Symptoms and treatment of myxomatosis in rabbits

Breeding rabbits is a popular branch of the household. After all, these domestic animals have high fertility, and their meat has a high value. However, breeding does not always proceed as smoothly as one would like.

Many farmers who breed rabbits know that these individuals are susceptible to diseases that lead to severe consequences. One of the dangerous diseases that often occurs in these animals is myxomatosis.

If at the time of not providing appropriate treatment, then as a result, all livestock may die. In this article, we will analyze the symptoms of myxomatosis in a rabbit, learn how to treat the disease and whether it is dangerous for a person.

Symptoms of myxomatosis in rabbits

If you suddenly began to notice that your rabbit's offspring began to suffer from any disease, then first of all it is necessary to determine what this disease is, which will have to be dealt with. To determine the disease, you need to pay attention to the appearance and behavior of individuals. In the presence of infection, offspring become passive, many individuals lose appetite, they become lethargic.

However, with myxomatosis there are a number of symptoms and signs, which should be paid attention from the first days of appearance:

1. First, serious eye damage occurs.The first signs of conjunctivitis appear on the mucous membrane of the eye. Then the discharge appears from the eyes, which have a milk structure. After that they become strongly swollen and inflamed;
2. Hindered movements.In myxomatosis, in rabbits, the movements are slow, slow. At this time, he moves not so confidently and actively as usual;
3. A sharp increase in body temperature.The temperature of the body at this time can rise to +42 degrees. To the touch, the body of the individuals is hot, sometimes even fiery;
4. Deterioration of the quality of the wool cover.The structure of rabbit hair loses its bright and rich color. To the touch, it becomes stiff. In addition, even with slight strokes, wool tends to fall off;
5. In addition to the eyes, the lips, ears, nose, eyelids are strongly swollen.Sometimes there are inflammatory processes of the organs of the reproductive system;
6. During the transition of the disease in severe formindividuals are almost always in a prone stateand they can not even lift their ears;
7. Sometimesthe animal can fall into a coma, from which it is difficult to derive it and sometimes even impossible;
8. On the nose, ears and legsformed fibrous nodes.

Often the owner does not pay attention to the first symptoms of the disease, because it does not manifest itself at the first stage. Therefore, individuals without receiving proper treatment die. This occurs within 2 days or 48 hours. Sometimes there are cases when individuals in such a serious condition lived for 2 more weeks.

Sometimes, along with myxomatosis, other related infectious diseases occur in rabbits, which greatly degrade the condition of individuals. During myxomatosis, pneumonia appears, which leads to the death of the animal. In these cases it is necessary to carry out the appropriate treatment as soon as possible, which consists of vaccination and vaccination of rabbits against myxomatosis.

How does the infection occur?

It is worth remembering that myxomatosis is transmitted through insects. The carriers of this disease include bloodsucking insects:

• Mosquitoes;
• Mosquitoes;
• Flies;
• Moss;
• Fleas;
• Lice;
• Ticks.

The peculiarity is that these insects are not sick with this disease, they just carry her virus on their paws. As soon as any of these insects sits on the animal, it transfers the virus from its paws to it and as a result of itThe rabbit immediately becomes infected with myxomatosis virus.

Sometimes the vectors of this disease are birds, they carry the virus of the disease on the claws. Accordingly, when a rabbit contacts this bird, the rabbit immediately undergoes a given disease.

Treatment of myxomatosis at home

Now let's talk about how and how to treat myxomatosis in rabbits. Many specialists believe that the treatment of myxomatosis in rabbits at home is quite difficult. However, this is a controversial issue.If you start treatment of this disease at the earliest possible dates, you can completely heal it in a short period of time.

Vaccination

Vaccination does not provide complete protection against the disease, but ensures its flow in a mild form and reduces the risk of its occurrence in the future. In addition, after vaccination, the survival rate of individuals is much higher.

In rabbits, who were vaccinated, the disease manifests itself in the form of small swelling and nodules.These symptoms pass after some time on their own. The duration of the vaccine is 9 months.

Vaccination rules:

1. Vaccination is made to rabbits at the age of one month, 7 days after weaning from the mother;
2. Rabbits at the age of two months are undergoing revaccination;
3. Vaccination is done twice a year - in March and September;
4. The vaccine should be injected with sterilized needles and syringes. The instrument should be boiled for at least 15 minutes;
5. For each rabbit, a separate needle is required. In no case should you administer the vaccine to all individuals with a single needle;
6. The place of inoculation is treated with a medical alcohol solution;
7. After the vaccination, individuals are observed for 20 days.

If the inoculation is done by the subcutaneous method, then half the dose of the vaccine and half of the solvent is used for this.In the region of the thigh is injected, ml of the drug.

During intradermal administration, one dose of the vaccine and, ml of the solvent, is used. In these cases, the drug is injected into the ear area in a volume, ml.

Treatment with antibiotics

Often this disease at an early stage is treated with antibiotics and immunomodulators. Sometimes an alcoholic iodine solution is used to treat open wounds.

