through a stethoscope, can be deafening. You may hear loud tooth grinding — a sure sign of pain (this sounds quite different from the soft grinding that indicates pleasure; it can sometimes be heard clear across a room). His stomach may (or may not) feel overly-stretched and taut. A bunny with gas pain often has a low body temperature (e.g.97; normal is 101-103).WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: Take his temperature!! If his temp is lower than normal, warm him up! You can do this by offering him a wrapped hot-water bottle or a heating pad, set on low — as long as the wire is well-protected so he cannot chew it, and as long as he can easily move off the heating pad if he gets too warm. (WARNING: Heating pads can cause severe burns and injury when misused. Some vets, who see these injuries frequently, discourage the use of heating pads altogether for this reason. Do not use any setting other than low for your rabbit. The pad may not feel warm to you, but it will to your rabbit!! ) You can also warm him with you own body heat: hold him in your arms, close to your body, for extended periods of time (an hour, or even longer). Give him Phazyme (pediatric simethicone) — two or three 1-cc doses, one hour apart. Give him frequent and long (10 – 15 mins., or as long as he will tolerate) tummy massages, at least part of which can be with his hindquarters raised (as demonstrated at this conference). Take his temperature periodically to monitor the effects of your efforts to warm him.Whatever else you do, fuss over him. There is ample anecdotal evidence (from many HRS fosterers and others) to suggest that bunnies who are fussed over do better than those who are not. You can also give subcutaneous fluids, as discussed by the vets in this conference— around 30 cc for a two pound rabbit, 50cc for a four pound rabbit — two or three times a day — until you can get to your vet. Sub-Q fluids will help to keep him well-hydrated. You can warm the sub-q fluids by putting the bag into a pan of water, bringing the water to a boil, and cooking the fluid bag for several minutes. Test the temperature on your wrist before administering the fluids. Lukewarm is best. Gastrointestinal problems: Very similar in presentation to gas pain: your bunny sits in a bread-loaf position, unwilling to eat and often unwilling to move. His fecal production will change: his stool will become much smaller in size or he will stop producing stool altogether. His body temperature will usually drop. There may be either loud gut sounds, or an almost total absence of gut sounds through a stethoscope.WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: Follow suggestions for addressing gas pain (above): warmth, belly massage, gas-relief if necessary, subcutaneous fluids. For further information, please read the a rticle on GI stasis by Dana Krempels: http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/ileus.html WARNING: If there is any chance your bunny has a GI blockage, do not attempt to force-feed him! This will only make the problem worse. Your most important job is to monitor his body temperature, and to keep him as comfortable and as well-hydrated as you can until you can see your regular bunny vet.

Head Tilt Your bunny loses his balance, and his head starts twisting toward the ceiling; he looks like something out of The Exorcist. He is dizzy, unable to regain coordination. If he tries to walk or hop, he falls over and starts rolling around. In some cases, his eyes dart back and forth very rapidly, and the iris appears to be almost vibrating.

  1. WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: PAD YOUR BUNNY’S ENVIRONMENT!!! Your main job until you can get to your vet is to prevent your bunny from hurting himself while he’s seriously uncoordinated and/or rolling.
  2. Prepare a box (or other carefully restricted environment) for him, thickly padded with towels or fake sheepskin.

The idea is to provide him with a totally cushioned and absorptive environment that will restrict his rolling and uncontrolled movements until he can get full treatment. A head-tilt presentation can be very frightening for owners. Many dog-and-cat vets will tell you that a head-tilt bunny should simply be euthanized.

  • The experience of many excellent rabbit vets, however, has shown that, with a dedicated owner (treatment may extend over a period of months) and a bunny who is a fighter, head tilt can be treated very satisfactorily, and many (if not most) bunnies can make a full, or close-to-full, recovery.
  • NB: Head-tilt bunnies often continue to have lusty appetites, but their lack of coordination makes it very difficult for them to eat or drink.

Help your bunny to eat or drink in any way you can: hold the water bottle near his mouth, or carefully syringe water into him through the side of his mouth (watching to make sure he is not aspirating it!), hold his food (vegetables, hay) for him, and offer it piece by piece, etc.

