Pasteurellosis in rabbits is an infectious and highly contagious disease. It presents numerous clinical variants and can affect various organs. Various forms of pasteurellosis can occur, classified as localized and generalized.
In rabbits, pasteurellosis generally presents with respiratory symptoms, although not all respiratory processes are caused by Pasteurella sp. Although these bacteria are the cause of the disease, other pathogenic agents such as Bordetella bronchiseptica are usually involved, and even others, which secondarily and synergistically aggravate the general symptoms(pseudomonas, staphylococci…).
In this article on our site we will talk about pasteurellosis in rabbits, we will deal with its symptoms, diagnosis, how to cure pasteurellosis in rabbits and much more.
Factors that influence the appearance of Pasteurellosis
Pasteurellosis is a disease that appears, above all, in places where rabbits are raised and remain overcrowded Poor management of the environmental conditions, in addition to the seclusion of rabbits, can facilitate the appearance of this disease:
- Temperatura Low temperatures can cause a decrease in blood flow to the superficial areas of the respiratory system. On the other hand, high temperatures can induce ciliary hyperactivity in bronchial epithelial cells, affecting their functionality.
- Humidity. An excess of humidity decreases the effectiveness of the immune system. On the contrary, a dry environment increases the viscosity of the mucus, affecting the activity of the cilia.
- Chemical air pollution Animals housed in overcrowded conditions produce a large amount of gases such as methane, ammonia or carbon dioxide. These gases are harmful to the respiratory system, causing increased respiratory rate, loss of cilia from the bronchial epithelium, hemorrhages, edema and bronchial spasms.
- Mechanical factors. Dust produced by hay, feed, bedding, etc. They can irritate the respiratory mucosa and facilitate the entry of microorganisms.
- Biological air pollution. In closed environments with poor ventilation, environmental microbial or fungal flora can be inhaled with normal respiratory movements and cause infections.
Symptoms of pasteurellosis in rabbits
From the nostrils, some strains of Pasteurella multocida are capable of reaching other organs, causing a wide variety of clinical pictures that include:
- Otitis media and torticollis
- Conjunctivitis
- Pneumonia
- Pericarditis
- Subcutaneous or internal organ abscesses
- Reproductive tract disease: metritis and orchitis
- Septicemia
The respiratory pathology that we can most frequently observe is the cold and the symptoms are:
- Mucopurulent nasal discharge
- Breath sounds
- Respiratory difficulty frequently associated with conjunctivitis
This set of symptoms is included in a process known as rhinitis or coryza, the form more common form of pasteurellosis in rabbits Rhinitis is inflammation of the mucosa of the nostrils, which causes sneezing, audible breathing noises and serous or mucopurulent discharge.
Diagnosis of pasteurellosis in rabbits
A veterinarian can, after a physical exam, help make a diagnosis. However, the detection of clinical symptoms (rhinitis, conjunctivitis, torticollis, etc.) is not enough to confirm the presence of pasteurellosis. For the identification of Pasteurella multocida, a microbiological culture is necessary. In a culture with blood-agar medium, colonies of bacteria would grow. In addition, using an ELISA test, the presence of antibodies in the rabbit's blood can be detected.
All diagnostic techniques must be combined since in adult rabbits, acute infections may not be detected by ELISA tests and, Chronic infections may not give positive culture results.
Treatment of pasteurellosis in rabbits
Theoretically, Pasteurella multocida is sensitive to a wide range of antibioticsHowever, antibiotic therapy such as penicillin, penicillin-streptomycin or tetracycline is relatively ineffective due to the reappearance of clinical signs after completion of treatment. In addition, these antimicrobials should not be used since they cause imbalances in the rabbit's digestive bacterial flora in favor of gram-negative germs, which causes lethal enterocolitis, with decreased percentage of anaerobes (lactobacilli) essential for digestion.
The most widely used drugs due to their effectiveness are oxytetracyclines dissolved in drinking water, chlortetracyclines, and fluorinated quinolones of the norfloxacin type and oral enrofloxacin. The addition of chlortetracycline to the diet has been shown to be effective in reducing the prevalence of Pasteurella spp. in the upper respiratory tract of apparently he althy adult rabbits, although it fails to decrease in prevalence in young rabbits.
Prevention of pasteurellosis in rabbits
There are different ways to prevent pasteurellosis. As we said, this disease appears in rabbit breeding farms, which do not meet the correct sanitary standards and keep the animals stabled in overcrowded conditions.
Maintaining good aeration of the farm is essential to prevent the accumulation of toxic gases. Reducing the number of animals per square meter reduces the prevalence and the possibility of contagion. Finally, vaccines exist to prevent pasteurellosis Therefore, the vaccination plan for rabbits must be applied from the time the females are pregnant, so that they pass on immunity to your kits.
