Ear diseases in rabbits: symptoms and home treatment, prevention

Ears are considered the weak point of the rabbit body. The causes of diseases, ear infections in rabbits can be different. In order to notice the disease in time, you need to monitor the he alth of your pets. It is important to have an idea about the symptoms of common diseases, about the rules for first aid. We must deal with the prevention of infections.

Possible Ear Diseases in Rabbits

Diseases can be divided into contagious (tick-borne invasion) and non-contagious (otitis media, mechanical damage). The most common are several diseases:

• with ear scabies (otodectosis) the auditory canals are affected. The causative agent of the disease is rounded Otodectos mites, 0.32-0.75 mm in size. If the parasite is not neutralized in time, pus is formed, flowing into the inner cavity of the ear. The infectious process extends to the middle and inner ear, the meninges. Otodectosis is more common in rabbits older than 4 months;
• purulent otitis media cause bacteria, fungal infections. The inflammatory process develops behind the eardrum. A neglected disease leads to its destruction. Death is inevitable when the infection spreads throughout the body;
• psoroptosis affects rabbits older than two months of age. The Psoroptes mite infects the inner surface of the ears, auricles. Without treatment, the inflammatory process spreads to the neck, passes to the middle, inner ear and causes a further complication in the form of meningitis.

Owners may also experience bleeding caused by scratches. The damaged area is treated with hydrogen peroxide and cauterized with alcohol, iodine. To prevent inflammation, the wound is smeared with antiseptic ointment.

Main symptoms

It is difficult for an owner to diagnose a sick pet on his own because of the similar symptoms of some diseases. The most common signs of infection in pets are:

• rabbit rubbing his ears on the bars, other surfaces;
• the animal loses its appetite, lethargy appears;
• pet unnaturally holds his head, ears are in a lowered position;
• when the ears hurt, nervousness appears in the behavior of the rabbits, the animal refuses to go to the hands, loses orientation;
• often cases of swelling of the ears, the appearance of purulent discharge.

With psoroptosis, small tubercles appear inside the ears, which eventually burst. Scabs form. When scratched, the crusts mix with blood, closing the ear canal.

With purulent otitis, there are discharge, an unpleasant odor. The beast shakes its ears, may bump into objects or constantly fall. Keeps head tilted.

Falling ears can be caused by mechanical injuries or a variety of diseases: otitis media, mites, a foreign object. If an object gets into the ear, it is removed with tweezers.

Diagnostic Methods

Caring for a rabbit involves constant inspection of the animal. The pet is especially carefully examined for atypical behavior. The condition of the ears is assessed visually: the integrity of the skin, the presence of secretions, sores are checked. Feel for seals.

Only laboratory tests will allow a more accurate diagnosis. If you suspect the presence of ticks, a scraping is taken from the inside of the ear. Experienced owners sometimes check for the presence of parasites at home. For this, a scraping is also made from the inside of the ear, and the material is placed in vaseline heated to 40-45 ° C.Using an ordinary magnifying glass, you can see the parasites.

Rules for treating rabbits at home

To cure a pet, owners use both chemicals and traditional medicine.

Medications

To treat purulent otitis media, antibiotics are used. A good result is observed when using "Chloramphenicol", "Bicillin". Ciprofloxacin is also used to treat otitis media. The course of treatment usually lasts about one and a half months.

To rid the animal of ear mites, local treatment is prescribed in the form of ointments. First of all, the skin is cleaned of crusts and scabs, lubricating the damaged areas with the Psoroptol spray. With a strong spread of the disease, the veterinarian may prescribe subcutaneous injections of Baimek, drops of Dekta.

It is also effective to use aerosols in the treatment of psoroptosis. A solution containing chlorophos, neocidol, sulfidophoz and cyodrin is sprayed from a distance of 15-20 cm for several seconds. In this case, it is necessary that the medicine gets on the inside of the auricle, and the eyes, nose and mouth of the animal are closed.

Folk remedies

Such methods of treatment are effective in the initial stages of diseases. If pets are affected by ticks, you can apply irrigation of the affected ear areas with camphor oil. The substance is drawn into a syringe without a needle and the skin is carefully treated. You can also use turpentine.

Important! For skin treatment, turpentine is diluted with vegetable oil (castor, olive, sunflower) in a ratio of 1:2.

It is folk remedies that allow you to gently remove crusts and scabs from the surface of the skin. A common recipe: dilute glycerin with iodine in a ratio of 4: 1 and lubricate the crusts once a day (2-3 days).Thanks to iodine, sores are also disinfected. You can also use a mixture of glycerin, kerosene and vegetable oil, taken in equal parts.

Prevention measures

Rabbits are considered hardy animals. On farms, animals are kept indoors or in cages installed on the street. Pets feel good in any conditions, but you need to provide protection from drafts, dampness. To prevent mechanical injuries of the ears, check the integrity of the cells, the absence of damage. In the cages do not keep foreign things, boards with nails. Cages made of metal should not have sharp protruding parts.

An important procedure for caring for rabbits is the periodic cleaning of the ear canals from wax. Otherwise, sulfur clogs the channels, causing infections and the development of diseases.

Rabbit ears are very sensitive.Animals experience severe pain when they are pulled or lifted by the ears. Such actions can lead to ligament ruptures or provoke respiratory failure. In order not to injure the ears, even small decorative rabbits should not be lifted in this way.

It is important to regularly clean the animal's cage, change the bedding. To prevent the occurrence of diseases, the place where pets are kept is disinfected. For preventive purposes, disinfection is carried out 1-2 times a month. To wash the cells, a 1% bleach solution is used. Wooden crates can be treated with boiling water. Metal elements are heated for disinfection (as an option - with a blowtorch).

Thanks to the right conditions of detention, diseases of pets can be prevented. Regular ear examination is also an important preventive measure. If the animal is ill, and there is doubt about the diagnosis, you should contact your veterinarian.

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