  • Severe Diarrhea Diarrhea, is not the same thing as soft, mushy stool, that sticks to a bunny’s butt (this is usually excess cecal production).
  • It is brown, watery discharge, which is often profuse.
  • The bunny may be limp and very weak.
  • Because it causes such rapid dehydration, diarrhea can be life threatening.

If you can get to a veterinary emergency clinic, your bunny can receive subcutaneous fluids. If there is no such clinic near you, please ask your vet now — before an emergency arises — to teach you how to administer fluids at home. This kind of diarrhea is generally the result of parasites (coccidia) or inappropriate antibiotics administered by well-meaning (but not well-informed) vets.

See your own rabbit-savvy vet as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and follow-up treatment. Bites Bunnies often inflict serious bites on one another, if they are not properly bonded. Bacteria introduced into the bite wound can travel through the bloodstream and seed other body areas, eventually producing abscesses.

For this reason, you should definitely ask you vet to check any but the most superficial bites. WHAT YOU CAN DO TIL YOU GET TO YOUR VET: If there is serious bleeding, apply pressure until a clot forms. Gently wash the area around the bite wound with Nolvasan (chlorhexidine) solution.

  1. Apply a very thin layer of regular Neosporin (triple antibiotic ointment); do not use Neosporin Plus! If the bites are extensive, try to get to an emergency veterinary service.
  2. The emergency vet can clean and dress the wounds.
  3. Most superficial bunny bite wounds can be treated by shaving the hair and applying topical ointment and dressing until you can see your regular vet.

If the emergency vet feels systemic antibiotics should be administered because of the extent of the bites, make sure that oral penicillin and derivatives (such as amoxicillin) are not used. Micotil and cephalosporins should also be avoided. Some bunny-friendly antibiotics: Baytril (and other fluoroquinolones, such as Orbax, Dicural, Ciprofloxacin, Maxaquin), Trimethoprim Sulfa (aka: Sulfatrim, Bactrim, Tribrissen, TMP-SMZ), chloramphenicol (take extreme care not to touch it when administering it; it can cause aplastic anemia in some people), Gentocin (and other aminoglycosides — though these need to be used carefully to prevent ear and kidney damage).

  • Although penicillin is not ordinarily a drug of first choice for most bunny ailments (and it should never be administered orally), injectable Pen-G Procaine can be very useful for specific kinds of problems.
  • Sudden Fever If your bunny spikes a sudden, very high fever (we have seen fevers as high as 106 or 107 — literally off most thermometers), cool him down by swabbing his ears with alcohol or wet-towel-wrapped ice cubes.
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You can also dip your fingers into ice water, and gently stroke his ears for several minutes at a time. Try to get his temperature down to around 104 (normal is 101-103), i.e., a fever that is useful to his body, rather than harmful. Extra cooling can be achieved by taking chilled cans or frozen vegetable boxes from your refrigerator, wrapping them in towels, and packing them around your bunny.

What can I give my rabbit for a bacterial infection?

Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases of Rabbits – Exotic and Laboratory Animals Topic Resources Pasteurellosis is common in domestic rabbits. The etiologic agent is Pasteurella multocida, a gram-negative, nonmotile coccobacillus. Rabbits will usually become infected with P multocida immediately after birth, and the prevalence of colonization increases with age until about 5 months.

Most adult rabbits are believed to be infected with P multocida, It is highly contagious and transmitted primarily by direct contact, although aerosol transmission may also occur. In conventional colonies, 30%–90% of apparently healthy rabbits may be asymptomatic carriers. This is important to consider when nasal cultures are collected, because not every positive result indicates a pathologic condition.

Pasteurellosis presents with a variety of clinical symptoms, including rhinitis, pneumonia, abscesses, reproductive tract infections, torticollis, otitis media/interna and septicemia. Rabbits may develop Pasteurella septicemia and die acutely without any clinical signs.

Necropsy findings of septicemia cases may reveal only congestion and petechial hemorrhages in multiple organs. Rhinitis (snuffles or nasal catarrh) is an acute, subacute, or chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the air passages and lungs, induced primarily by Pasteurella, but Pseudomonas spp, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Staphylococcus spp, and Streptococcus have also been isolated.

The initial sign is a thin, serous exudate from the nose and eyes that later becomes purulent. The fur on the inside of the front legs just above the paws may be matted and caked with dried exudate, or this area may be clean with thinned fur as a result of pawing at the nose.

