Rabbits are disease-resistant animals most of the time, especially if they live in homes or apartments, although this does not mean they are immune to the disease. This can happen if the care you give your rabbit is not the right one.
The rabbit is a quiet and discreet animal, so it is often difficult to detect any disease. By nature, these small mammals tend to hide the discomfort they feel so they don’t weaken in the face of potential predators, and therefore this behavior continues despite being in the safety of their home.
- Scabies is an infection that can become an epidemic if it is not detected in time.
- So in this article of Animal Expert.
- We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of scabies in rabbits.
- To learn to recognize this disease quickly and the best way to fight it.
If found in cold climates, it is unusual for rabbits to suffer. However, it can appear on farms or wild animals, coming from dens and in poor hygiene conditions. On the other hand, in more temperate and humid climates, it is a very common disease, which can sometimes have consequences, not only for rabbits, but also for dogs and cats surrounding the sick animal.
Scabies can affect rabbits of any age and the animal is often very adept at hiding the symptoms of its discomfort, so it is necessary to be attentive to changes in behavior, since scabies can lead to the death of a rabbit in just a few. Weeks.
The infection usually occurs from one infected rabbit to another. Initially, the rabbit contracts the disease because of a mite and contact with others of the same species promotes the spread of parasites.
Mite nymphs and larvae are lodged in the skin, where they jump from one rabbit to another. Male mites live on the surface, while females open holes in the skin, where they lay their eggs and where the larvae will grow. Each mite can live a maximum of three weeks.
Direct contact with an infected rabbit is not the only form of contagion, it can also occur with parasites that are transported by the wind, through an environment infected with mites (the different types of this parasite are barely visible to the human eye), and including contact with a human who was on a rabbit farm where scabies are produced.
Although rabbits are differentiated animals, a change in behavior can easily reveal that something is wrong with the animal’s health. Lack of appetite, a negative change in the appearance of fur, or a desire to be isolated indicate the onset of a possible disease in your rabbit.
However, with respect to scabies, the specific symptoms will depend on the type of scabies your pet has contracted, which are determined by the different parasites that trigger the disease:
It is caused by Scabei sarcoptes. Symptoms include
It affects the atrial ward, where the scabs are concentrated. You can see the mite on the skin of the animal, called Psoroptes. You have symptoms such as:
It can spread to the outside of the ear, causing hair loss and itching.
It is caused by Notoedres cali and affects the head. The same symptoms may be observed as for sarcoptic scabies:
It is caused by Demodex cuniculi, which attacks the deep layers of the skin, which has the following consequences:
Caused by the mite Chorioptes cuniculi, which also affects the ears but with a lighter intensity.
The itching generated by these different types of scabies causes the rabbit to constantly scratch areas where it has scabs, causing the appearance of other infections.
If ignored, the wounds can open and worsen, leaving pus and blood that, along with the discomfort of the rabbit, can cause anemia and then death.
The way to diagnose your rabbit’s type of scabies is to take it to the veterinarian, who will scratch the skin to determine the type of mite with microscopic observation. If a parasitic infection is detected early, treatment of scabies in rabbits is fast and lasts a few weeks.
Treatment usually takes ivermectin as the main medication, which is given in subcutaneous injections depending on the weight of the animal. Improvement begins to be noticed a week after starting scabies treatment. Monosulfirame and fipronil are also used, the veterinarian will recommend the most suitable depending on the type of scabies and the extent of the disease.
Avoid “traditional” or inperienced treatments at all costs. An example might be to spray the rabbit with kerosene to kill the mites, but in this case it will poison the animal, endangering its life. As for possible home remedies, it is best to rely on the expert’s recommendations.
Pharmacological treatment should be accompanied by other precautions, so it is necessary to maintain the usual forms of hygiene to avoid reinfection and preserve the health of the animal:
With these tips you can identify and treat your rabbit’s scabies, as well as prevent it.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Parasitic Diseases section.