The Most Common Diseases In Rabbits

Rabbits are very popular pets because some people find that unlike many other pets, they are quite small, take up less space than a dog or cat, and are easier to please. Many are also of the opinion that rabbits are very robust and hardly ever get sick. Unfortunately, a fatal mistake and a misconception at the same time. Rabbits are very demanding and even the small rodents can get sick quickly and need veterinary help. For example, they can also suffer from the same diseases as humans. It starts with a small cold and ends with diabetes or heart problems. In this article we look at the most common diseases in rabbits, but as an owner you should consult a veterinarian for any negative changes in your animal in order to take any necessary medical steps.

Viral infection in rabbits

Rabbits can also contract viral infections. Depending on what kind it is, these can be more or less bad. However, it is always important to have this treated by a veterinarian so that the little rabbits get better quickly. However, some virus infections are also very dangerous and have often resulted in the death of rabbits in the past. So caution is advised, because viral infections are usually contagious to other rabbits and can affect all rabbits living together in the home or outside. The most common viral infections are myxomatosis and the well-known China blight, both of which are fatal in most animals, making treatment almost impossible and only successful with a lot of luck. The best way to protect your rabbits is to have them vaccinated regularly.

The China intoxications in rabbits

China blight, also known as RHD, is often transmitted through contaminated feed, mosquitoes, and parasites. The following symptoms can occur in rabbits:

• loss of appetite;
• apathy;
• Breathing is accelerated;
• disturbance of the general condition;
• Some rabbits die overnight even without symptoms.

The pathogen is a calicivirus, which is particularly resistant and robust. Even at temperatures of just 4 degrees, it can remain infectious for around 225 days. This not only affects the rabbits that live in our home, but also the hares in the wild. However, we humans and other animals such as dogs and cats cannot infect ourselves. Treating the animals that have been infected is almost hopeless and only a few rabbits recover. For this reason, experts always recommend giving rabbits a booster vaccination every year.

The myxomatosis

No consistent symptoms have been identified in rabbits for myxomatosis, making the disease even more unpredictable than it already is. It depends on the virulence of the respective virus strain and is therefore always very different. The receptivity of the animals also plays a role here. Typical symptoms of the disease include:

• Subcutaneous edema forms (myxoma)
• eye inflammation
• eyes swell
• discharge from the eyes

The virus itself is considered to be particularly robust and resistant, so that it can easily survive drought and cold. In the past, however, it was found that heating can be used as a successful means of combating this. However, the different viruses can easily survive in the environment for up to six months. So if you are looking to get a new rabbit, it is always advisable to do so at least six months later to avoid infection. For us humans, however, the virus is not contagious and therefore completely harmless. Experts therefore advise against this disease to protect the animals with vaccinations and even specify special periods of time. The first vaccination should be in March or April and the second annual vaccination in September or October. With the first vaccination, the basic immunization should not be forgotten, which means in plain language that after the first vaccination the booster vaccination has to be given a few weeks later, because this is the only way to have a basic immunization.

The protozoal infection in rabbits

In addition, there are the so-called protozoal infections in rabbits, of which there are again several types. Unfortunately, depending on the virus and bacterium, this disease can also be fatal for the animals, so a veterinarian should be consulted quickly.

Coccidiosis

Coccidia are so-called host-specific parasites that occur in the intestinal tract and, depending on the species, can cause great damage. There are a total of seven different types, with the most dangerous type being the coccidia type, which affects the bile ducts and liver of the animals. Unfortunately, transmission of these parasites is mostly due to husbandry. A lack of hygiene is often to blame here, which of course should never happen if rabbits are kept in a species-appropriate manner. For this reason, very thorough cleaning and disinfection during treatment are always particularly important. Of course, this applies above all to the accommodation and the entire habitat of the animals. With proper hygiene, however, you can be almost certain that these viruses will not be introduced.

If a rabbit is to be socialized with another rabbit, it is always particularly important to have a stool sample examined beforehand. This is the only way to avoid infection from new rabbits. As soon as an infestation is recognizable, going to the vet is of course inevitable. All objects that the animal comes into contact with should of course be disposed of or at least disinfected, whereby the disinfection should of course now be carried out daily. The treatment itself takes quite a long time, which is due to the maturation cycle of the coccidia, which is 10 to 14 days. Unfortunately, the survivability of these parasites is quite high, and killing them with disinfectants is also not easy, because the water temperature here must be at least 80 degrees. Once the treatment is complete, it is important to continue having the animals’ faeces examined.

