If you have a rabbit or are thinking of adopting one, you need to find out about many things to ensure a good life for it. We must take into account that our domestic rabbit, well cared for and in good he alth, can live from 6 to 8 years.
So, if you want to enjoy the maximum years with your long-eared friend keep reading this new article on our site and get the basic knowledge about the problems and Most common diseases of rabbits, so you will more easily know when to act and take it to the vet.
Types of diseases and basic prevention
Rabbits can suffer from diseases of very diverse origins like any other living being. Next, we will classify and describe the most common diseases according to their origin: bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic, hereditary and other he alth problems.
Most rabbit diseases are rabbit-specific, ie they are not transmitted between different animal species. Therefore, if we have another animal living with our jumping friend, we do not have to worry, in principle, about possible contagion of serious diseases.
In order to prevent the vast majority of common diseases and problems, we must follow the vaccination schedule indicated by our specialist veterinarian, maintain good hygiene, adequate and he althy food, providing exercise as well as a good rest, ensuring that our rabbit is free from stress, frequently checking its body and fur, as well as observing its behavior so that the smallest detail that seems to us strange in its individual behavior, it calls our attention and we go to the vet.
By following these guidelines we will easily avoid he alth problems and if they do occur we will detect them early, helping our furry's recovery to be faster and more effective. Next we are going to expose the most common diseases of rabbits according to their origin.
Viral diseases
- Rabies: This viral disease is widespread throughout the world but has also been eradicated in many areas of the planet, as there is effective vaccination which, in fact, is mandatory in many parts of the world. Many mammals are affected by this disease, among which is the Oryctolagus cuniculus. If we try to have our rabbit's vaccination up to date, while avoiding possible contact with animals that seem to be sick with rabies, we can rest easy. In any case, we must know that there is no cure and it is best to avoid prolonging the suffering of the animal that suffers from it.
- Rabbit haemorrhagic disease: This disease is caused by a calicivirus and spreads very quickly. It is also spread both directly and indirectly. The routes of entry of this viral infection are nasal, conjunctival and oral. The most common symptoms are nervous and respiratory signs, in addition to anorexia and apathy. Because this virus manifests itself very aggressively, causing convulsions and nosebleeds, affected animals usually die within a few hours after the appearance of the first symptoms. Therefore, it is best to prevent this disease by following the vaccination schedule indicated by our veterinarian. An annual bivalent vaccine is usually given to rabbits, which covers this disease and myxomatosis at the same time.
- Myxomatosis: The first symptoms appear after 5 or 6 days after infection. There is lack of appetite, inflammation of the eyelids, inflammation of the lips, ears, breasts and genitals, in addition there is swelling of the nose with transparent nasal discharge and pustules around the mucous membranes. There is no treatment for this disease, so it is better to prevent it with the appropriate vaccines in spring and summer, summer being the time of year with the highest risk. The vectors or transmitters of the virus that causes this disease are hematophagous insects, that is, they feed on blood, such as mosquitoes, some flies, ticks, fleas, lice, horseflies, etc. In addition, it can also be spread by contact with other already sick individuals. Sick animals die between the second and fourth week after infection.
Diseases of bacterial and fungal origin
- Pasterellosis: This disease is of bacterial origin and can be caused by two different types of bacteria, pasteurella and bordetella. The most common factors that favor this bacterial infection are the dust from the dry food that we give our rabbits, the environment and climate of the place where they live and the stress that they may have accumulated. The most common symptoms are sneezing, snoring and a lot of nasal mucus. It can be treated with specific antibiotics which will be very effective if the disease is not very advanced.
- Pneumonia: In this case the symptoms are also respiratory, so there will be sneezing, runny nose, snoring, cough, etc. Therefore, it is similar to pasteurosis but it turns out to be a much deeper and more complicated bacterial infection that reaches the lungs. Your treatment will also be with specific antibiotics.
- Tularemia: This bacterial disease is very serious as it has no symptoms, the only thing is that the affected animal stops eating. It can only be diagnosed with laboratory tests since we cannot base ourselves on more symptoms or tests that can be carried out in the veterinary consultation at the time. Being without eating any food, the affected rabbit can die between the second and fourth day. This disease is linked to fleas and mites.
