I. The etiology of ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits
Rabbit ulcerative foot dermatitis can actually be understood as a pressure necrosis. Because of the large weight of rabbits, the feet bear greater pressure on the bottom of the cage or on the rough and hard ground, resulting in compressive necrosis of the skin on the feet. Therefore, this disease is more common in adult rabbits and rarely occurs in young rabbits and smaller rabbits. In addition, the factors that cause ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits include: the breeding environment is too humid, the accumulation of urine or stains on the bottom of the rabbit cage, the roughness of the bottom of the rabbit cage, the wire mesh on the bottom of the rabbit cage is too fine or the interval is too large. In addition, some rabbits with thin fur on the pads
are also prone to this disease due to the lack of ideal cushioning when the pads contact the bottom of the wire cage. And some nervous or excitable rabbits may also suffer from this disease when they stomp their feet frequently.
2. Symptoms of ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits
Ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits The initial symptoms of foot dermatitis include nervousness, easy excitement, and frequent foot stomping. Local ulcers of different sizes appeared on the skin of the bottom of the plantar and the lateral surface of the plantar of the sick rabbit. At the same time, the sick rabbit would be afraid and reduce walking because of severe pain. If the ulcer surface has not been treated, bleeding after abrasion may also lead to secondary bacterial infection, which will lead to symptoms such as subcutaneous suppuration, ulceration, and scab in the sick rabbit, and may even form cellulitis. In addition, when the disease is serious, the sick rabbit will also have symptoms such as not eating, losing weight, arching the back and raising the feet when walking. The most serious is that the wound of the sick rabbit is invaded by bacteria into the bloodstream, causing rabbit septicemia, which can lead to the death of the sick rabbit. At first, the diseased rabbit may only develop the disease on the hind limbs, but after the disease on the hind limbs, the sick rabbits may use the forelimbs more in order to reduce the burden of weight, which gradually leads to the disease on the forelimbs.
3. Prevention and treatment of ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits
1. Preventive measures
Reasonably design the rabbit cage; keep the rabbit cage spacious and comfortable and the bottom of the cage flat; lay dry, soft bedding on the bottom of the cage, or lay a bamboo bottom plate on the floor of the wire cage; clean up the rabbits in time. excreta, keep the cage clean and dry.
2. Treatment measures
(1) Cut off the hair around the sores on the foot pads of the sick rabbits to prevent the hair from breeding bacteria, covering the sores and causing secondary infection.
(2) Isolate the sick rabbits, check whether the sick rabbits have symptoms of suppuration, and puncture the hard scabs of their foot pads with a sterilized needle or a knife to check whether there is suppuration. If the foot pads of the sick rabbit have severe purulent hard scabs, they should be removed. If the bleeding does not stop after treatment, you can use gauze or other force to press the bleeding site to stop the bleeding. Rinse the affected area of the sick rabbit with hydrogen peroxide or 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to remove the necrotic tissue in the affected area, and then apply erythromycin ointment. Alternatively, 0.2% aluminum acetate solution can be applied locally to rinse, and 10% iodoform ointment or 15% zinc oxide ointment can be applied after removing necrotic tissue.
(3) When the ulcer of the sick rabbit begins to heal, use 5% gentian violet solution for rubbing treatment. If an abscess forms on the affected part of the sick rabbit, it is necessary to apply antibiotics to the sick rabbit systemically according to the conventional surgical treatment measures for pus discharge, such as intramuscular or intravenous injection of penicillin 200,000 to 400,000 IU or streptomycin 0.25 to 0.5g every day. 2 injections.
My introduction to the etiology and treatment of ulcerative foot dermatitis in rabbits is here, I hope to deepen your understanding of rabbit foot dermatitis, and usually pay attention to helping rabbits to do this prevention, to prevent rabbits from suffering Unnecessary pain.