Methods of treatment at home:

1. Every day injections are administered subcutaneously.Gamavit is injected subcutaneously in dosage, ml. Injections are made until the complete recovery of individuals;
2. Subcutaneous injections - Fosprenil 1 ml. The drug is administered 1 time per day until complete recovery;
3. One week the rabbits are allowed to drink a solution from Baytril.This medicine should be diluted in water in a dosage of 1 ml per 10 kg of the individual. This solution must be given to the rabbits daily;
4. Be sure to bury your eyes with special drops, such as Ofloxacin. This drug is used as an ointment;
5. In the nose should be instilled drops of Aquamaris;
6. To wash the eyes, saline is used;
7. Open wounds are treated with alcoholic iodine solution until they are completely healed;
8. Within a week, rabbits are injected subcutaneously with vitamin B to strengthen the immune system;

How to treat sick rabbits with folk remedies?

In addition to drug treatment and vaccination, myxomatosis can be treated with folk methods, namely:

• Lubrication of affected areas with a large amount of overfried sunflower oil.To do this, it is necessary to pour a small amount of sunflower oil on a frying pan (it is desirable to use unrefined or fresh oil) and warm up. As soon as it is heated, we roast it for 15-20 minutes. Next, the cotton swab is dipped into the oil mixture and all the affected areas are lubricated;
• Treatment with a solution of camel thorn.It is necessary to collect a full jar of these spines and pour them with hot water. Then close the jar with a lid, leave to stand for 2-3 hours. After this time, the solution must be filtered through the gauze material. This solution must be typed into a syringe and injected into rabbits to the places of the shins. Dosage for adults should not be more than 5 ml, and for small rabbits 2 ml. Before using this recipe it is worth consulting a veterinarian;
• To heal wounds, you can use the following recipe: you need to collect a bottle or a bottle of urine and put it in the sunlight, preferably on direct rays. After 2-4 hours, you can dab a cotton swab in this liquid and apply it to all affected areas in rabbits. The skin will heal much faster, and the smell of urine will scare away all mosquitoes and bloodsuckers of myxomatosis.

Edema form

The oedemas or the classical form of myxomatosis in rabbits is considered to be the most severe. Its duration ranges from 4 days to 15 days. Usually it ends with a fatal outcome.

The main features of this form:

1. There are reddening in the form of spots or cones on the surface of the skin near the eyelids and on the auricles;
2. The defeat of the mucous membrane of the eyes, conjunctivitis is manifested with purulent secretions from the eyes;
3. Severe swelling of the eyes;
4. Gluing the eyelids;
5. The appearance of liquid discharge from the nose;
6. Difficulty breathing.

Treatment of miscomatosis in edematic form is not carried out, because it does not give results. If the individuals develop myxomatosis in a swollen form, then they should be scored. Meat after slaughter in food can not be used.

Node Shape

Mixomatosis in the nodular form in rabbits proceeds from 30 to 40 days. This form of the disease is considered the easiest, and it is characterized by the appearance of small nodules in the largest number on the head and on the ears. Later, there are signs of conjunctivitis and runny nose.

For the treatment of myxomatosis in this form it is necessary to proceed immediately after the first days.Usually, antibiotic preparations, vaccination and wound treatment with iodine solution are used to treat this form. The survival rate after this form is almost 70%.

Is it possible to eat the meat of sick animals and is it dangerous for a person?

But what about the meat of a sick animal? Myxomatosis in rabbits leaves open the question of whether it is possible to consume their meat after or during the disease.

There is no unequivocal answer to this question. Many experts argue that this disease does not pose a particular danger to humans and therefore the meat of a diseased rabbit can be eaten after slaughter.

After slaughter animals must be burned. But if you are not too squeamish, then after the slaughter you can leave carcases for their further consumption in food. But it is advisable to prepare them carefully beforehand.

Prevention

In order to warn the emergence of this serious disease and to protect its rabbit's offspring from contracting this infection, it is worth observing all the pre-infection recommendations:

• During the activity of bloodsucking insects, it is necessary to carefully guard all animals from their attack.The highest activity of these insects is observed in May and June, in this period for rabbits follows to equip a special room that will exclude contact with all kinds of bloodsucking insects;
• For new animals, it is mandatory to carry out quarantine measures;
• Continually check the wool coat of animals for the presence of fleas and lice. When they first arise, treat them appropriately against these parasites;
• If the animal is sick with myxomatosis, it should be immediately put in a separate cage;
• Animal cells must be regularly treated with disinfectants;
• It is necessary to feed the individuals, even if they have no appetite. If individuals can not feed themselves, then they are fed through a syringe;
• In the feed of rabbits add pulp of pumpkin and pineapple juice.The ingredients are mixed, the consistency of the mixture should resemble a mashed potatoes. This mixture must be fed to the individuals every day until they recover and afterwards;
• Regular and timely vaccination of all individuals.

Mixomatosis is a serious disease that usually occurs in an acute form.When it occurs, many owners can not immediately determine the presence of this disease. For this reason, in many individuals it passes into a severe form, which can not be cured.

Many veterinarians advise that when a disease occurs, immediately do slaughter of sick individuals, because often treatment does not bring a positive result. Also there is no intelligible answer to the question whether a disease is dangerous for a person. In any case, we advise you to be safe and not risk your health.

Finally, we offer a small video on the subject: