In the process of raising rabbits as pets, it is inevitable that rabbits will sneeze, catch a cold, etc. If a rabbit sneezes, does it catch a cold? Yes Is it not rhinitis? I also asked myself if I have a cold, will it be transmitted to rabbits? Now I will summarize some information about the respiratory problems of rabbits, so that everyone can understand the relevant knowledge and be a reference in daily care and treatment.

Dutch lop

First of all, I want to emphasize one point: For those who are going to buy a rabbit, please try to choose a young rabbit over 2 months old. ) Weaned or even less than a month old rabbits.

Young rabbits are more likely to cause bacterial outbreaks that they already carry in the place of birth due to weaning, changes in schedule and transportation; look at the living environment of rabbits on the spot, there are many rabbits, poor ventilation, and bad environment , Improper care, rabbits in this situation are more prone to rhinitis, and newbies are prone to various negligence in care. Be sure to give new rabbits a clean and hygienic living environment and correct food without dust and odor.

If there are many rabbits in the house, be sure to isolate them before determining the possible cause of the rabbit's sneezing and whether it is contagious.

Our colds do not infect rabbits. (But the bunny will become a viral vector, and he will spread the virus to other people who touch him, so if you have a cold, you should wash your hands thoroughly before touching the bunny.)

Bunny Fundamentals of the Respiratory System

The rabbit breathes through the nose. Their nostrils are very sensitive, they have a good sense of smell, and their little noses will twitch constantly at a rate of 2-120 beats per minute, unless they are resting or feeling sick. The nasal cavity is covered with a protective mucous membrane that blocks bacteria and viruses. Nasal glands moisturise inhaled air and act as a thermoregulator.

The oropharynx of the rabbit is narrow, the base of the tongue is large, and the glottis is small. Breathing occurs through the nostrils; the epiglottis is attached to the soft palate, so it is necessary for rabbits to breathe through the nose. Mouth breathing only occurs with severe airway difficulties.

The movement of the airway in rabbits is mainly due to the diaphragm (the separation of the thoracic and abdominal cavities) rather than the movement of the intercostal muscles. This means: When intra-abdominal pressure increases, breathing is restricted.

Respiratory Disorders

Many medical problems can cause abnormalities in your rabbit's respiratory system. These include obesity, microsporidium, herpes, heat stroke or heat stress, inhalation of irritants, foreign bodies stuck in the nose, tumors, trauma, allergies, pustules, bacteria, multiple myxomatosis (viruses) and cardiomyopathy.

Respiratory infections can occur in any rabbit, but older rabbits, rabbits requiring ongoing special care, and young rabbits are more prone to respiratory problems due to their weakened immunity.

Symptoms of respiratory abnormalities include:

Runny nose; difficulty breathing; mucous eye discharge; anorexia; tiredness; sneezing; snoring; cyanosis ,Cyanosis.

Mouth breathing is a dangerous symptom in rabbits who may require oxygen or immediate removal of airway obstructions.

Infections can occur in the upper airways (nose) or lower airways (lungs).

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (what we usually call a cold or rhinitis)

Bacteria multiply in the nose, starting with a runny nose, which then becomes sticky and yellow. Rabbit Ji will often rub his nose with his claws, rubbing the snot all over his face and hands and forming a hard lump. Therefore, when the frequency of sneezing increases, in addition to checking the nose, it is also necessary to check whether the special thumb area of the front paws is clean.

If symptoms of infection are detected early, treatment is relatively simple. In later stages, even though symptoms may be manageable, the infection may never be cured because the bacteria are no longer sensitive to antibiotic therapy. Upper respiratory infections can spread from the nose to the sinuses, nasolacrimal duct, eyes, Eustachian tube, middle ear, and finally to the lungs.

Coughing is not as common as a runny and airy nose, and the breathing can become so pronounced that you feel like he is gasping. Anorexia can also occur, presumably because of a diminished sense of smell or difficulty breathing and chewing at the same time. Not grooming yourself is also because it is difficult to breathe while grooming.

When anorexia and lethargy appear, Tutu's condition is already very serious.

The autopsy of the sinuses and nasal passages of rabbits with chronic rhinitis showed that they were filled with pus, the pus became thick and coagulated, the mucosal tissue would fester, the turbinate would get osteomyelitis, etc., so , Some chronic rhinitis is very difficult to treat.

