Rabbit breeders often encounter animal diseases. This is due to the fact that rabbits are weak species and often undergo various pathologies. One of the pathologies is a runny nose. As soon as it begins to appear, beginner breeders ask different questions: why rabbits sneeze, how dangerous is it, how to treat?
Usually, if one animal begins to sneeze, after a couple of days all individuals living in rabbitry become sick. At the first signs of nasal congestion, it is necessary to prevent the spread of infection as soon as possible, conduct an examination and begin treatment.
Rabbits get sick
Finding out why rabbits sneeze, it is necessary to conduct an examination of all individuals in the rabbitry at the first manifestation of pathology and quarantine the patients. If animals become infected with an infectious pathology, then it will spread rapidly, infecting the entire population. With a non-infectious form, rhinitis can be observed in only one cell. In this case, attention should be paid to the feeder and drinking bowl, the quality of the feed, the conditions of detention. The individual may have an allergic reaction.
Looking for the answer to why rabbits sneeze, few people evaluate the conditions of detention. A humid climate, a wet cell, drafts - all this leads to the emergence of colds pathologies, which are almost impossible to fight. From the first day of illness, the animal’s nose becomes wet, sneezing appears, the rabbit often licks the nose. When the disease appears, all infected individuals become lethargic, eat poorly. If treatment is not started at the first signs, then a sick animal may die, having infected the entire population with the infection. To avoid this, it is important to correctly determine why rabbits are sneezing, and also urgently to begin treatment and prevention. If possible, the rabbit should be shown to the veterinarian.
Why animals sneeze
Runny nose, or rhinitis, is an inflammatory process in the nasal passages. This, it would seem, a simple disease, can cause the death of the entire livestock in a matter of days. In search of an answer to the question why rabbits often sneeze, it is worth immediately thinking about isolating a sick animal from healthy ones. This is necessary, because rhinitis can occur as an independent disease, and also be a symptom of some dangerous infection. Based on this, various symptoms of a runny nose are distinguished.
Usually, discharge appears on the 3-5th day from the moment of infection. In this case, the rabbit begins to sneeze, the nose becomes wet, hyperemic. As the disease progresses, the discharge may become purulent. Sometimes a runny nose is accompanied by shortness of breath, lacrimation, coughing.
Most often, rhinitis occurs due to a weakening of the immune system. At such moments, the body is weak and easily affected by viral, bacterial pathologies. This can happen in the following cases:
- Stress.
- Violation of the conditions of detention.
- Dry air.
- Poor nutrition.
- Injuries to the nose.
- Contact with infected animals.
Causes of sneezing
When wondering why a decorative rabbit or a meat, furry animal sneezes, some immediately find the answer, evaluating the conditions of feeding and feeding. Sometimes livestock breeders catch sneezing animals at such moments when a speck, dust, dirt gets into the nose. At such moments, the body is naturally cleansed: a reflex is triggered.
Sneezing can be caused by trauma to the nose, hypothermia. Some individuals are allergic to smells in rabbitry, in the house. There is an allergy to bedding. And this is not all the causes of sneezing. It is difficult to understand them yourself, especially to an inexperienced rabbit breeder. If you make a mistake, you can lose valuable time, because of which the disease will progress. To prevent this from happening, it is best to contact your veterinarian.
Non-infectious cold
Most often, non-infectious rhinitis occurs due to drafts, a high level of humidity in rabbitry, and sudden changes in temperature. Symptoms depend on the form of pathology. In acute illness, sneezing occurs, rabbits shake their heads, white discharge from the nose appears. Crusts appear on the face, the animal ceases to breathe normally through the nose.
In the chronic form, periods of exacerbation and remission are observed, which last a fairly long time.
Infectious cold
If the rabbit has snot and the animal sneezes, then this may indicate an infectious pathology. This species occurs when pathogenic microorganisms enter the respiratory tract. With weakened immunity, the rabbit becomes ill.
Infectious rhinitis can last long enough, and if you do not start therapy, then the disease will become complicated. Rhinitis can go into bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia. With this development of infection, the animal dies after a couple of months from the moment of infection.