Infected rabbits usually sneeze and cough. In general, snuffles occurs when the resistance of the rabbit is low. Recovered rabbits are likely carriers. Pneumonia can ensue. Pneumonia is common in domestic rabbits. Frequently, it is a secondary and complicating factor in the enteritis complex. The cause is typically P multocida, but other bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Staphylococcus aureus, and pneumococci may be involved.

Upper respiratory disease (snuffles, see above) is often a precursor of pneumonia. Inadequate ventilation, sanitation, and nesting material are predisposing factors. The number of cases of pneumonia is directly proportional to the level of ammonia in the cage, hutch, or rabbitry.

Ventilation is of utmost importance to provide good air quality. Affected rabbits are anorectic, listless, dyspneic, and might have a fever. Treatment should include systemic antibiotics, optimally based on a culture and sensitivity, because of possible resistance to common pathogens. The rabbits are usually dehydrated, and supportive care with hydration and syringe feeding is often necessary as well.

Topically administered ophthalmologic antibiotic products instilled into the nostril can also be beneficial. Necropsy reveals bronchopneumonia, pleuritis, pyothorax, or pericardial petechiae. Because rabbits commonly harbor Bordetella bronchiseptica in their upper respiratory tract, rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together, because guinea pigs are very susceptible to a severe pneumonia caused by Bordetella,

  • Otitis media or interna (“wry neck” or head tilt) results from infections with various agents.
  • P multocida was reported to be isolated from 97% of cases of otitis media, including clinical and subclinical cases.
  • B bronchiseptica and staphylococci were also found in 5%–10% of cases.
  • An accumulation of pus or fluid in the middle or inner ear causes the rabbit to twist its head, eg, “wry neck” or torticollis.

However, not all rabbits with middle ear infections show torticollis. Longterm antibiotic treatment is required for drug penetration into the affected area. Antibiotic therapy may only prevent worsening of clinical signs, and the prognosis is guarded with medical therapy alone.

  1. A bulla osteotomy is often indicated when medical management of otitis media and interna fails.
  2. A total ear canal ablation in rabbits is not recommended because the pathophysiology of otitis in rabbits is very different from that in dogs, in which a total ear canal ablation is often performed.
  3. If drainage of the cerumen is required, a simple stoma surgery at the base of the ear canal will be enough to facilitate the opening of the ear canal.

Proper imaging of the ear lesions is indicated before surgery. Often, a CT scan of the head will help to identify the lesion and potentially help to differentiate otitis media/interna from intracranial disease in cases of torticollis (eg, Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection).

Conjunctivitis and dacryocystitis (weepy eye) is a common problem in rabbits. Predisposing factors include mechanical irritation, eyelid diseases, and dental disease. Conjunctivitis in rabbits may be associated with other disease processes, especially dacryocystitis. The most incriminated cause of conjunctivitis is P multocida ; however, this may be only a secondary infection.

Primary infections are less common than opportunistic infections. Transmission is by direct contact or fomites. Affected rabbits rub their eyes with their front feet. Bacterial conjunctivitis can be treated with topical chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, or gentamicin combined with systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy if topical treatment alone is ineffective.

Dacryocystitis and acquired nasal duct obstruction may arise from chronic rhinitis that travels up the nasolacrimal duct to the eye or occasionally from dental disease such as tooth root inflammation or abscessation. Dacryocystorhinography or injection of contrast material into the lacrimal punctum will provide good radiographic detail of the duct throughout its course and show the site of obstruction.

In long-standing cases of dacryocystitis and conjunctivitis, the punctum and segments of the nasolacrimal duct may progressively narrow and be replaced with scar tissue until they are irreversibly obstructed. To relieve discomfort and inflammation associated with these conditions, the use of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ophthalmic preparations such as flurbiprofen can be considered.

  • Systemic NSAIDs such as meloxicam should also be used.
  • Treatment can include gentle saline flushing of the duct through the nasolacrimal punctum, but care is warranted to not damage the nasolacrimal duct during flushing.
  • Any mechanical damage to the fragile tear duct can result in permanent epiphora, and owners should be advised accordingly.

Pasteurella can cause genital infections, but several other organisms also may be involved. The spirochete Treponema paraluiscuniculi is the causative agent of rabbit syphilis. Genital infections are manifest by an acute or subacute inflammation of the reproductive tract and most frequently are found in adults, more often in does than bucks.

