Rhinitis in rabbits: treatment, causes, veterinarian advice

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Breeding rabbits at home is one of the most difficult areas in animal husbandry, as they require special care, and are also much more susceptible to various diseases. If the fight against the disease is not started in time, then even the most common cold or runny nose can lead to the death of the animal. One of the most common diseases is rhinitis. It can develop not only due to infection, but also as a result of malnutrition, hypothermia, poor living conditions and many other factors. Therefore, if you decide to breed these eared animals, you should have a detailed idea of \u200b\u200bhow to cure rhinitis in rabbits.

General information

Rhinitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal ducts, which can be of various etiologies. If the disease is caused by an infection, then it can lead to the death of everythinglivestock. It is important to understand that a runny nose can be the result of other dangerous ailments, so its symptoms should not be ignored. It is best to call a qualified veterinarian who will perform a general examination, prescribe the necessary tests, and also select the most effective treatment for rhinitis in rabbits.

As practice shows, self-therapy very often leads to disastrous consequences. However, in mild cases, you can overcome a runny nose on your own. There are also some preventive measures that will significantly reduce the likelihood of the disease. This and much more will be discussed later.

Main reasons

This issue is worth dwelling on in more detail. Before we talk about how to treat rhinitis in rabbits, let's first understand the etiology of the common cold. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, there are a huge number of reasons behind this ailment. According to experienced farmers, most often a runny nose develops due to poor animal conditions and insufficient sanitation.

In addition, the disease can manifest itself as a result of the following factors:

• lack of ventilation of the rabbit house;
• infrequent bedding change;
• drafts;
• excessive dampness;
• lack of heating in winter;
• use of strong chemicals for disinfection;
• various infections and viruses;
• allergy;
• cold;
• low immunity;
• bad food;
• parasites.

In fact, there are many more causes of a runny nose in rabbits, but the ones listed above are the most common.

Classification

Treatment of rhinitis in rabbits is carried out using drugs that are selected based on the type of runny nose. In veterinary medicine, the following types of illness are distinguished:

• allergic;
• colds;
• infectious.

Each species has certain characteristics, but regardless of this, the clinical manifestations in each case are the same.

How does a runny nose develop?

What do you need to know about this? The disease in different individuals proceeds differently, and the clinical picture may depend on many factors. The first symptoms may be felt only a few days after infection. If the treatment of rhinitis in rabbits is not started in a timely manner, then the condition of the animal will gradually worsen, to the point that it may die. In addition, the disease can become chronic, as a result of which it will worsen during the change of seasons, especially in spring and autumn. Also, a runny nose can give complications in the form of pneumonia and a complete failure of their functioning, as a result of which the meat of the animal will be unfit for consumption.

Clinical manifestations

What should I pay attention to first of all? Symptoms of rhinitis in rabbits, regardless of the etiology of the diseasealmost always identical, so even a novice farmer can diagnose a runny nose without any difficulty.

Among the main clinical manifestations are the following:

• sneeze;
• profuse nasal discharge;
• redness of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract;
• accumulation of pus on the cheeks;
• shortness of breath;
• wheezing;
• high body temperature;
• poor appetite or complete refusal to eat;
• Significant weight loss.

Besides this, a runny nose leads to a change in the behavioral factors of the animal. He often begins to scratch his nose with his paws, as a large amount of mucus accumulates in it, which can freeze and completely block the ducts, interfering with breathing.

Features of treatment

Even having an idea about the symptoms of a runny nose, it is rather difficult to make an accurate diagnosis on your own, since rhinitis has much in common with the common cold. Therefore, if even the slightest suspicion of this disease arises, it is necessary to immediately place the sick animal in quarantine to prevent infection of the entire livestock, and call a veterinarian. In addition, the place where rabbits are kept should be disinfected.

Drug therapy

Infectious rhinitis in rabbits, like any other variety, requires an integrated approach to treatment. First of all, a qualified veterinarian performs an examination of a sick animal, after which he selects the most suitable medications. The main component -these are antibiotics, along with which rabbits are given concomitant medications aimed at maintaining the intestinal microflora and strengthening immunity.