- Generalized abscesses: The most common abscesses in rabbits are pus-filled lumps under the skin caused by bacteria.. We will have to go to the vet to start a treatment as soon as possible and we will have to carry out cures to eliminate the bacterial infection and the abscesses themselves.
- Conjunctivitis and eye infections: They are caused by bacteria on the eyelids of rabbits. The eyes become inflamed and abundant ocular secretions occur. In addition, in more serious cases, in the end, the hair around the eyes is stuck, the eyes are filled with rheum and secretions that prevent the animal from opening its eyes and there may even be pus. Conjunctivitis can be of non-bacterial origin, the cause being the irritation produced by different allergens such as household dust, tobacco smoke or the dust that can be produced in your bed if it contains highly volatile particles such as sawdust. We must apply specific eye drops prescribed by our trusted veterinarian for the time indicated or even longer.
- Pododermatitis or plantar calluses: Also known as ulcerated tarsus disease. It occurs when the rabbit's environment is humid and the floor of the cage is not the most suitable. Then wounds are produced that become infected with bacteria that end up producing pododermatitis on the legs of affected rabbits. It is a very contagious disease since these bacteria are lodged in almost any point of the wounds, no matter how small they are, and even in cracks in the skin that are not yet wounded. Find out about everything you need in this other article on our site about foot calluses in rabbits, their treatment and prevention.
- Rabbit ringworm: It is caused by a fungus that affects the skin of rabbits. It reproduces at high speed by spores, so if it manifests, it is difficult to control the contagion to other individuals who live together. There are hairless areas that are rounded and with crusts on the skin, especially on the face of the animal.
- Middle and inner ear diseases: These complications are caused by bacteria and greatly affect the organ of balance found in ear, so the most notable symptoms are loss of balance and rotation of the head to one side or the other depending on which ear is affected. These symptoms usually manifest when the disease is already advanced, so we usually realize it late and therefore almost no treatment is usually effective.
- Coccidiosis: This disease caused by coccidia is one of the most deadly in rabbits. Coccidia are microorganisms that attack from the stomach to the colon. These microorganisms live in balance in the rabbit's digestive system in a normal way, but when there are very high stress levels and significant drops in defenses, it is when the coccidia multiply uncontrollably and negatively affect the rabbit. The most common symptoms are hair loss along with digestive disorders such as excessive gas and continuous diarrhea. Eventually the affected rabbit stops eating and drinking and eventually dies.
Diseases of external parasitic origin
- Scabies: Scabies is caused by mites that form tunnels in the various layers of the skin, even reaching the muscles of the infested animal. There they reproduce and lay their eggs from which the new mites hatch that produce more itching, wounds, scabs, etc. In the case of rabbits, there are two types of mange, the one that affects the skin of the body in general and the one that only affects the ears and ears. Mange is highly contagious among rabbits and is caused by contact with already infested animals. It is prevented and treated with ivermectin.
- Fleas and lice: If our rabbit spends part of the day outside in the garden or in contact with dogs or cats that do go out outside, you are likely to end up with fleas and lice. We must avoid it by deworming mainly our pets that can have them more easily, such as cats and dogs, and we must also use a specific antiparasitic for rabbits that our specialist veterinarian indicates. In addition to excessive scratching problems due to the itching caused by these parasites, we must think that they are hematophagous and therefore feed on the blood of our pet with their bite and many times this is how they transmit many diseases such as myxomatosis and tularemia.
Diseases of internal parasitic origin
- Diarrheas: Diarrhea is very common in rabbits of any age, but especially in small ones. These small mammals are very delicate and sensitive in their digestive system. Among the most common causes is abruptly changing the diet and not properly washing fresh food. Therefore, we must make sure that we have washed any fresh food well with water before giving it to it and in case we have to change the diet for any reason, we must do it gradually at first, mixing the diet that we want to withdraw with the new one and little by little go introducing more the new one and withdrawing more the previous one. This way your digestive system will adapt properly to the change without causing problems.