In the case of Treponema, a severe conjunctivitis or dermatosis between the toes can also be a key clinical sign. If both horns of the uterus are affected, the does often become sterile; if only one horn is involved, a normal litter may develop in the other. The only sign of pyometra may be a thick, yellowish gray vaginal discharge.

If bloody discharge from the vulva is observed and a large uterine horn can be palpated, uterine adenocarcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis. Bucks may discharge pus from the urethra or have an enlarged testicle. Chronic infection of the prostate and seminal vesicles is likely, and because venereal transmission may ensue, it is best to cull the animal in a production colony.

Combination of clinical signs, bacterial culture, and serotyping

A diagnosis of pasteurellosis should not be made solely on the presenting signs, but should include bacterial culture and blood work (CBC and blood chemistry profile). In severely affected cases, more advanced diagnostic tests such as radiography, ultrasonography, or a CT scan may also be needed.

Carriers of P multocida can be identified by an indirect fluorescent antibody test on nasal swabs. A technique that uses small, saline-moistened, pediatric nasopharyngeal swabs has proved superior to the standard, larger nasal swab. The swab is directed medially through the external nares past the turbinates and onto the dorsal surface of the soft palate; sedation is recommended.

The swab is then retracted and can be used in the fluorescent antibody test or plated onto a culture medium. An ELISA test to detect antibodies against P multocida may also help detect carriers. PCR can discriminate between different isolates and is commercially available.

It is important to remember that Pasteurella can be sampled from a large percentage of clinically normal rabbits, and culture results must be interpreted carefully and in combination with the clinical signs and the antibiogram from sensitivity testing. Not every strain of Pasteurella is pathogenic. Five serotypes (strains) of Pasteurella have been described, with two of them most commonly involved in pathologic conditions in rabbits.

The serotype, identified during a culture and sensitivity test, is tested to determine the most effective antibiotic.

Antimicrobial treatment may help control signs but will likely not eliminate infection

Treatment is difficult and will most likely not eradicate the organism. Antibiotics seem to provide only temporary remission, and the next stress (eg, kindling) may cause relapse. Prolonged treatment for 6–8 weeks is often needed. Many of the newer antibiotics are already ineffective because of an increase in resistant strains.

Before treatment, a culture and sensitivity should be done to determine the best antibiotic to use. Antibiotics effective against Pasteurella include enrofloxacin, trimethoprim sulfa, chloramphenicol, penicillin G, and azithromycin. Very often, systemic antibiotic therapy can be augmented by local antibiotic therapy.

Gentamicin ophthalmologic drugs instilled into the nostrils can supplement systemic antibiotics for treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. Fluoroquinolones are usually good drugs if no resistance has built up, which is unfortunately common. Oral medication is usually well tolerated and without adverse effects.

In case of unsatisfactory results, doxycycline can be added, because both drugs appear to have a synergistic effect. Sometimes, amikacin or azithromycin must be used, based on culture results. Although medication in the drinking water is not recommended because of the tainting of the flavor and potential underdosing, this is sometimes the only possible route to treat animals on a larger scale.

Enrofloxacin (200 mg/L of drinking water for 30 days) can be effective for upper respiratory P multocida infections. Procaine penicillin (60,000 IU/kg/day, SC, for 10–14 days) is also recommended for individual rabbits, but caution is warranted, because deaths from enterotoxemia can follow if the drug is accidentally given orally.

Additional treatments may include anti-inflammatory drugs, careful flushing of the nasolacrimal duct, nebulization therapy, ear and eye drops, administration of fluids, and surgery. Two methods to free a production colony of Pasteurella have been reported. The first involves culture and culling of positive animals; once the colony is Pasteurella -free, it must be maintained in isolation.

In the second method, pregnant does past kindling are treated with enrofloxacin. While does remain Pasteurella -culture positive, the kits remain Pasteurella -culture negative. Carriers can be identified by an indirect fluorescent antibody test on nasal swabs.

Pasteurella multocida infects most rabbits, but many animals are asymptomatic carriers. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and bacterial culture. Antibiotics can control signs but are unlikely to eliminate infection.

