I. Causes of conjunctivitis in rabbits
Rabbit conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is an acute contact that harms rabbits infectious disease. The disease is characterized by obvious symptoms of inflammation in the conjunctiva and cornea of the sick rabbits, and there is a thick mucus covering the eye area.
The disease in rabbits is mainly caused by the proliferation of Pasteurella. The bacteria often parasitize in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and tonsils of healthy rabbits, but do not develop the disease under normal circumstances. It is only when the rabbit has a stress response, such as poor feeding management and sanitary conditions of the rabbit, sudden temperature changes, long-distance transportation, etc., it will lead to a decline in its body resistance, and Pasteurella will take the opportunity to multiply. And cause endogenous infection in rabbits, resulting in disease. The main route of transmission of the disease is through the respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin and mucous membranes. The secretions and excrement of the sick rabbits, as well as the feed and rabbit utensils contaminated by the sick rabbits are the transmission vectors of the disease. The disease can occur throughout the year, and rabbits of any breed and age are susceptible to infection, but young rabbits that have just been weaned have the highest risk of infection.
II. Incubation period of rabbit conjunctivitis symptoms
The incubation period of rabbit conjunctivitis symptoms is 2-7 days , At the beginning of the disease, the rabbit was reluctant to open its eyes, and then the rabbit’s conjunctiva, eyelid, nictitating membrane and other parts slowly swelled, accompanied by tears, pain, and secretion of eye feces. Sometimes the cornea of the sick rabbit also appeared. White or grey dots. In severe cases, corneal thickening and ulceration may occur in sick rabbits, resulting in corneal scarring and pannus. Sick rabbits generally do not have systemic symptoms, but if their eyeballs
are purulent, it may cause symptoms such as increased body temperature, loss of appetite, and lethargy. If the sick rabbit is not treated in time, it may lead to blindness of the sick rabbit.
II. Prevention and treatment of conjunctivitis in rabbits
Rabbits should be vaccinated against Pasteurella regularly. When symptoms appear, they should be treated in time to prevent the condition from getting worse. Erythromycin or rifampicin eye drops, chloramphenicol, and chloramphenicol can be used to treat the sick rabbits. Generally, 3 days of treatment can have a good effect. But stick to the medication until the rabbit has fully recovered to avoid relapses.
Warm reminder: If the rabbit’s conjunctivitis is not treated for a long time, it can cause the rabbit to become blind, so if the pet owner finds that the rabbit’s eyes have problems, Be sure to treat the rabbit as soon as possible. Because the disease is contagious to a certain extent, the owner should pay attention to isolating the sick rabbits as soon as possible to prevent transmission to other healthy rabbits. In addition, the owner must persevere in treating rabbit eye diseases. Before the rabbit fully recovers, he must insist on taking good care and medication for it every day, and cannot give up halfway.