The symptoms:

• Rabbits often have diarrhea, which can range from slimy to bilious;
• loss of appetite;
• Some animals lose weight badly;
• refusal of water;
• bloated belly.
• Further diseases caused by the weak immune system

Of course, it is always advisable in this case, as well as with the slightest suspicion, to go straight to a veterinarian and have everything clarified. There is a risk of dying from this disease due to emaciation, especially in younger animals and senior rabbits.

Encephalitozoonosis

The disease encephalitozoonosis is also often referred to as a wry head and is caused by the pathogen Encephalitozoon cuniculi, E.C. transmitted, which is a unicellular parasite that can cause great harm. This disease is transmitted via the urine excreted by animals that are already infected, so it is unfortunately a highly contagious rabbit disease. Experts are even of the opinion that around 80 percent of rabbits now carry this pathogen, but it has not yet developed into a disease or has not been able to break it out.

Typical signs of encephalitozoonosis include the following symptoms:

• paralysis;
• Rabbits tilt their heads;
• Many rabbits roll around on their own axis or lie on their side;
• Lack of coordination;
• balance disorders;
• Blood values ​​are changed, especially in the area of ​​kidney values.

This disease cannot be proven 100 percent in a living animal, although of course the blood values ​​or an antibody test in particular already send quite clear signs. However, it is very important that treatment is started as soon as the first signs of this disease appear, as the pathogen attacks the animals’ nervous system and causes severe damage there. A symptom-free recovery can only be achieved if treatment is started as soon as possible. If left untreated, this disease leads to an agonizing death in every animal. It is important to know that rabbits who have had this disease once will always be carriers. In healthy people, however, there is no risk, although above all a healthy level of hygiene should now be part of everyday life.

Dental problems in rabbits

The rabbits’ teeth are constantly growing. Unfortunately, many rabbits suffer from dental problems again and again, which can have very different causes.

General problems with teeth

Since the teeth of rabbits are constantly growing, this naturally has some consequences for you as the owner. So you have to ensure through the diet that the teeth can wear out on their own. As soon as the diet is correct, the teeth do not have to be cut by a vet. The diet should primarily include products rich in raw fiber, which are then combined with rodent material. Hay and straw as well as grass and twigs are particularly important and ensure excellent dental health. Although many owners believe that hard bread or dry food also causes teeth to wear down, unfortunately this is not true. Bread, for example, is softened by saliva, so it is not surprising that the wear and tear problems in rabbits are often found not only in the front, but also in the molars. The animals can now injure their tongues or gums as well as their cheeks through the molars, as these become too pointed in such a case.

Symptoms of general dental problems include:

• Rabbits drool easily when they eat;
• Loss of appetite up to complete refusal to eat;
• Rabbits eat slower;
• Decreased intake of hay;
• Rabbits quickly lose weight depending on their appetite;
• Oral injuries.

In case of dental problems, a veterinarian now has the opportunity to trim the tips of the teeth, while some veterinarians can even perform such an operation without anesthesia. However, this also depends on the animals themselves. In the event of such problems, it is important to take a closer look at the current food in order to optimize it if necessary. Furthermore, it is always important to check the rabbit’s teeth regularly.

Particular dental problems in rabbits

When it comes to tooth problems, it doesn’t just have to be the tips of the teeth. There can also be a problem with prolonged root growth in rabbits. As soon as this disease is involved, you can feel a slight swelling on your darling’s lower jaw. In addition, an X-ray image quickly provides certainty.

Symptoms:

• reluctance to eat;
• bump on the lower jaw;
• refusal of food;
• Drink less;
• conjunctivitis.

Unfortunately, conjunctivitis is part of this clinical picture, which occurs due to the proximity to the visual organ. If your rabbit suffers from this disease, it will be in severe pain. It is always important to take an X-ray to determine the exact location and degree of inflammation. Here, abscesses quickly form on the tooth roots, which can encapsulate and leave severe damage to the jawbone. Unfortunately, rabbits do suffer from this disease from time to time as abscesses tend to keep recurring. The treatments are often very lengthy.

Bacterial Infections

Of course, bacterial infections can also quickly occur in rabbits, which can also be contagious for other animals. But of course, there is not just one disease here, but several different cases, which should all be treated by a competent veterinarian.