Listeriosis, a sporadic septicemic disease characterized by sudden deaths or abortions, is most common in does in advanced pregnancy. Poor husbandry and stress may be important in initiating the disease. Clinical signs are variable and nonspecific and include anorexia, depression, and weight loss. In contrast to the disease in cattle and sheep, listeriosis seldom affects the CNS in rabbits. The causal agent, Listeria monocytogenes, spreads via the blood to the liver, spleen, and gravid uterus. At necropsy, the liver consistently contains multiple, pinpoint, gray-white foci. Because diagnosis is rarely made pre-mortem, treatment is seldom attempted. L monocytogenes can infect many animals, including people. It is difficult to isolate with normal methods, and special techniques are often required. This problem is more common in commercial operations than in pet rabbits. Enterotoxemia is a severe diarrheal disease, primarily of rabbits 4–8 weeks old when naturally infected; it also can affect rabbits at all life stages if an inappropriate antibiotic is given orally. Signs are lethargy, rough coat, greenish brown fecal material covering the perineal area, and death within 48 hours. Often, a rabbit looks healthy in the evening and is dead the next morning. Necropsy reveals the typical lesions of enterotoxemia, ie, a fluid-distended intestine with hemorrhagic petechiae on the serosal surface. The primary causative agent is Clostridium spiroforme, which produces an iota toxin. Little is known about transmission of the organism; it is assumed to be a commensal normally present in low numbers. The type of diet seems to be a factor in development of the disease; enterotoxemia is seen less often when high-fiber diets are fed. Because most beta-lactams, lincomycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin induce Clostridium -related (eg, Clostridium difficile ) enterotoxemia because of their selective effect on normal, gram-positive bacteria, their oral use is contraindicated in rabbits. Enterotoxemia is a consideration for these antibiotic therapies. These diarrheas are remarkably similar to those that occur naturally (described above as enterotoxemia). Treatment of colony rabbits is seldom attempted because of the rapidity of death. However, when population size permits, cholestyramine has been used with promising results, both as a preventive and a treatment. Reducing stress of the young rabbits (weaning, etc) and ad lib feeding of hay or straw are helpful in prevention. Adding 250 ppm of copper sulfate to the diet of young rabbits also helps prevent enterotoxemia. Individual animal treatment for enterotoxemia should include aggressive fluid therapy and intensive supportive care. Monitoring of hydration status, body temperature, and heart rates is extremely important. There is little evidence that antibiotics are helpful. Prognosis for advanced cases is often poor. Diagnosis of enterotoxemia depends on history, signs, lesions, and demonstration of C spiroforme, A stained fecal smear can be examined to look for the clostridial organisms. Very often, the Clostridium contains a spore that gives it the appearance of a safety pin. Centrifugation of intestinal contents at 20,000 g for 15 minutes followed by culture of the supernatant-pellet interface will reveal the organism. For a definitive diagnosis, the presence of iota toxin in the supernatant of centrifuged cecal contents can be demonstrated by in vivo or in vitro assays., caused by Clostridium piliforme, is characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, anorexia, dehydration, lethargy, staining of the hindquarters, and death within 1–3 days in weanling rabbits 6–12 weeks old. Acute outbreaks have been associated with >90% mortality. Some rabbits may develop chronic infections that present clinically as a wasting disease. Infection occurs by ingestion and is associated with poor sanitation and stress. The lesions consist of necrotic enteritis along with multifocal necrosis in the liver and heart. Necrotic patches on the serosal surface of the cecum are typical lesions for this disease. Diagnosis is made histologically; special stains (eg, Giemsa or Warthin-Starry silver) show the characteristic intracellular bacterium. Culturing is impractical, because the bacterium does not grow on artificial media. Serologic tests are available from animal diagnostic laboratories. Tyzzer disease affects a wide spectrum of other species but has not been reported in people, although titers have been documented in pregnant women. Although antibiotics used in treatment of other animals have not been effective in rabbits, oxytetracycline has been of some value in limiting an outbreak. No vaccine is available. Aggressive disinfection and decontamination of the housing facility to reduce the presence of hardy spores is indicated with either 1% peracetic acid or 3% hypochlorite. Escherichia coli as a cause of rabbit diarrhea has been confused by the circumstance that E coli often proliferate when rabbits develop