Many rabbit breeders face diseases of the ears. Inflammation, formation of scab, pus, itching and burning when touched - All these are common symptoms of several diseases. How to determine, distinguish, prevent the ear sores of rabbits and what treatment is needed will be described in detail in the proposed article.
Table of contents
Symptoms of ear diseases
The peculiarity of rabbit ear diseases is similar symptoms,interfering with the formulation of a correct and accurate diagnosis. Diseases of the ears are determined by the following visual features:
- Rabbits constantly scratching with paws, rubbing their ears on the bars of the cage and other available items;
- Nervous animal behaviorrestless with general weakness, loss of appetite;
- Reduced reproductive functions, in the literature, examples are described when, because of the constant anxiety caused by a disease of the ears, bunnies lose interest in mating;
- The ears of sick rabbits can fall., and the head of the rabbit unnaturally leans forward or to the side.
All the listed signs are a signal for more careful examination of the ears of animals. Why does this happen and what to do? It will also be helpful for novice breeders to know the specific signs of each ear disease, especially since there are only three of them.
Psoroptosis
Psoroptosis is among the infectious diseases. Pathogen - tick Psoroptes cuniculi yellow or brown round or oval shape. There is a tick on the skin of the auricle, therefore, in the initial stages with a quick visual inspection of the ears, it is very difficult to detect.
One of the symptoms of the disease - on the skin of the inner surface of the ears scales and small boils appear. The cracks burst, the released pus dries out, causing the skin to turn into a scab, which gives the rabbits severe torment.
Severe psoroptosis is also detected visually. Rabbit ears swell in affected areas, become covered with scabs and sores, become hotter than the main body mass.
The size of the ticks is small, so if you wish, you can see it through a magnifying glass. If a tick is detected, there is no doubt that a pet scabies is also a common name for psoroptosis.
For processing using a conventional plastic syringe without needles. The solution is applied to the crustAfter a thorough massage, the crusts should be separated and removed from the auricle. The procedure will reduce the pet's suffering by an order of magnitude.
Purulent otitis
Rabbit purulent otitis media is difficult to distinguish from psorioptic otitis in the initial stages, since the primary symptoms are identical. Otitis also refers to viral diseases, the late detection and treatment of this disease leads to brain damage and death of the animal.
Otitis feature that at the initial stage it cannot be detected visually, as the infection spreads beyond the eardrum, which is not accessible for external examination. With the development of the disease can be observed discharge and pus that spread through the auricle.
Progressive otitis is noticeable and vestibular disorders. The rabbit can stumble on objects located, the head makes unnatural movements from side to side, as if swaying. The eyes of the sick rabbit make constant movements, rotating or moving strictly horizontally.
Frostbite ear
Rabbit ears are tender, so keeping them in cold rooms is fraught with frostbite of the limbs or ears. Symptoms of frostbite are easily noticeable:
- Ears cold, swelling, pain when touched;
- The presence of blistersthat burst, forming purulent ulcers - a sign of severe frostbite. In the future, the skin dries out and exfoliates, forming open wounds.
Prevention and treatment of ear diseases in rabbits at home
Prevention of ear infections, otitis media and psoroptosis should include the following measures:
- Check and quarantine, rabbits taken on the side. In practice, tick infection most often occurs precisely from newly arrived rabbits. You can mix them with the main herd only after a month, making sure of their health;
- Immunity enhancement, adding vitamins to food, which is an effective prevention of otitis media;
- Creating a warm and comfortable conditions of detention with normal temperature for rabbits. The ideal temperature for a rabbit is from 19 to 25 degrees Celsius;
- Cleanliness, regular cleaning and disinfection.
The listed measures will significantly reduce the likelihood of ear diseases among your pets.
If your pets have signs of ear diseases, then The treatment is carried out in the following order:
- Catching an infection the animal must be removed immediately;
- Need exactly determine which infection you are dealing with. Novice rabbit breeders or if in doubt about the diagnosis, you should contact your veterinarian.
How to treat psoroptosis and purulent otitis media
Psoroptosis is treated with a combination of local and general medication.. First of all, the destruction of the mite itself is required, for which foams and aerosols are used: psoroptol, acrodex, akaromectin, dicresyl, etc.
Topical treatment is usually the same. Spray need to spray the affected areas for a few seconds.. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day, the course of treatment is 5-7 days. A week later, it is desirable to repeat the course, which will fix the result.
For systemic treatment and elimination of infection. Best available are Baymek or 1% Ivomek solution.The drugs are injected under the skin, and a single dose is calculated based on the concentration of the drug and the weight of the animal.
The benefits of these drugs that they actively destroy both the tick itself and the deposited larvae. Usually, relief in an animal occurs 2-3 days after the start of treatment.
It is not recommended to treat purulent otitis at home.. Its pathogens can be several cultures of bacteria, which can only be distinguished after taking tests and a thorough examination of the rabbit's head and ears.
The treatment procedure should be carried out quickly. higher doses of antibiotics, for example, prednisone or albendazole. Correctly assign the dosage and the specific drug can only be a veterinarian.
Treatment of frostbite ears, folk methods
When frostbite is used proven popular method - affected areas are lubricated with fat, goose or pork. The main requirement is that fat should not contain salt. With strong frostbite, one-percent camphor ointment helps the healing very well. Only dried places are smeared.
A good tool for frostbite is healing aluspray. The drug is available in the form of an aerosol, which is applied to the affected area after the primary sanitization (removal of hair released from the wounds of the liquid, dead skin).
Summing up, we note that compliance with simple preventive measures, as well as isolation of rabbits from unauthorized people, animals, hygiene and timely disinfection - This is the best way to prevent the development of ear sores.
What to do with a rabbit, if we treat a week for otitis media, and he keeps spinning with a sausage, never stop one way or the other. Eats well. But it's scary to look at his attacks! The doctor said that he would not get better.
What to do?
A little kerosene drip there everything will be fine