Pasteurellosis

Pasteurellosis, also known as rabbit cold, is the most common bacterial infection. Even if the word “cold” sounds harmless at first, this is unfortunately not comparable to a normal cold, but much worse. Rabbits are infected by the pathogen Pasteurella multocida. However, this disease usually only breaks out when the rabbits have a weakened immune system. Some animals can even carry the pathogen, although the disease itself does not have to break out. The pathogens themselves are mostly found in the nasal mucous membranes. This can be proven by removing nasal secretions with the help of a swab. Unfortunately, this pathogen does not usually appear alone, but is followed by other pathogens, such as Bordetella Bronchiseptica. Unfortunately, this fact means that the chances of recovery are significantly reduced.

The symptoms of pasteurellosis are:

• Nasal discharge from clear to purulent;
• The rabbit sneezes;
• Difficult breathing;
• Nostril is taped;
• loss of appetite.

As already mentioned, this disease is often underestimated because of its name. Unfortunately, however, rabbits die quickly if owners do not have them treated by a veterinarian. For this reason, you should always have the “small cold” in rabbits assessed directly by a veterinarian to clarify whether it is the dreaded rabbit cold or just a normal cold. Incidentally, this is of course always very contagious for conspecifics.

Digestive tract diseases

Diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms of various diseases in rabbits. However, the causes of diarrhea can be very varied. Starting with the wrong food to very serious illnesses, the reasons are very diverse. As soon as your rabbit has diarrhea, it is advisable to only offer water and hay for the time being. If diarrhea came about because of the wrong food, an improvement can usually be observed within 24 hours. However, if this is not the case, it is important to consult a veterinarian.

If it is not “normal” diarrhea, i.e. if it smells strong, then the veterinarian should be consulted immediately. However, if diarrhea goes away after 24 hours, you should think about changing your diet. This often happens, for example, when rabbit owners start offering the animals fresh green fodder again in spring. In particular, feed containing a lot of grain should no longer be on the menu in the future, since this is also where the causes of diarrhea in rabbits can often be found. Furthermore, constipation and flatulence can very often occur in rabbits, whereby the veterinarian should also be consulted here. In this situation, affected animals have very severe pain, so that the disease can in no way be compared with the symptoms in us humans. It must therefore always be borne in mind that both symptoms can also occur as a result of serious illnesses. Very dangerous diseases in the field of the digestive tract are the following:

The drum addiction

Drumming addiction is gas formation in the stomach, which is often caused by food fermentation. For example, after eating dry fodder containing grain, as well as moist or heated green fodder. The most common symptoms of this disease include the following:

• bloating of the stomach;
• The chest bulges forward;
• shortness of breath;
• reluctance to eat;
• Pains.

Here, too, in addition to the veterinary treatment, a hay-water diet should be carried out, which should last at least seven days. Please do not work with red light now. Heat would accelerate the various fermentation processes and significantly aggravate the disease.

The Stomach Stomach

Stomach blockage in rabbits is also known as hairball formation. The disease itself is caused by the formation of balls, which are caused, for example, by indigestible and fibrous substances, which arise from hair, dry grass or carpet residues, among other things.

The most common symptoms of the disease include the following:

• apathy;
• reluctance to eat;
• Rabbits lose weight;
• Less droppings or no droppings at all;
• restlessness;
• Frequent changing of lying position;
• Pains.

Stomach blockage can quickly become fatal in animals, so it is very important to see a vet immediately, who may need to remove the hairball. If you want to avoid stomach constipation, you should support the animals with appropriate food, especially when they are shedding. Experts recommend feeding pineapple and kiwi, as these contain the active substance bromelin, which has the properties of making swallowed hair easier to come off. More intensive grooming in the form of brushing should also take place at this time so that some hair is removed from the outset.

Our conclusion on the subject of rabbit diseases

Anyone who thought that rabbits didn’t get sick that often was hopefully proven wrong. However, some diseases can be directly avoided. A species-appropriate diet and the provision of fresh feed and hay can make a big contribution to this. However, hygiene should never be neglected and exercise outside of the cage should be made possible every day. Also, have your pet vaccinated regularly and then checked by the vet. However, never forget to regularly check that everything is right, to check your teeth, and also to pay attention to changes. Furthermore, we ask that you never keep rabbits alone, they need to be close to other rabbits to really feel comfortable. If you stick to these basic rules, which should actually be a matter of course when keeping animals, you have created a solid basis. Of course, it can still happen again and again that the rabbit gets sick. Then, of course, going to the vet is inevitable.