Preventing Diseases in Weaned Rabbits: Key防控Focus

What Common Diseases Affect Young Rabbits? How to Prevent Them?

1. Coccidiosis

Preventing coccidiosis is a top priority in the care of young rabbits, as failing to do so can severely impact their survival rates. Young rabbits are highly susceptible to this disease, and most often succumb to it without proper precautions. Rabbits weighing between 2 to 4 pounds can suffer severe weight loss and depression, displaying symptoms like head tilting and paddling movements before death. Prevention should begin early, ideally from the time the kits are weaned, by consistently adding coccidiostatic drugs to the kit's feed until they reach three months of age.

2. Diarrhea

Young rabbits can easily develop enteritis, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens infections due to irregular feeding, poor diet formulations, extreme temperature changes, or poorquality feed. These conditions lead to severe diarrhea, characterized by symptoms such as depression, teeth grinding, loss of appetite, bloating, intestinal stasis, and diarrhea. Treatment often involves antibiotics like gentamicin, enrofloxacin, kanamycin, and neomycin, though results may not be显著. It's crucial to focus on prevention by managing the rabbits' diet and feeding practices carefully. Feeding should be regular and measured, with small, frequent meals. The intake of fresh greens should be controlled, and transitions between feed types should be gradual. It's also essential to ensure that the hay fed to rabbits is free from toxins, dew, and mud, and that the feed quality is strictly maintained. Un detoxified feed like rapeseed meal and sesame seed meal should be avoided.

3. Rabbit Viral Hemorrhagic Disease (RVHD)

RVHD is a disease that must be prevented in rabbits, especially in large farms. Regular vaccination against RVHD is essential. An outbreak can decimate unvaccinated rabbit populations, with affected rabbits often dying suddenly without any prior signs, sometimes accompanied by symptoms like nosebleeds. Postmortem examination of affected rabbits reveals hemorrhagic spots in multiple organs, such as the lungs and kidneys, and a swollen, dark purple spleen.

There is no specific treatment for RVHD, and the only option is vaccination. Effective vaccines can provide 100% immunity during their effective period. In the event of an outbreak, all rabbits should be vaccinated with a double dose of the effective vaccine. Typically, these measures can stabilize the situation within 4 to 5 days.

Pet Doctor's Tip: These three diseases are highly prevalent in young rabbits. It is imperative for owners to take preventive measures to ensure the survival and wellbeing of their young rabbits.