Pneumonia is an infection that occurs in the chest cavity (lower respiratory tract). It often occurs after an upper respiratory tract infection. In rabbits, abscesses may appear in the lungs or around the heart with pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia include anorexia, weight loss, depression, tiredness, and difficulty breathing. Although the most common bacterium in rabbit pneumonia cases is Pasteurella multocida, it cannot be assumed that it is the pathogen. Other bacteria that may cause pneumonia in rabbits include Mycobacterium, Francisella, Yersinia pestis, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Escherichia coli.

Other infectious causes of respiratory disease

Irritants and allergies: Rabbits are very sensitive to inhaled irritants , stimuli from these may make rabbits susceptible to bacterial infection. Try to avoid any irritants in your bunny's living space. Irritants that can affect a rabbit's respiratory system include, but are not limited to, the following:

Air fresheners, ammonia (from toilets), cigarette or firewood smoke, disinfectants, grass or litter Dust, paint smells, perfumes, petroleum-based products (varnishes, etc.)

Some plants or smells that we don't think are important may cause the rabbit's nose to feel uncomfortable. It is very important to exclude possible potential factors very carefully. Necessary. True allergies are rare in rabbits, but they do happen. Bacteria and other causes are usually ruled out before considering allergies as a cause of respiratory problems. If an allergy is suspected, antihistamines or corticosteroids are usually used. Some doctors feel that the latter should not be used if the rabbit has chronic pasteurellosis or any other chronic infection because corticosteroids may suppress the immune system.

Some experienced rabbit caregivers and doctors recommend mild antihistamines, such as Benadryl (or Benadryl, brand name, allergy medicine), to help calm the environment irritation and allergy in

Obesity: Being overweight is not an uncommon cause of respiratory problems. The fat of an obese rabbit can really squeeze the lungs, making it difficult for the rabbit to breathe. During a long-term weight loss process, these rabbits may need to use nebulization to expand their lungs to help them breathe easier. Rabbit weight loss must be very slow to be safe. Nursing focuses on taking medication, checking the rabbit's symptoms and adjusting the intake of water and food.

Trauma: A fairly common traumatic cause of respiratory problems is from inhalation anesthesia (tracheal intubation).

Another type of trauma that results in damage to the airway is when a foreign object (such as hay) gets stuck in the rabbit's nose or windpipe. Once something gets stuck in his nostrils, the bunny will keep scratching his nose with his claws, trying to get the foreign object away. If you notice this movement, and your rabbit has a lot of discharge from only one nostril, it could be a symptom of a grass seed or similar foreign object stuck in the nostril. If you cannot easily see and remove the foreign body yourself, take your bunny to the doctor.

Potential dental problems: Infection of the root of the tooth can cause pustules or nasal stones to cause respiratory problems, so it is necessary for chronic rhinitis to take an X-ray to check for abnormalities in the structure of the nose and teeth.

There are also respiratory problems caused by viruses, otitis media, cardiomyopathy, tumors, etc., which are not listed here.

It should be noted that once a rabbit with an advanced age and poor constitution has respiratory system abnormalities, it is best to do a thorough physical examination to determine whether the respiratory disease is caused by other diseases. correct treatment direction.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Treatment will usually be fluid therapy, antibiotics, and nebulization or steam therapy. A nebulizer may be the most efficient way to deliver medication to an infection.

Bacterial species have unique susceptibility and resistance to various antibiotics, so it is necessary to do a deep nasal sampling for bacterial culture and drug susceptibility testing, first to determine which bacteria cause the infection, and second Which antibiotic is safe for rabbits is most effective at killing these bacteria. The method is: a small (No. 4) calcium alginate swab is gently extended along the nasal septum into the nostrils at least 1cm or even deeper, and samples are taken from both nostrils. Rabbits' nostrils are very sensitive. This method will make the rabbit extremely nervous, and it is difficult to put the swab in. Therefore, nasal sampling often requires sedatives or even anesthesia for the rabbit.

However, the validity of this approach is now being questioned by many veterinary physicians, with one stating that deep nasal cultures are of little clinical interest. Because the culture result doesn't necessarily say what the microbes are causing the symptoms of the infection; it just shows which microbes are present. Be careful of their interference. Also, due to the way the sampling is done, it is also possible that the sample is contaminated and the results are erroneous.