In most cases, therapy is carried out according to the following scheme:

• a course of antibiotics is prescribed, the duration of which is determined by the veterinarian;
• along the way, animals are given immunomodulators that support the intestinal microflora;
• nasal cavities are treated with special preparations that have a depressing effect on harmful microorganisms;
• inhalations are performed to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

As for medicines, "Ceftriaxone" for rhinitis is considered the best for rabbits. Its main advantage lies in the complex effect. It not only stops the growth of prokaryotic cells, but also destroys them. The duration of admission is 5 days, and the dosage is calculated individually depending on the body weight of the animal. Another effective antibiotic is Baytril 10%. It is given to sick animals along with drinking for a week.

Treatment of infectious rhinitis in rabbits is carried out with the help of "Furacilin", which is a good antiseptic. The drug is used for instillation into the nose. To make a solution, you need to dilute 1 gram of the product in 100 mg of water. The duration of treatment is two weeks. In each of the nostrils you need to drip 8 drops in the morning and evening daily.

To minimize the negative impact of antibiotics onveterinarians recommend giving rabbits "Ribotan" to the intestinal microflora. In addition to increasing biological activity, the drug has a general strengthening effect on the body, increasing its resistance to viruses and infections. The drug is injected under the skin of the animal once for three days. After that, a short break is made, and the course of treatment is repeated again.

Allergic rhinitis in a rabbit is much more common than infectious. However, it is treated a little differently. Since the disease is caused by the individual characteristics of the animal's body, and not by pathogenic pathogens, antibiotics are not needed. Most often, veterinarians prescribe antihistamines to their patients. In addition, it is necessary to choose a suitable diet for the rabbit and carry out inhalations with medicinal decoctions, for example, sea buckthorn or sage. To obtain the desired result, the duration of each treatment must be at least 20 minutes.

Experienced farmers also recommend treating the nasal canals with special medicines and healing decoctions. This allows the animal to breathe easier and remove the accumulated mucus. How can I wash the nose of a rabbit with rhinitis? For these purposes, a decoction of chamomile or regular saline is excellent.

A few words about diet

Proper nutrition is the key to success in the fight against any disease, not only in humans, but also in animals. First of all, you need to monitor the water balance of rabbits, but instead of ordinary water, it is better to give a decoction of mint or chamomile. On thethroughout the treatment, an increased amount of green fodder should be included in the diet. Also, be sure to add dill and basil to the diet, as well as any plant-based products that contain a large amount of vitamins A, B, C, D and E, and all vital minerals and nutrients.

Surgery

Antibiotic treatment for rhinitis in rabbits is not always effective. If a runny nose does not go away after a course of therapy, and pus begins to accumulate in the sinuses, then veterinarians may prescribe an operation. It is performed under anesthesia, so it is completely painless for the animal. In order for the rehabilitation after surgery to be quick, the animal needs proper care and quality nutrition.

Helper methods

To speed up the recovery of rabbits with a cold, it is better to combine drug therapy with some additional procedures.

These include:

• washing the nose with herbal decoctions;
• keep a sick animal in a clean, warm place;
• regular ventilation of the room;
• maintain 60 percent humidity.

Also, if there are drafts in the rabbit house, you should definitely eliminate them, because otherwise the treatment of rhinitis in rabbits may not bring any results.

Can I eat sick rabbit meat?

This aspect should be given special attention. Although people alsosuffer from rhinitis, however, a person cannot become infected with it from animals. Therefore, if timely assistance was provided to the animal, then after the end of treatment, the meat of rabbits who had a runny nose can be safely eaten. However, the animal should be slaughtered for food at least 20 days after the end of the course of therapy. During this time, antibiotics and other drugs will completely leave the body of animals, and their meat will become absolutely clean and safe.

The paws and internal organs are not suitable for eating, they are disposed of. The place for cutting carcasses and tools must be treated with disinfectants, and then dried in the sun for half an hour.

Vet Tips

This article details how to treat rhinitis in rabbits. However, profiled experts argue that it is much easier not to overcome the disease, but to prevent its development.

To do this, do the following:

1. Insulate the room where the animals are bred to eliminate drafts and dampness.
2. Periodically inspect rabbits and if any symptoms of a runny nose are found, move the sick individual to a separate room to prevent infection of the entire livestock.
3. Regularly change the grass bed and treat the cages.
4. Give rabbits a complete diet, rich in all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
5. Vaccinate animals in a timely manner.
6. In winter, install sources in the rabbitryartificial heating.
7. Add "Biomycin" to food, which reduces the likelihood of developing many diseases.

If rabbits do develop rhinitis, it is very important to start the right treatment as soon as possible. This will make it easier for the animal to transfer the disease, as well as speed up the recovery process.