Infectious rhinitis can be caused by poor content: dust, dirt, poor-quality food - all this can cause a runny nose. It can also be brought in from other farms, acquiring a new rabbit and immediately planting it in the common rabbitry.
Most often, the following pathogenic microorganisms cause a runny nose: staphylococci, pasteurella, streptococcus. The transmission of bacteria in rabbitry occurs by airborne droplets from an infected individual, through feed, bedding, and inventory. First, the rabbit begins to sneeze, purulent discharge from the nose appears, then lacrimation begins. With an infectious form of the disease, animals are depressed, shortness of breath is observed, breathing is difficult. The temperature may rise, whistling, wheezing is heard during breathing.
Treatment methods
So, you have learned the causes of rhinitis, and immediately the following question arises: when does a rabbit sneeze what to do? First of all, it is necessary to isolate the sick rabbit from other animals. The patient is placed in a warm, dry room. If the sick rabbit is not used for breeding, then it can be killed. In highly weakened animals, survival is low.
Medicines
If the rabbit sniffs and the animal sneezes, then immediately after establishing the cause, treatment begins. Typically, veterinarians prescribe the following drugs:
- Antibiotics. Typically, with rhinitis, “Penicillin” is prescribed. It is bred with novocaine and ten drops are dropped for two weeks. They can prescribe Chloramphenicol, Baytril: the duration of treatment is no more than a week. Do not stop antibiotic therapy, if symptoms disappear, you must complete the entire course.
- Solution "Furacilina".
- Vitamins To increase the immune defense, B vitamins are used.
- Immunostimulants: "Anandin" and its analogues.
- Probiotics After antibiotic treatment, probiotics are required to help restore the microflora in the intestines.
- "Biomycin." This is an inexpensive drug that is mixed in warm water and added to food. Typically, the dosage is 1 mg per head per day. The drug acts quickly, and after 4-5 days the animal will be healthy.
- For rhinitis, antibiotic injections may be prescribed.
Why rabbits sneeze and what to do are two questions that always arise, with any rhinitis. And only a veterinarian can say for sure what caused the disease by making the necessary tests. He will prescribe the right treatment, which may include folk remedies.
When instilling antibiotics into the nasal passages, it is better to ask someone to help, hold the animal.
Traditional medicine in the treatment of rabbits
Traditional medicine perfectly helps to cope with various ailments, including in rabbits. When rhinitis, animals are inhaled using various medicinal plants. So, decoction of thyme, sage, peppermint, eucalyptus helps well. Some make inhalations with essential oils. When inhaled, the amount of secretions decreases, inflammation of the mucous membrane passes, breathing improves.
Inhalations are done no longer than a week. With a longer use, drying of the nasal mucosa occurs.
To make inhalation, it is necessary to put the rabbit in a separate cage and put a bowl of water there, put hay. A container for inhalation is placed next to the cell. The cell is covered with an old sheet so that the vapors penetrate the cell. Be sure to leave a small gap for fresh air. Inhalation is done no more than twice a day. After the procedure, the secretion of mucus from the nose is accelerated, breathing is facilitated.
Care Features
Knowing why rabbits sneeze than treating a pathology is not enough, it is also necessary to provide good care for a sick animal.
During therapy, sick individuals are kept warm and dry. For this, premises protected from drafts are used. Be sure to revise the diet: it should be high-calorie, include fresh grass, chamomile, basil, dill. A decoction of mint and chamomile works well on the body. In those cases when the animal refuses food, they begin to feed him forcibly.
It is important to provide the sick animal with warmth. If rhinitis occurs in the cold season, then a heater is installed in the room.
If a runny nose is caused by hypothermia, then the animal is placed in a warmer room. Moreover, it is necessary to transfer all individuals.
Prevention methods
Preventing pathology is easier than curing. To prevent rhinitis, it is necessary to monitor the purity in the cell, the absence of sudden changes in temperature. Animals are kept in rabbits without drafts.
As special prophylactic procedures, it is recommended that Biomycin be added to food at a rate of 0.5 mg per individual once every 1-2 weeks. Dill, chamomile, wormwood, mint, basil are added to food.
Feed rabbits should be high-quality feed, without dust particles. As a preventive measure, a preventive vaccination can be given to animals. It is valid for about six months.