what causes rabbits to have multiple very different size kits
Kathleen Wilsbach, PhD The skin of rabbits is a window to their general state of health. Pare ailments range from irritating to life-threatening. Some are contagious to other species, including humans. Proper treatment is immensely rewarding, as information technology returns our rabbits to their normal state of inquisitive cheerfulness.
Alopecia
Fur loss in rabbits with no other lesions can have many different causes, including fur-plucking, barbering, hormonal issues, and previous localized inflammation. Fur-plucking in the neck or dewlap, belly, and leg areas occurs in pregnant females who are close to delivery, to line their nest. Even pseudopregnant females sometimes pluck in that area. Fur-plucking may too be seen in cases of nutritional deficiency such as when they lack sufficient fiber in the nutrition. Rabbits who cannot reach the site of an irritation considering of arthritis, obesity, or intervening skin folds sometimes chew at their dewlap instead. Elementary alopecia may result, but frequently the pare also appears irritated.
The fur at the nape of the neck is usually thin. Coat density in this area may change with the seasons or with hormonal fluctuations in unspayed females. If the bald spot is limited to the surface area hidden when the rabbit tucks her caput dorsum toward her shoulders. If the pilus is thin beyond this spot, information technology is a good idea to have your veterinarian do an examination.
Barbering, or chewing on the hair, is sometimes seen when rabbits are housed together or with guinea pigs. Rabbits may chew on their own hair or on each other's pilus. The stress of crowding is probable to intensify the problem. Barbered areas show patchy hair loss with broken hairs nowadays (they take been nipped off) without complete baldness.
Occasionally pilus loss can exist seen at the site of a previous bite wound or other injury.and is related to the healing process. Hair should regrow within a few months in these cases unless at that place was extensive scarring and deep damage to the skin.
Mites in Ears, Fur, or Skin
During normal shedding, the undercoat may come out in clumps, but no flaking should be seen. Patchy fur loss with mild to astringent flaking along the rabbit's back is the authentication of Cheyletiella parasitovorax, the most common rabbit skin mite. Hairs at the border of the bald spot come out easily in clumps, usually with some fibroid flakes of peel fastened. Fur mites may or may not cause itching. Your veterinarian may examine a scotch-tape training or skin scraping nether the microscope for the presence of mites, but mites are sometimes difficult to discover. Luckily, mites are usually eradicated with relative ease. Classic treatment is with injectable or oral ivermectin, given in treatments 2 weeks apart. More than recently, Revolution (selamectin) has been used effectively. A kitten dose of Revolution is applied between the shoulder blades and is repeated once a calendar month for at least three doses. Revolution is ordinarily dosed at 6mg/kg. If you take the 60mg/ml solution (ie the kitten solution), use 0.1cc per kg of body weight (1kg = 2.2lb). If you take the 120mg/ml solution, use 0.05cc per kg of trunk weight. You'll demand a tuberculin syryinge (no needle!) from your vet to measure such a small quantity of liquid. Utilise to the back of the neck or other area where the bunny can't readily groom it off. It is essential to thoroughly make clean your rabbit's cage and exercise areas later each treatment to control reinfestation, since fur and dander in the surround may contain mite eggs.
The rabbit ear mite, Psoroptes cuniculi, produces arable reddish-brown crusts in the ear canal. The rabbit may milk shake his head or scratch at his ears or one or both ears may droop. This is a very uncomfortable disease. Mites may be seen with the naked eye, moving forth the crusts. If they are not grossly visible they are hands detected via microscopic examination of the crusts and debris from the ear. These mites can also be found on other areas of the skin, near commonly just above the tail, where they crusade itching and crusts. Injectable or oral ivermectin has traditionally been the handling of choice but Revolution, used in the same manner as for Cheyletiella has proven safe and effective. It is not necessary to clean the ears and remove the crusts which is extremely painful. Once either ivermectin or Revolution and the mites are killed, healing progresses rapidly and the crusts come up out on their own. It is important every bit with the fur mites, the clean the rabbit's environs after each treatment equally a few mites may be nowadays in the bedding from time to fourth dimension.
Fleas
Fleas can cause hair loss, redness, small-scale crusts, and itching. Reward (imidacloprid) or Revolution, both used at a kitten dose or cat dose depensing on the size of the rabbit, applied topically one time a month have been used quite successfully. The rabbit'due south surroundings must also exist treated. Environmental treatment with insect growth regulators (IGRs) and insecticide sprays has proven condom every bit long as the rabbits are removed until the product has dried. Application of borate pulverization (Fleabusters TM) to rugs is too safe and effective.
A Warning About Baths
Reports take been received of shock or decease in rabbits post-obit the utilize of insecticidal dips or baths that are usually considered safe. Products involved accept included carbaryl dips, carbaryl shampoo, pyrethrin dips, pyrethrin shampoo followed past carbaryl dip, lime sulfur dips, and fifty-fifty baby shampoo. The wide variety of products involved and the lack of symptoms unremarkably associated with insecticide toxicity suggest that the reaction is initiated past the stress of bathing, dipping, or drying, rather than by the chemicals themselves. Overheating, spooky, or liver problems (common in overweight or anorectic rabbits) may be critical factors too. Rabbits should ever be observed later on bath or dip for signs of daze-pale mucous membranes, severe depression, or weakness. Firsthand supportive care (warm IV fluids, warmth, corticosteroids, etc.) tin can be provided if problems develop. Fatalities sometimes result despite prompt treatment.