Pasteurella multocida is the most common bacterium in respiratory disease, but other bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Bordetella bronchiscus, may also Fungi were found, as well, and the disease could be caused by several microorganisms at the same time. For this reason, many rabbit doctors now avoid deep nasal sampling and instead recommend broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat upper respiratory tract infections in rabbits.

Either way, antibiotic treatment may need to be continued for several weeks, and should be continued for several days after symptoms are completely resolved to ensure that as many bacteria as possible are killed. Follow the doctor's instructions to take the medicine carefully and complete the entire course of antibiotics. Because even the most effective antibiotics may not kill some drug-resistant bacteria right away. Stopping the drug too quickly will turn these very stubborn individuals into the progenitors of new bacterial communities in the rabbit's nasal cavity that are genetically resistant to the antibiotics you've used, and they evolve. So, don't stop antibiotics too early, don't delay treatment! This may be one of the reasons why some rabbit rhinitis is always difficult to cure.

Enrofloxacin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxam, parenteral cephalexin, or penicillin are all used to treat Pasteurella. In vitro, the isolates of Basiliscus were sensitive to penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, erythromycin, and novobiocin, and were resistant to clindamycin and lincomycin. Recent studies have found that swine and poultry isolates of Pasteurella exhibit increased resistance to specific antibiotics (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides), however, they found that third-generation quinolones such as enrofloxacin were effective. Fluoroquinolones tend to concentrate more in the maxillary sinus than in the blood, making it the first choice for Pasteurella.

It is important to keep rabbits with respiratory conditions neat and tidy. A bunny with a stuffy nose may have a hard time taking care of himself properly because it is difficult to breathe through his mouth and lick his fur at the same time. Those secretions that tend to build up on the face and paws need to be gently cleaned up.

At the same time, it is also important to ensure that the mucosa of the nasal passage is moist. This can be achieved by giving the rabbit more liquid, vapor therapy and nebulizing the drug. Often a simple home humidifier can help a bunny with a stuffy nose, or even a few minutes in a steam-filled bathroom. Note: This is not to say that bunnies are meant to live in damp places. To ensure the hygiene and ventilation of the environment, good air quality is critical.

Key points about atomization therapy:

1. Normal saline can be used alone to moisten and moisten the respiratory tract.

2. F10 (meadows animal health, this seems to be a brand) is a liquid disinfectant that can be added to normal saline to be antibacterial and antifungal. 1ml of F10 is added to 250ml of normal saline, and the nebulization time is 20-30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.

3. Acetylcysteine acetylcysteine (Parvolex, UCB Pharma, Parvolex of Belgian UCB Pharma) is a mucolytic drug that can be added to normal saline, 1ml is dissolved in 50ml normal saline, atomized for 30- 60 minutes, twice a day.

4. The recommended injectable antibiotics include amikacin, enrofloxacin (the main component of Baili), marbofloxacin, etc. However, these are used empirically, and organ-targeted treatments below the minimum inhibitory concentration may develop resistance.

It's here for the time being. I don't have any practical experience. The frequency of Du Ye's sneezing will increase every summer. He has no snot and no other symptoms. I once gave him Banlangen, but there is nothing obvious Effect.

When the weather gets cooler, he doesn't fight anymore. At the beginning of this year, he sneezed a little, especially when he was eating grass. I bought bunny's airway conditioner, and the effect was good, but the bean princess of Yuandou Majia's family had no obvious effect, so it should be just an aid It may not be useful for rabbits who have already been diagnosed with rhinitis.

Therefore, in addition to proper feeding, more exercise to enhance physical fitness, environmental hygiene, and climate change will also affect rabbits. When rabbits start to sneeze, first try to eliminate any possible environmental factors as much as possible.

Then, when you see a doctor, ask what medicine the doctor prescribes, pay attention to the supplementary probiotics when taking oral medicine, and leave a few hours between the two. If the rabbit's condition deteriorates, anorexia, etc., during the medication, stop the medication, and immediately contact the doctor to adjust the dosage or change the treatment method.

Finally, don't blindly self-medicate. Safety is one aspect. Improper medication may cause drug resistance or delay the disease, and the consequences may be serious.