- Coliform infection: This infection is a secondary infection by opportunistic parasites. When our rabbit already suffers from coccidiosis, for example, this disease causes secondary infections to easily occur. Coliform infection in rabbits is caused by Escherichia coli and the main symptom and most serious problem that it produces is continuous diarrhea and if it is not treated in time with injectable enrofloxacin or diluted in the water that the rabbit drinks, it can end up producing the death of the animal.
Diseases of hereditary origin
Dental overgrowth or shortening malformation of the upper and/or lower jaw: It is a hereditary problem that occurs due to excessive growth of the teeth, whether they are the upper or lower incisors, which ends up displacing the mandible or maxilla backwards due to space problems. This means that our rabbit cannot feed itself well and in serious cases it can die of starvation if we do not take it regularly to the vet to have its teeth trimmed or filed, at the same time that we must facilitate its feeding when we see that it is difficult for it to eat. itself. Learn more about how to act if an abnormal growth occurs in your rabbit's teeth.
Other Common Rabbit He alth Problems
- Stress: Stress in rabbits can be caused by various problems in their environment. For example, due to the fact of feeling very alone or due to the lack of affection, going through the changes in their environment and the changes of home and companions with whom they live. Also, of course, the fact of not having enough space to live, a poor diet and little exercise will cause stress in our long-eared friend.
- Colds: Rabbits also catch colds when exposed to drafts and excessive moisture. They occur more frequently when our rabbit is stressed or low on defenses. Symptoms are sneezing, profuse runny nose, swollen and watery eyes, etc.
- Inflammation and oozing wounds of the skin: It is easy that living in a cage, even for a few hours of the day, we sometimes see that our rabbit has an inflamed area or even a wound. We must be vigilant and check the body of our long-legged furry friend every day, as these inflammations and wounds tend to become infected very quickly and begin to ooze pus, greatly weakening the he alth of our rabbit, and it can even die of an infection.
- Invagination of the eyelids: This is a problem in which the eyelids fold inward, which in addition to being a great annoyance for our pet, it ends up producing irritations and suppurations in the tear ducts and even if it becomes infected it will cause blindness.
- Hair loss and hair ingestion: Hair loss in rabbits is usually caused by stress and a lack of some nutrients and vitamins in your daily diet. For these same reasons, they often eat the hair that falls out. Therefore, if we detect that this is happening to our friend, we should go to the vet to check what may be wrong with his diet or what may be stressing him out and thus be able to rectify the problem.
- Reddish urine: This is a deficit in the rabbit's diet that causes this color in the urine. We must review your diet and rebalance it, as it is likely that we are giving you excess green vegetables or that you are missing some vitamin, legume or fiber. We should not confuse ourselves with bloody urine as this will be a more serious problem that requires immediate action by the veterinarian.
- Cancer: The most common cancer in rabbits is that of the genitals, whether male or female. For example, in the case of rabbits, those that are not spayed have an 85% chance of developing uterine and ovarian cancer by the time they are 3 years old. In contrast, at 5 years this risk increases to 96%. Sterilized rabbits, in addition to living in adequate and he althy conditions, can live with us between 7 and 10 years without problems.
- Obesity: Obesity or overweight is becoming more common in domestic rabbits due to the type and amount of food they receive and the little exercise they do daily. Learn more about this he alth problem in your pet in this article on our site on obese rabbits, how to detect it and the proper diet to follow to rectify the problem.
- Heat stroke: Rabbits are more accustomed to cold than to heat, as they come from areas with lower temperatures than high temperatures. throughout the year. This is why some breeds of rabbits can withstand temperatures down to -10ºC well if they have some shelter, but for them temperatures around or above 30ºC are too high and if they are exposed to them without water and without a cooler place of refuge for being able to regulate their temperature, they will suffer a heat stroke very easily, dying in a short time from cardiac arrest. They may die of dehydration, but cardiac arrest will probably catch up sooner. The easiest symptoms to see are continuous panting and the rabbit stretching its four legs, leaving its belly in contact with the ground looking for a little cool. What we must do when detecting this behavior is to lower our rabbit's temperature by taking it to a cooler and more ventilated area and we will apply a little cool water to its head and armpits, while we try to cool the area of the house in the where the rabbit is by the time we return it to its cage or area of the house where it normally lives.