diarrhea for any reason. Enteropathogenic strains of E coli (serotype O103) commonly express the eae gene, which codes for intimin, an outer membrane protein associated with the attaching and effacing lesions. Serotypes O15:H, O109:H2, O103:H2, O128, and O132 are also important. Healthy rabbits do not have E coli of any strain associated with their GI tract. Two types of colibacillosis are seen in rabbits, depending on age. Rabbits 1–2 weeks old develop a severe yellowish diarrhea that results in high mortality. It is common for entire litters to succumb to this disease. In weaned rabbits 4–6 weeks old, a diarrheal disease very similar to that described for enterotoxemia is seen. The intestines are fluid filled, with petechial hemorrhages on the serosal surface, similar to the pathology described for both Tyzzer disease and, Death occurs in 5–14 days, or rabbits are left stunted and unthrifty. Diagnosis is made by isolating E coli on blood agar and then having the isolate biotyped or serotyped. Electron micrographs of E coli attached to the mucosa are also helpful. In severe cases, treatment is not successful; in mild cases, antibiotics may be effective. Severely affected rabbits should be culled, and facilities thoroughly sanitized. High-fiber diets appear to help prevent the disease in weaned rabbits. Proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis has been reported to cause diarrhea in weanling rabbits. Clinical signs include diarrhea, depression, and dehydration, which resolve over 1–2 weeks. Disease does not cause death unless associated with a dual infection with another enteropathogenic agent. Diagnosis is based on necropsy findings of a thickened and corrugated ileum and histologic identification of the rod-shaped to curved or spiral silver-staining organism in crypt enterocytes. The organism requires cell-containing media (enterocytes) for culture. Immunohistochemistry and PCR may be useful to identify L intracellularis, Isolation of sick animals and symptomatic treatment is advised. Chloramphenicol or florfenicol is the treatment of choice, but some rabbits appear sensitive to these antibiotics when given orally, so careful GI monitoring is required. Mucoid enteropathy is a distinct diarrheal disease of rabbits, characterized by minimal inflammation, hypersecretion, and accumulation of mucus in the small and large intestines. The cause is unknown, and it may occur concurrent with other enteric diseases. Predisposing factors include dietary changes, a low indigestible fiber diet (dietary fiber < 6%), antibiotic treatments, environmental stress, and challenges with other bacteria. Clinical signs are gelatinous or mucus-covered feces, anorexia, lethargy, subnormal temperature, dehydration, rough coat, and often a bloated abdomen due to excess water in the stomach. A firm, impacted cecum may be palpable. The perineal area is often covered with mucus and feces. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and necropsy findings of gelatinous mucus in the colon. Rabbits may live for ~1 week. Treatment is difficult and often unrewarding in severe cases, but intense fluid therapy, antibiotics, and analgesics should be tried. Prevention is the same as for any rabbit enteropathy by focusing on an adequate, fiber-rich diet. Mastitis is common in commercial rabbitries and is occasionally seen in smaller units but rarely in pet rabbits. Poor sanitation enhances spread throughout the rabbitry. Mastitis affects lactating does and may progress to a septicemia that rapidly kills the doe. Generally, it is caused by staphylococci, but streptococci and other bacteria have been isolated. Initially, the mammary glands become hot, reddened, and swollen. Later, they may become cyanotic, hence the common name, "blue breast." The doe will not eat but may crave water. Fever ≥105°F (40.5°C) is often noted. If antibiotic treatment is started early (the first day the doe goes off feed), the rabbit may be saved and damage limited to one or two mammary glands. If more than two glands are lost, keeping the doe may not be economical. Because penicillin often causes diarrhea in rabbits, does should be treated only after the pelleted ration has been replaced with hay or some other high-fiber diet ( see ). Kits should not be fostered to another doe, because they will spread the infection to the foster mother. Hand-rearing of infected young may be attempted but is difficult. The incidence of mastitis can be reduced if nest boxes are maintained without rough edges to the entrance, which can traumatize the teats when the doe jumps in and out of the nest box. It is essential for the nest box to be sanitized before and after use. Vaccines have not proved to be beneficial to prevent mastitis. Treponematosis, a specific venereal disease of domestic rabbits, is caused by the spirochete Treponema paraluiscuniculi, It is seen in both sexes and is transmitted by breeding and from the doe to offspring. Although closely related to the organism that causes human syphilis ( T