Rabbits, like other animals, can get a fever. Fever is a syndrome in which, in addition to an increase in body temperature or hyperemia, alterations occur in the body consisting of increased heart and respiratory rates, increased pulse and blood pressure, tremors, decreased peristalsis and secretions from the digestive system, which leads to constipation. Delusions, depression, cold and heat also appear.
You may notice that your rabbit has a fever if he is more listless than usual, hardly wants to eat or drink, is withdrawn, sad and reluctant to be loved. Checking if your rabbit is suffering from a fever is by measuring its temperature using a digital thermometer. If the temperature is above 40ºC, you should go to the vet, your rabbit may be very sick. Keep reading this article on our site to learn more about the fever in rabbits, its symptoms, causes and what to do
What is a fever?
Fever, also called febrile syndrome or pyrexia, occurs when a rise in body temperatureappears in a homeothermic organism (animal of warm blood, which maintains its body temperature thanks to its internal functions without depending on the outside temperature), as a result of infections, poisoning, damage to the thermoregulatory center or disease.
Normally, fever in rabbits is caused by infectious processes, as we will see below. If you suspect that your rabbit is sick, we advise you to take it to the vet as soon as possible. To help you detect something abnormal in your furry, we encourage you to read this other article on 9 symptoms of a sick rabbit.
Symptoms of fever in rabbits
In addition to hyperthermia or increased body temperature, in a febrile syndrome the body will show other signs, such as:
- Increased heart rate or tachycardia.
- Increased blood pulse.
- Increased respiratory rate or tachypnea.
- Increased blood pressure due to vasoconstriction by rapidly increasing temperature, causing chills.
- Tremors.
- Decreases intestinal peristalsis, secretions and appetite.
- Constipation.
- Increased thirst.
- Depression, delusions.
- After reaching the maximum temperature, vasodilation occurs and heat is felt.
- Anorexy.
- Lethargy.
- Depression.
- Prostration.
- Teary or half-closed eyes.
- Grinding teeth.
- Tremors or chills, seek warm places.
- Hot and/or dry nose.
In addition, fever is generally accompanied by more symptoms, such as vomiting or diarrhea in infections or digestive processes, respiratory signs in pneumonia or pasteurellosis; seizures, epistaxis, and nasal discharge in hemorrhagic disease; blepharoconjunctivitis, edema and myxomas in myxomatosis.
Causes of fever in rabbits
Fever is a kind of defense mechanism against he alth-threatening factors, especially infections, to try to combat the pathogen hindering its multiplication due to the increase in temperature.
It arises as a consequence of pyrogens, which come from pathogenic microorganisms (endotoxins, peptidoglycans, exotoxins…) or from the rabbit's own cells (cytokines, polypeptides…).
The most common infections in rabbits that can cause fever are:
- Myxomatosis.
- Hemorrhagic fever.
- Otitis and other diseases of the ear.
- Pasteurellosis.
- Pneumonia.
- Tularemia.
- Coccidiosis (Eimeriosis).
- AND. coli.
- Staphylococcal.
- Rotavirus.
- Clostridium spiriformis (enterotoxemia iota).
- Clostridium piliformis (Tyzer's disease).
- Cryptosporidium sp.
- Mastitis.
It can also appear in tumor processes, dental or inflammatory problems.
How to take a rabbit's temperature?
The usual body temperature in rabbits is between 38.5 ºC and 40 ºC, a higher temperature would mean a fever. To confirm that a rabbit has a fever, its body temperature should be taken, especially if we are in the hottest season of the year and this increase can confuse us with having been in the sun for a long time or being very hot.
The body temperature measurement of rabbits is similar to that of dogs and cats, by determining the rectal temperature, with the introduction of a digital thermometer through the anus, contacting the rectal wall, where the temperature is more accurately reflected.
What to do if your rabbit has a fever?
When you check that your rabbit has more than 40 ºC, you should go to the vet immediately, as it could be something serious condition that requires urgent medical attention. If you don't have a thermometer or you can't measure his temperature but you suspect he has a fever, you should also go urgently to the exotics vet
If you can't leave immediately, to prevent it from getting worse quickly, try lowering the temperature with wet cloths or towels gently over his ears, keep him hydrated with water and try to get him to eat something by offering his favorite food. This is only temporary and works for a short time, on the same day or at most in 24 hours you should take it to a veterinary center.
You should not give any medicine for human use or look for home remedies, beyond doing what we have mentioned before, nothing can be done and we could even make our rabbit's condition worse.
The best way to prevent fever in rabbits is through routine vaccination and deworming, as well as regular check-ups. In addition to keeping it in a clean, ventilated and comfortable place with good quality balanced food and fresh and clean water.