Chronic Wetness Leads to Bug
If a rabbit's skin is chronically exposed to moisture, so baldness, redness, and crusting may develop, and bacterial infection may follow. The source of the moisture may be the environment (water crocks, leaky water bottle, clammy litter, overgrooming past another rabbit) or the rabbit's ain torso fluids (urine leakage, fecal staining, drooling due to dental issues, or eye discharge). Infection by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa sometimes causes a moist dermatitis which shows every bit a blueish discoloration of the fur. If drinking water is contaminated with Pseudomonas, rigorous disinfection or replacement of water containers is essential.
Finding out where the moisture is coming from and eliminating the source is the beginning and most of import step toward a cure. Steps may include veterinary treatment for problems similar arthritis, bladder issues , or conjunctivitis (see HRJ III, 5), or a modify in nutrition to correct obesity (encounter HRJ 3, 3,4). Rabbits with these problems should non exist immune outdoors because they are at for fly strike.
Daily intendance of the afflicted expanse is necessary and may include clipping, cleansing with chlorhexidine or tamed iodine solution, and applying topical antibiotic/anti-inflammatory powder or ointment. Intensive or prolonged use of topical corticosteroids can have systemic effects and should be avoided. Systemic antibiotics (based on culture/sensitivity testing) are needed if there is pus, fever, or lethargy.
Pododermatitis
Pododermatitis (sore hock) is most commonly seen in rabbits housed on wire or other crude, wet, or hard surfaces, but may occur in rabbits who are never caged. Heavy-bodied breeds (Flemish Giant, Californian), obese rabbits, and those with thin fur on the bottoms of their feet (Rex) are predisposed to this problem. In simple cases, providing a soft absorbent resting surface (cotton toweling or artificial fleece are ideal if the rabbit doesn't chew them), cleaning the underside of the human foot, and applying a padded wrap for ane-2 weeks will help effect a cure. Topical use of Grooming H or Bag Balm are folk remedies that can be constructive. Weight reduction tin exist the primal to a cure in overweight rabbits. For cases with severe infection or deep ulceration, X-rays to decide if the infection has penetrated into the bone, culture/sensitivity testing, and appropriate systemic antibiotics are recommended. Hocks with severe infection or deep ulceration may be difficult or impossible to cure. If the infection has penetrated the bone and just one foot is infected severely, amputation may be necessary to provide relief from hurting.
Ringworm
Ringworm is not a worm just a mucus that takes its name from the classic raised carmine round lesion with a clearing eye that tin can be a primary symptom. However, crusting, scaling, and bald spots are actually more than common symptoms than the red ring. Ringworm most commonly occurs on the rabbit's head, ears, and face. Treatment with ProgramTM has been constitute to exist quite effective. Your veterinarian may provide topical treatment (miconazole, clotrimazol) for small lesions.
Rabbit Syphilis
Treponema cuniculi is a bacteria called a spirochete similar to that which causes syphilis in humans. It causes crusty dermatitis primarily around the rabbit's genitals or nose but in severe cases is tin extend upwards on the face and around the eyes.. This organism is resistant to virtually topical treatments simply responds well to procaine penicillin G injections. One must take intendance and scout for intestinal upset during this treatment.
Lumps, Bumps, Cancer
Abscesses are the most mutual skin swellings in rabbits. Because the pus produced past rabbits ofttimes has a thick cream cheese-like consistency and is encased in a thick capsule, lancing, draining, and systemic antibiotics often fail to effect a cure. Complete surgical removal of the intact abscess is preferred. In that location are a wide range of potential treatments for abscesses that are not able to be surgically removed for any reason. The most important thing is to get an anaerobic and an aerobic civilization prior to whatever treatment to determine what the virtually appropriate antibiotic will exist to requite either systemically and/or into the abscess cavity itself. Treatments range from cleaning the abscess and implanting antibody impregnanted chaplet to leaving information technology open and packing and/or flushing with a variety of medications. It is best to consult your veterinarian to determine what is the most appropriate regime of treatment for your individual rabbit.
The well-nigh common cause of lumps and bumps on rabbits are warts, acquired past a papilloma virus and benign growths such as fatty tumors (lipomas). Malignant skin cancers are non common in the rabbit, simply practise occur and are well-nigh often a metastasis of another cancer, most noteably uterine cancer. Whatsoever unusual growths on the skin should be watched for modify in size, shape, or colour and should be evaluated by a veterinarian. If a skin mass is removed, it is a good idea to take your veterinary send information technology out for pathology and then information technology tin can be identified and any further treatment can be instituted if necessary.
The skin ailments mentioned here are not all-inclusive. Abode remedies are typically ineffectual and may pb to complications or fifty-fifty expiry. It is ever best to consult your veterinarian rather than attempting dwelling diagnosis and treatment
Source: https://rabbit.org/journal/4-9/skin.html
0 Response to "what causes rabbits to have multiple very different size kits"
Enregistrer un commentaire