Why do rabbits sneeze: causes, possible diseases, treatment, prevention, advice from veterinarians and rabbit breeders

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

Rabbit breeders often face animal diseases. This is due to the fact that rabbits are weak species and are often subjected to various pathologies. One of the pathologies is a runny nose. As soon as it begins to appear, new breeders ask different questions: why do rabbits sneeze, how dangerous is it, how to treat it?

Usually, if one animal starts sneezing, after a couple of days, all individuals living in the rabbitry fall ill. At the first sign of nasal congestion, it is necessary to prevent the spread of infection, conduct an examination and begin treatment as soon as possible.

Rabbits get sick

Finding out why rabbits sneeze, you should, at the first manifestation of pathology, examine all individuals in the rabbitry and place the sick in quarantine. If animals get sick with an infectious pathology, then it will quickly spread, infecting the entire livestock. In a non-infectious form, rhinitis can be observedonly in one cell. In this case, attention should be paid to the feeder and drinker, the quality of the feed, and the conditions of detention. The individual may be having an allergic reaction.

Looking for the answer to the question of why rabbits sneeze, few people evaluate the conditions of detention. A humid climate, a wet cell, drafts - all this leads to the occurrence of catarrhal pathologies, which are almost impossible to fight. From the first day of illness, the nose of the animal becomes wet, a sneeze appears, the rabbit often licks its nose. When the disease appears, all infected individuals become lethargic and eat poorly. If treatment is not started at the first signs, then the sick animal may die, infecting the entire livestock with the infection. To avoid this, it is important to correctly determine why rabbits sneeze, as well as urgently start treatment and prevention. If possible, the rabbit should be taken to the veterinarian.

Why animals sneeze

Rhinitis, or rhinitis, is an inflammatory process in the nasal passages. This seemingly simple disease can cause the death of the entire livestock in a matter of days. In search of an answer to the question of why rabbits often sneeze, you should immediately think about isolating a sick animal from he althy ones. This is necessary, because rhinitis can occur as an independent disease, as well as be a symptom of some dangerous infection. Based on this, there are different symptoms of a runny nose.

Usually, the discharge appears on the 3-5th day from the moment of infection. At the same time, the rabbit begins to sneeze, the nose becomes wet, hyperemic. Asthe development of the disease, the discharge can become purulent. Sometimes a runny nose is accompanied by shortness of breath, watery eyes, cough.

Most often, rhinitis occurs due to a weakened immune system. At such moments, the body is weak and easily affected by viral, bacterial pathologies. This can happen in the following cases:

1. Stress.
2. Containment Breach.
3. Dry air.
4. Bad food.
5. Injuries to the nose.
6. Contact with infected animals.

Causes of sneezing

When asking why a decorative rabbit or a meat, fur animal sneezes, some immediately find the answer by evaluating the conditions of keeping and feeding. Sometimes livestock breeders catch sneezing animals at such moments when a mote, dust, dirt gets into the nose. At such moments, a natural cleansing of the body occurs: a reflex is triggered.

Sneezing can be caused by trauma to the nose, hypothermia. Some individuals are allergic to smells in the rabbitry, in the house. There is an allergy to the bedding. And this is not all the causes of sneezing. It is difficult to figure them out on your own, especially for an inexperienced rabbit breeder. If you make a mistake, you can lose precious time, because of which the disease will progress. To prevent this from happening, it is better to consult a veterinarian.

Non-infectious cold

Most often, non-infectious rhinitis occurs due to drafts, high levels of humidity in the rabbitry, and sudden changes in temperature. The symptoms depend on the form of the pathology. With acutethe disease occurs sneezing, rabbits shake their heads, white discharge from the nose appears. Crusts appear on the muzzle, the animal stops breathing normally through the nose.

In the chronic form, periods of exacerbation and remission are observed, which last for quite a long time.

Common cold

If a rabbit has snot and the animal sneezes, this may indicate an infectious pathology. This type occurs when pathogenic microorganisms enter the respiratory tract. With a weakened immune system, the rabbit becomes ill.

Infectious rhinitis can last long enough, and if therapy is not started, the disease will become more complicated. Rhinitis can turn into bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia. With this development of infection, the animal dies after a couple of months from the moment of infection.