pallidum ), T paraluiscuniculi is not transmissible to other domestic animals or people. The incubation period is 3–6 weeks. Small vesicles or ulcers are formed, which ultimately become covered with a heavy scab. These lesions usually are confined to the genital region, but the lips and eyelids may be involved. Infected rabbits should not be bred. Diagnosis is based on the lesions and observation of the spirochete's corkscrew motility under darkfield microscopy. Serologic tests used to diagnose T pallidum, such as the VDRL slide test and the rapid-plasma regain card test, are widely available and can be used to diagnose T paraluiscuniculi, is a differential diagnosis. Benzathine penicillin G, 42,000 IU/kg, SC, at weekly intervals for 3 weeks, is necessary to eradicate treponematosis from a herd. Procaine penicillin (60,000 IU/kg/day, SC, for 7 days) is also recommended for individual rabbits. All rabbits must be treated even if no lesions are present. Lesions usually heal within 10–14 days, and recovered rabbits can be bred without danger of transmitting the infection. Clinical dermatophytosis commonly affects individual rabbits, but epizootics can also occur. Ringworm is generally associated with poor husbandry, poor nutrition, and other environmental stressors. The cause is most commonly Trichophyton mentagrophytes and occasionally Microsporum canis, Transmission is by direct contact. Fomites, such as hair brushes, that evade proper disinfection can play a significant role in spreading infection. Asymptomatic carriers are very common. The lesions usually appear first on the head and may spread to any area of the skin. Affected areas are circular, raised, reddened, and capped with white, bran-like, flaky material. A negative result with a Wood's lamp illumination does not exclude dermatophytosis, because all agents do not fluoresce. Hair plucked from the edge of the lesion may be cultured on special media, such as dermatophyte test media or Sabouraud's agar. A KOH skin scraping taken from the periphery of the lesion that reveals fungal forms confirms the diagnosis. Because rabbits with active infections are infectious for people and other animals, they should be either isolated and treated or euthanized. Griseofulvin at an individual dosage of 25 mg/kg body wt/day, PO, for 4 weeks, or in the feed at 825 mg/kg of feed, is effective but not approved for use in rabbits; it should not be used in rabbits intended for human consumption. Griseofulvin may be teratogenic and should not be used in pregnant does. Topical antifungal creams containing itraconazole (5 mg/kg/day, PO, for 4–6 weeks), clotrimazole, or miconazole may be effective extra-label treatments. For rabbitries, treatment with either 1% copper sulfate as a dip or 8 oz of MECA (metabolized chlorous acid/chlorine dioxide compound, 1:1:10 mix of base:activator:water) sprayed on six times in a 26-day period was shown to be effective. is rare in domestic rabbits, but wild rabbits and rodents are highly susceptible and have been involved in most epizootics. Up to 90% of human cases of tularemia are linked to wild lagomorph exposure. The etiologic agent, Francisella tularensis, is an aerobic nonmotile, gram-negative, pleomorphic, bipolar coccobacillus prevalent in the south central USA. It is highly infectious and passed through the skin, through the respiratory tract via aerosols, by ingestion, and via bloodsucking arthropods. Tularemia causes an acute fatal septicemia. Diagnosis is based on necropsy findings of septicemic bacterial disease with numerous small, bright-white hepatic foci, congestion, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. Treatment of the animal is not indicated. Tularemia is a reportable disease. : Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases of Rabbits - Exotic and Laboratory Animals

What should I put on my rabbits wound?

Antiseptic Solution From Your Veterinarian – In addition to feeding formula, you should ask your veterinarian for an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine (typically one part of solution with 20 parts of water). This antiseptic solution can be used to clean minor wounds in your rabbit’s skin.

  • Rabbit skin is particularly thin and tears easily when scrubbed, so you should be sure not to be overly aggressive in cleaning small wounds.
  • You should also alert your veterinarian to all wounds you notice on your pet to be certain that no further treatment is necessary.
  • You should attempt to clean only the most minor wounds and only when you can’t get your bunny to the veterinarian quickly for assessment.

Never attempt to treat a large wound on your animal, but instead, have him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

What is the most common bacterial infection in rabbits?

Pasteurellosis, a bacterial infection caused by Pasteurella multocida, is common in domestic rabbits. It is highly contagious and is transmitted primarily by direct contact, although transmission by coughing or sneezing may also occur.