Effective Strategies to Prevent Lactating Rabbit Diarrh

Effective Prevention and Treatment of Diarrhea in Weaned Rabbits

1. Ensure that rabbits are regularly vaccinated against E. coli and Clostridium perfringens, among other pathogens.

2. Feed and water your rabbits at consistent and measured intervals. It's advisable to start introducing solid food to the kits around 16 to 21 days of age. At this stage, pet owners can offer small, easily digestible, palatable, and nutritious feed. It's also important to mix intestinal disinfectants and antiprotozoal medications into their food. Additionally, feed the kits in small, frequent portions, aiming for about five feedings per day. Gradually increase the amount to ensure that by the time the rabbits are 30 days old, they are primarily consuming solid food with milk as a supplement, helping them adapt smoothly to their new diet postweaning.

3. Practice scientific feeding for the kits. The digestive systems of newly weaned rabbits are not fully developed, and their ability to digest solid food is limited. Overfeeding or feeding them unsuitable, hardtodigest forage can easily lead to indigestion, enteritis, diarrhea, and even death. Therefore, it's crucial for pet owners to choose nutritious, highquality, and easily digestible forage, ensuring that the rabbits are fed to about 80% of their capacity to avoid overeating.

4. Ensure that the rabbits drink an adequate amount of water without overhydration. In winter, it's particularly important to maintain the water temperature at a comfortable level, as cold water can also cause diarrhea in rabbits.

5. Refrain from feeding any decayed, spoiled, or toxic feed or forage to the rabbits.

6. Regularly add a small amount of antibiotics to the rabbits' feed and drinking water to prevent enteritis.

7. Prevent coccidiosis in rabbits. Rabbits are highly susceptible to coccidiosis, and without proper prevention, the incidence and mortality rates can be high. Pet owners must take proactive measures to prevent this disease, such as adding diclazuril solution to the rabbits' food, as per the instructions on the medication leaflet.

That concludes Dr. Oxygen's guide on preventing diarrhea in weaned rabbits. Beyond these preventive measures, it's essential for pet owners to maintain strict cleanliness and disinfection of the rabbit enclosures and to separate the kits from the mother to prevent the transmission of diseases from the mother to the kits.