Infectious rhinitis can be caused by poor maintenance: dust, dirt, poor quality food - all this can cause a runny nose. It can also be brought in from other farms by purchasing a new rabbit and immediately planting it in a common rabbitry.

The most common cause of the common cold are the following pathogenic microorganisms: staphylococci, pasteurella, streptococci. The transmission of bacteria in the rabbitry occurs by airborne droplets from an infected individual, through feed, bedding, inventory. First, the rabbit begins to sneeze, purulent discharge from the nose appears, then lacrimation begins. With an infectious form of the disease, the animals are depressed, shortness of breath is observed, breathing becomes difficult. The temperature may rise, whistling is heard when breathing,wheezing.

Treatment methods

So, you have learned the causes of rhinitis, and the following question immediately arises: when a rabbit sneezes what to do? First of all, it is necessary to isolate the sick rabbit from other animals. The patient is placed in a warm, dry room. If a sick rabbit is not used for breeding, then it can be slaughtered. Severely weakened animals have poor survival rates.

Medicines

If a rabbit has snot and an animal sneezes, then immediately after establishing the cause, treatment begins. Usually veterinarians prescribe the following drugs:

1. Antibiotics. Usually, rhinitis is prescribed "Penicillin". It is diluted with novocaine and drip ten drops for two weeks. They can prescribe "Chloramphenicol", "Baytril": the duration of treatment is no more than a week. Do not stop antibiotic therapy if symptoms disappear, you must complete the full course.
2. Furacilin solution.
3. Vitamins. B vitamins are used to increase immune protection.
4. Immunostimulants: "Anandin" and its analogues.
5. Probiotics. After antibiotic treatment, probiotics must be prescribed to help restore the microflora in the intestine.
6. "Biomycin". This is an inexpensive preparation that is mixed with warm water and added to food. Usually the dosage of the drug is 1 mg per head per day. The drug acts quickly, and after 4-5 days the animal will be he althy.
7. Rhinitis can be prescribedantibiotic injections.

Why rabbits sneeze and what to do are two questions that always arise, with any rhinitis. And only a veterinarian can say for sure what caused the disease by doing the necessary tests. He will prescribe the right treatment, which may include folk remedies.

When instilling antibiotics into the nasal passages, it is better to ask someone to help, hold the animal.

Traditional medicine in the treatment of rabbits

Traditional medicine helps to cope with various ailments, including rabbits. With rhinitis, animals are inhaled using various medicinal plants. So, a decoction of thyme, sage, mint, eucalyptus helps well. Some do inhalations with essential oils. When inhaled, the amount of secretions decreases, inflammation of the mucous membrane disappears, breathing improves.

Inhalations are done no longer than a week. With longer use, drying of the nasal mucosa occurs.

To make an inhalation, you need to put the rabbit in a separate cage and put a bowl of water there, put hay. A container for inhalation is placed next to the cage. The cage is covered with an old sheet in such a way that the vapors penetrate into the cage. Be sure to leave a small gap for fresh air. Inhalation is done no more than twice a day. After the procedure, the secretion of mucus from the nose accelerates, breathing becomes easier.

Features of care

Knowing why rabbits sneeze, how to treat pathology, is not enough, it is also necessaryprovide good care for sick animals.

During therapy, sick individuals are kept warm and dry. To do this, use draft-protected rooms. Be sure to review the diet: it should be high-calorie, include fresh grass, chamomile, basil, dill. A decoction of mint, chamomile has a good effect on the body. In cases where the animal refuses to eat, they begin to force-feed it.

It is important to keep a sick animal warm. If rhinitis occurs during the cold season, then a heater is installed in the room.

If the runny nose is caused by hypothermia, then the animal is placed in a warmer room. Moreover, it is necessary to transfer all individuals.

Prevention methods

Prevention is easier than cure. In order to avoid rhinitis, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness in the cage, the absence of sudden changes in temperature. Animals are kept in draft-free rabbitries.

As a special preventive procedure, it is recommended to add "Biomycin" to food once every 1-2 weeks at the rate of 0.5 mg per individual. Dill, chamomile, wormwood, mint, basil are added to food.

Rabbits should be fed with high-quality feed, without dust particles. As a preventive measure, animals can be vaccinated. It is valid for about six months.