Effective Prevention and Treatment of Rabbit Jaundice
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Understanding the Causes of Neonatal Rabbit Jaundice
1. Mastitis in the Mother Rabbit
The primary cause of neonatal rabbit jaundice often stems from mastitis in the mother rabbit. This condition is characterized by the presence of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, and toxins in her milk. When the kits ingest this contaminated milk, they become infected, leading to the onset of the disease.
2. Contamination of the Mammary Glands
Another cause is the contamination of the mother rabbit's mammary glands with bacteria. As the kits nurse, they ingest these harmful bacteria, leading to poisoning and acute enteritis. Symptoms include foulsmelling, yellow, watery diarrhea, weakness, drowsiness, pale skin, and dull fur. In severe cases, this can lead to death.
Affected kits exhibit symptoms of poisoning, with purple discoloration of the body, yellow, watery feces, and yellow urine. The fur around the anus becomes moist and sticky with yellowish feces, emitting a foul odor. The kits become listless and progressively thinner. The disease typically lasts 2 to 3 days, and without timely treatment, death due to dehydration is a real risk.
Preventive and Treatment Measures for Neonatal Rabbit Jaundice
Preventive Measures
Prevention is key in managing neonatal rabbit jaundice. This involves maintaining clean and dry housing, bedding, and equipment. Before the mother rabbit gives birth, line the nest box with soft, clean, and dry bedding. Disinfect or sundry the cage, nesting box, and bedding before the birth.
Feeding Adjustments
During the prelabor and postlabor periods, reduce the amount of concentrate feed and increase the amount of fresh, green, and juicy feed to prevent overproduction or thickening of the milk, which can lead to mastitis.
Monitoring and Treatment
Regularly check the mother rabbit's milk supply. If you notice any abscesses or lumps in her breasts, treat her immediately. If a kit bites through the nipple, apply antiseptic treatment promptly. In case of mastitis, isolate the mother and treat her, while transferring the kits to a healthy nursing doe or人工 feeding.
Medication for Prevention
To prevent mastitis, you can administer a compound sulfamethoxazole tablet to the mother rabbit three days before and after giving birth, twice daily, or inject streptomycin intramuscularly once daily for three days before birth. Alternatively, you can inject 2ml of rhubarb root extract intramuscularly after birth. Rabbits treated with rhubarb root extract typically have healthy kits and are less prone to mastitis during lactation.
Treatment Methods for Neonatal Rabbit Jaundice
Treatment for the Mother Rabbit
If the mother rabbit is affected, first express her milk and clean her teats with saline solution. If there are abscesses or ulcers around the nipples, disinfect them with iodine tincture and apply a local anesthetic with penicillin. Administer fish mucus injection twice daily, 2 to 3ml each time, and give the rabbit heartleaved skullcap tablets three times daily, three tablets each time, for two days.
Treatment for the Kits
Stop feeding the kits milk from the affected mother and take immediate emergency measures. Administer gentamicin sulfate drops into the kits' mouth, 3 to 4 drops at a time, three to four times daily. Mild cases may recover within 2 to 3 days of treatment. Alternatively, you can treat the kits with fish mucus injection, 2 to 3 times daily, 1 to 1.5ml each time, and they usually recover within 2 to 3 days after starting the medication.
With these preventive and treatment measures for neonatal rabbit jaundice, we hope to assist rabbit breeders in managing this condition effectively.
