The main diseases of the ears in rabbits and their treatment

Many rabbit breeders face ear diseases. Inflammation, scabs, pus, itching and burning when touched Are all common symptoms of several diseases. How to identify, distinguish, prevent rabbits' ear sores and what kind of treatment is needed, we will analyze in detail in this article.

Ear symptoms

A feature of rabbit ear diseases is a similar symptomatology that prevents a correct and accurate diagnosis. Ear diseases are determined by the following visual signs:

• Rabbits are constantly scratching their paws, rubbing their ears against the bars of the cage and other available items;
• Animal behavior is nervousrestless with general weakness, loss of appetite;
• Reduced reproductive functions, in the literature, examples are described when, due to constant anxiety caused by ear disease, rabbits lose interest in mating;
• Sick rabbits' ears may fall off.and the rabbit's head tilts unnaturally forward or to the side.

All of these signs are a signal for a more careful examination of the ears of animals. Why does this happen and what to do? It will also be useful for novice rabbit breeders to know the specific signs of each ear disease, especially since there are only three of them.

Psoroptosis

Psoroptosis is one of the infectious diseases. The causative agent is the yellow or brown Psoroptes cuniculi mite round or oval. The tick lives on the skin of the auricle, therefore, in the initial stages, with a cursory visual examination of the ears, it is very difficult to detect it.

One of the symptoms of the disease is on the skin of the inner surface of the ears scales and small abscesses appear... The abscesses burst, the released pus dries up, causing the skin to turn into scabs, which causes severe torment to the rabbits.

Severe psoroptosis is also detected visually. Rabbit ears swell in the affected area, become covered with scabs and ulcers, become hotter than the bulk of the body.

The mites are small and can be seen through a magnifying glass if desired. If a tick is found, there is no doubt that a pet has ear scabies - also a common name for psoroptosis.

For processing, a conventional plastic syringe without a needle is used. The solution is applied to the crust, after a thorough massage, the crusts should be separated and removed from the auricle. The procedure will reduce the suffering of the pet by an order of magnitude.

Purulent otitis media

It is problematic to distinguish rabbit purulent otitis media from psoroptosis in the initial stages, since the primary symptoms are identical. Otitis media also belongs to viral diseases., untimely detection and treatment of this ailment leads to brain damage and death of the animal.

Feature of otitis media in the fact that at the initial stage it cannot be visually detected, since the infection spreads behind the tympanic membrane, which is not accessible for external examination. With the development of the disease, discharge and pus can be observed, which spread over the auricle.

Progressive otitis media is noticeable and disorders of the vestibular apparatus... The rabbit can bump into located objects, the head makes unnatural movements from side to side, as if swinging. The eyes of a sick rabbit make constant movements, rotating or moving strictly horizontally.

Frostbite of the ears

Rabbits' ears are delicate, so keeping in cold rooms is fraught with frostbite on the limbs or ears. The symptoms of frostbite are easily visible:

• Ears are coldare swollen, painful to touch;
• Blisteringthat burst, forming purulent ulcers - a sign of severe frostbite. Subsequently, 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:

• Checking and quarantining, rabbits taken on the side. In practice, tick infestation most often occurs from newly arrived rabbits. You can mix them with the main herd only after a month, after making sure of their health;
• Boost immunity, the addition of vitamins to food, which is an effective prevention of otitis media;
• Creation of warm and comfortable conditions of detention with normal temperature conditions for rabbits. The ideal temperature for a rabbit is between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius;
• Compliance with cleanliness, regular cleaning and disinfection.

These measures will reduce the likelihood of spreading ear diseases among your pets by an order of magnitude.

If your pets have signs of ear diseases, then treatment is carried out in the following order:

• Caught the infection the animal must be removed immediately;
• It is necessary exactly determine which infection you are dealing with... Novice breeders or if in doubt about the diagnosis, you should contact your veterinarian.

How to treat psoroptosis and purulent otitis media

Treatment of psoroptosis is carried out with a combination of local and general medications.... First of all, the destruction of the mite itself is required, for which foams and aerosols are used: psoroptol, acrodex, acaromectin, dikresil, etc.

Local treatment is usually the same. The spray must be sprayed on the affected areas for a few seconds.... The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day, the course of treatment is 5-7 days. After a week, it is advisable to repeat the course, which will consolidate the result obtained.

For systemic treatment and destruction of infection Bimek or 1% ivomec solution are best suited. 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 in that they actively destroy both the tick itself and the deferred larvae. Usually, relief in the animal occurs 2-3 days after the start of the course of treatment.

It is not recommended to treat purulent otitis media at home... Its pathogens can be several cultures of bacteria, which can be distinguished only after taking tests and a thorough examination of the rabbit's head and ears.

The treatment procedure must be carried out quickly high doses of antibiotics, for example, predosolone or albendazole. Only a veterinarian can correctly prescribe the dosage and a specific drug.

Ear frostbite treatment, folk methods

For frostbite, a proven folk method is used - the affected areas are smeared with fat, goose or pork... The main requirement is that the fat should not contain salt.With severe frostbite, one percent camphor ointment helps very well to heal. Only dried places are smeared.

A good remedy for frostbite is healing alusprey... The drug is produced in the form of an aerosol, which is applied to the affected area after initial sanitization (removal of hair, released from fluid wounds, dead skin).

Summing up, we note that compliance with simple preventive measures, as well as isolation of rabbits from strangers, animals, hygiene and timely disinfection Is the best way to prevent the development of ear sores.