Mokrets in rabbits: treatment and symptoms, folk remedies and preparations

Mokrets, or stomatitis, in rabbits is treatable. This is a viral disease in which the mucous membranes of the mouth become inflamed, and saliva flows profusely. The virus affects mainly young animals. Little rabbits, weaned from their mother, need to carefully select food. It is important to ensure that the food is complete, and that the rabbits eat clean grass, vegetables and grains. Animals should be kept in dry cages so they don't get sick.

Causes of disease

Mokrets, woodlice or wet muzzle is the popular name for viral stomatitis, that is, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and tongue of rabbits.The disease is characterized by profuse salivation. A sick rabbit has constantly wet hair around the mouth. The virus actively develops in the saliva of the animal, as well as in its blood and urine. From one sick rabbit, the entire livestock can become infected. Infected animals must be immediately isolated, that is, transplanted into a separate cage.

Stomatitis is most common in young rabbits that are 1-3 months old. The young are sick with wood lice when the animals are transplanted from the rabbit and transferred to independent food. In all likelihood, stomatitis is the body's reaction to a new green fodder. During this period, rabbits should be given dried hay, crushed dry grain, clean root crops and vegetables.

Eating errors lead to stomatitis. Initially, the virus is picked up by weakened rabbits, which are poorly fed, but after 1-2 weeks the infection affects the entire livestock.

The cause of the disease is infection. The virus can be found in dirty feed and water, in cages and on equipment, and be carried by rodents.Stomatitis develops in a humid and hot environment, in closeness. Rabbits get sick if their cages are rarely cleaned. The virus also infects adult rabbits, weakened by frequent births. The disease occurs at any time of the year, but there are more deaths in spring and autumn.

Wet Face Symptoms

The incubation period of a viral disease lasts only 2-4 days. Sick rabbits have a reduced appetite. The mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue turns red. Then the oral cavity is covered with white spots. Soon, the lesions change color and become yellow, then brown. Erosions and sores appear on the mucous membranes of the tongue, gums, lips.

Infected animals have increased salivation. Saliva flows from the corners of the mouth. Around the muzzle, on the chest, constantly wet and glued hair. Hair falls out on the lower jaw, pustules form. A sick animal vilifies, refuses to feed, sits motionless, quickly loses weight.The illness lasts about 10-14 days. Most often, rabbits get a mild form of stomatitis, and then recover.

In animals with weak immunity, a severe degree of illness occurs, they die in 3-5 days. The mortality of young animals is 20-70 percent. Sick rabbits are recommended to be treated.

Forms of the disease, danger to animals and humans

Stomatitis in the absence of treatment and any sanitary measures can lead to the death of young rabbits. If the animals are left untreated, the strongest animals may survive, but then they will lag behind in development.

More often small rabbits die from stomatitis. In adults, the mortality rate is low. The virus is not dangerous to humans, but the meat of rabbits that died from stomatitis is not recommended to be eaten. If the animal has been ill and recovered, it can be fattened, and then (after a few months) sent for slaughter.The meat of recovered rabbits is allowed to be eaten after heat treatment.

Disease forms:

• initial (mild) - the appearance of redness on the oral mucosa, then white plaque, brownish spots, slight salivation;
• acute (severe) - the formation of erosions and ulcers, increased salivation, diarrhea, lack of appetite;
• atypical - slight salivation, warm nose.

The initial stage lasts about 10 days, and then it smoothly flows into the acute one (another 5-7 days). Symptoms are getting worse every day: the animal is inactive, vilifies, does not eat anything, and may die without treatment.

Important! Adults can get sick with an atypical form. Stomatitis in this case lasts 3-4 days and disappears on its own, without treatment.

Safety measures when an infection is detected

The behavior of rabbits must be constantly monitored. If the animal refuses to feed, is inactive, or has profuse salivation, it must be placed in an isolation room. This is a special cell, which is located in another room. An infected animal must live away from other rabbits for some time (30-40 days).

It is recommended to feed patients with soft food during quarantine. Animals are given alfalfa hay, sprouted grains of wheat and barley, pumpkin, carrots, water. Only a veterinarian can diagnose sick rabbits. Viral stomatitis lasts at least 10 days. Previously, this disease does not go away, even if treatment is started.

How to treat stomatitis in rabbits

When profuse salivation is detected, pure streptocide can be given to rabbits. Dose: Pour 0.2 grams of powder into the mouth once a day, repeat the procedure every other day.The medicine can be bought at a veterinary pharmacy. It should be a powder, not tablets. Streptocid does not cure the virus, but alleviates the condition of the animal. To increase immunity, rabbits can be injected with immunocorrectors ("Gamavit", "Katazol").

Antibiotics

Infectious stomatitis should be treated with an antibiotic. Rabbits react poorly to the penicillin group. Veterinarians usually prescribe Baytril or Biomycin. Injections are made in the back thigh (middle part). "Baytril" 2.5 percent is prescribed for babies from 30 days of age. Dose: 0.2 ml per 1 kg of weight, once a day. The course of treatment is 5 days. You can dilute 1 ml of the drug in 1 liter of water and irrigate the oral cavity with this solution using a syringe once a day. For douching of the mucosa, you can use "Tetracycline". Dissolve 1-2 tablets in 1 liter of water. The oral cavity is irrigated once a day until the symptoms disappear completely.

Important! After using antibiotics, rabbits are recommended to be given probiotics to improve the intestinal microflora ("Olin").

You can buy Tetracycline ointment and use it to treat the surface near the nose and mouth. For the treatment of stomatitis, Traumatin, Traumel, Liarsin are used. These are not antibiotics, but anti-inflammatory drugs. Please consult your veterinarian before using them.

Important! Do not give animals all available drugs for stomatitis. Rabbits are treated with one remedy. An injection and irrigation of the oral cavity is done once a day, not more often. The illness will last at least 10 days. No drugs affect the rate of recovery.

Folk remedies

When stomatitis is detected, it is customary to wash the mouth. Most often, a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate is used. Sores in the mouth can be lubricated with Lugol with glycerin. The procedure is carried out no more than 1 time per day, 5-10 days in a row, until the inflammation completely disappears. Sick animals, instead of water, you can drink a decoction of chamomile, calendula, sage, oak bark.For irrigation of the oral cavity, a solution of propolis is used. Sick animals are recommended to be kept clean.

Rehabilitation of recovered animals

Recovered animals can be kept in quarantine for about 30-40 days, and then transferred to a common cage or to the same room with other rabbits. Such animals will no longer become infected with stomatitis. They can be fed with ordinary feed, and upon reaching a certain age, they can be sent for slaughter. It is better not to use such animals for breeding. There is a possibility that the offspring may also develop stomatitis.

How to protect rabbits from biting biting

Animals will not get sick if, from the moment they are weaned from their mother, they are provided with good nutrition and constantly cleaned and disinfected cages. The food must be dry. During this period, it is better for rabbits to give hay dried in the sun, clean carrots, pumpkin, crushed dry grain.

Cage bedding should be changed daily. In the room itself, every day it is recommended to do cleaning, airing, once a month - whitewashing with slaked lime.

The cage should always be dry, but not crowded, stuffy or hot. Rabbits will not get sick if they are dewormed, vaccinated in time, remove fleas, increase immunity with the help of vitamin preparations and immunocorrectors. Iodine can be added to drinking water once a week (1 drop per 1 liter). Root crops, juicy greens, sun-dried grass, vegetables, grain, compound feed, branches should be present in the daily diet.

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