Caring for a rabbit should also include vaccinations against Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) yearly, Myxomatosis twice yearly, and worming twice yearly with Panacur as well. Neutering of your pets, especially when keeping pairs together is a must, to prevent fighting, un-wanted litters as well as protecting the Female rabbit against the risks of Uterine cancer.
Viral Haemorrhagic Disease is highly contagious and most often fatal. The disease can be transmited by direct contact with infected animals, contaminated food, water, bedding, cages, hutches, etc as well as by insects such as fleas and flies. Symptoms of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease can include lethargy, collapsing, convulsions, lack of co-ordination, paralysis, breathing difficulties, bloody discharge from the nose, jaundice, weight loss, fever and groaning. Rabbits usually die within a 12-36 of showing symptoms and there is no cure. However, in some cases infected rabbits may show no symptoms at all and may simply appear to drop dead.
Myxomatosis is a severe viral disease and although often associated with wild rabbits, domestic rabbits are also at risk. Myxomatosis can be transmitted by biting insects such as fleas, mosquitoes, mites, etc as well as direct contact with infected rabbits or hares. Myxomatosis is most often fatal and affected rabbits often die within 2 weeks of contracting the disease. The symptoms of the classic form Myxomatosis are runny eyes developing into severe conjunctivitis that results in blindness, swollen genitals, swelling in the head, thick pus discharge from the nose, swollen eyes and lumps on the body. Myxomatosis is most often fatal and as the disease causes severe suffering euthanasia is usually recommended upon diagnosis. However, pet rabbits can be, and should be, vaccinated against Myxomatosis. Rabbits can be vaccinated as young as 6 weeks of age and any rabbit should be vaccinated against Myxomatosis every six months. Although vaccinated rabbits may still contract Myxomatosis, the disease is much less severe in vaccinated rabbits and it may simply result in the rabbit being a bit unwell or developing a lump on the skin. In vaccinated rabbits Myxomatosis is often treatable and but may still be fatal.
Vaccination against Viral Haemorrhagic Disease must not be done within 2 weeks of vaccination against Myxomatosis.
Wormer for rabbits, Panacur®Rabbit is an oral paste. As an aid in the control of Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Intestinal worms in rabbits. Easy to use. Idealy you pet should be treated twice a year. One tube will worm two medium sized rabbits.
Often overlooked, the protozoan Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) affects up to 50 per cent of all domesticated rabbits and can lead to convulsions, kidney damage, blindness, ataxia and sudden onset head tilt, cataracts, hind limb paralysis, urinary incontinence and sometimes death if left un-treated. Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a single celled parasite
The disease is spread by spores shed in the urine of infected rabbits and is usually ingested in contaminated food. Spores can also be spread transplacentally or inhaled.
Rabbits with E. cuniculi can carry the disease without showing any clinical signs and potentially spread it to other species such as guinea pigs that live with rabbits.
To help control E. cuniculi and intestinal worms in rabbits, Intervet UK has launched Panacur®Rabbit, an easy to administer paste that should be administered daily for nine consecutive days, two times a year. Rabbits should also be dosed during periods of higher risk, such as when the rabbit is acquired, prior to mating and when mixing with others.
Panacur Rabbit should be administered orally by squeezing the paste from the syringe into the side of the mouth. 1 syringe graduation per 2.5 kg bodyweight should be administered daily for 9 consecutive days. Dosing is recommended 2 times a year and at times of higher risk, such as when the rabbit is acquired, prior to mating and when mixing with other rabbits.
Mites, Lice and Fleas
Many small animals become infected with fleas, lice and mites by their own siblings, other animals or even bedding or its surroundings. When rabbits suffer from lice this can lead to the following symptoms, depending on the severity of the infection: itchiness, hair loss, crusts and sometimes skin ulcers. The nits and eggs that stick to the hair of the rabbit, stand out. You will mostly find them on the back and the side of your rabbit and they indicate poor care and housing. Fleas are generally spread via wild rabbits and they can also bite people. The female flea latches onto rabbits’ ears and will cause itchiness and sometimes allergic reactions. Rabbits can also play host to cat fleas, so look out for these if your rabbits and cats mix. You can treat your pets with Small Animal Insecticidal Spray, or Anti-Parasite Spot On. The living quarters, should also be treated. You can do this by removing all the bedding and using a good disinfectant. The term “scabies” is generally used for mite infections of the skin. Rabbits of all ages can suffer from scabies. The mites live off flakes of skin. Most of the time, they cause itchiness, which causes agitation and the animals start scratching and biting, which may lead to skin infections. Other symptoms are a poor coat, dandruff and eczema. Ear mite infections are far more serious for rabbits. They are common and very contagious. The mite causes serious itchiness, scratching and causes the rabbit to frequently shake and tilt its head. In the longer term, crusts may form in the auditory canal, under which is a bloody, purulent infection. If the infection breaks through to the middle ear and the cerebral membranes, this might lead to problems with balance, convulsions or epilepsy. If your rabbit is suffering from ear mites, you should seek veterinary help. To prevent your rabbit from becoming infected with ear mites, you can keep its ears clean with an Ear Cleaner. You can fight all species of external parasites with Anti Parasite Spot on this is also effective against internal parasites, such as roundworms and whipworms. A pet suffering from worms will lose a lot of weight. Its condition will deteriorate and so will its resistance to other diseases.