Sharing Experience on the Prevention and Treatment of Common Winter Diseases in Domestic Rabbits

Low winter temperatures are unfavorable for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, there are relatively fewer diseases. However, because heat preservation and warming measures are generally adopted in winter, people tend to focus on heat preservation and warming while easily neglecting ventilation and air exchange, which increases the content of harmful gases in the rabbit house and easily induces infectious rhinitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, and other conditions. In addition, the short daylight hours and low light intensity in winter, along with the relatively high humidity in the rabbit house, create favorable conditions for the occurrence of dermatophytosis and mange. For this reason, farmers are reminded that raising rabbits in winter should not be taken lightly, and targeted prevention and control should be carried out.

Although rabbit hemorrhagic disease occurs throughout the year, its incidence is higher in low-temperature seasons, so vaccination should be done well. Several issues should be noted when injecting rabbit hemorrhagic disease vaccine: First, injection timing. Research and production practice show that injecting the vaccine too early cannot produce strong immunity, while injecting too late carries risks. Generally, young rabbits are better injected between 35 and 45 days of age; Second, injection dose and frequency. In order to obtain strong immunity, it is advisable to inject 2 times. That is, the first vaccination is 2 ml at 35 to 45 days of age (the timing of injection is decided according to maternal antibody status), and 20 days after the first vaccination, a booster immunization of 1 ml is given; Third, it is best to inject a monovalent rabbit hemorrhagic disease vaccine rather than a bivalent or trivalent vaccine; Fourth, the injection site is best subcutaneous in the neck.

Respiratory diseases: because winter temperatures are low, people tend to focus on heat preservation and warming while easily neglecting ventilation and air exchange, which increases the content of harmful gases in the rabbit house and easily induces infectious rhinitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, and other conditions. According to my own investigation, in the northern regions of our country, the incidence of respiratory diseases in winter is higher than in other seasons. The main cause is poor ventilation and air exchange, and targeted prevention and control should be carried out. To do a good job in preventing respiratory diseases, the following work should be done:

First, handle the contradiction between heat preservation and ventilation, taking both into overall consideration and neglecting neither. When the two conflict, it is better to lower the temperature appropriately than to allow the concentration of harmful gases to become too high. The standard for controlling air quality in the rabbit house can be judged by human perception. When a person enters the rabbit house, there should be no irritating discomfort in the nose and eyes; otherwise, ventilation and air exchange should be strengthened;

Second, reduce the humidity in the rabbit house. Due to poor ventilation, the humidity in the rabbit house is often relatively high. Years of practical experience show that high humidity does harm and no good at all! The sources of humidity in the rabbit house are mainly three: the gas exhaled by domestic rabbits, the evaporation of moisture from feces and urine, and dripping from drinkers. Controlling dripping from drinkers and promptly cleaning up feces and urine are effective measures to reduce high humidity in the rabbit house;

Third, promptly cull severely affected rabbits. Respiratory diseases in domestic rabbits are highly contagious; one affected rabbit can spread pathogens throughout the entire rabbit house with a single sneeze. Therefore, affected rabbits with severe infectious rhinitis and pneumonia must be resolutely culled. Although such affected rabbits can have their condition controlled with drugs, this not only increases treatment costs, but more importantly, the risk brought to the rabbit flock by keeping one affected rabbit is far greater than the benefit brought by curing one affected rabbit. This account has to be calculated!

Fourth, control the content of harmful gases with microecological preparations. My years of research show that microecological preparations have a significant effect on controlling the content of harmful gases in rabbit houses. Drinking water at a ratio of 0.3%, or spraying feed at a ratio of 0.2%, or mist-spraying into the manure ditch can reduce the content of harmful gases, lower the incidence of respiratory diseases, and at the same time prevent diarrhea.

Fifth, phased drug prevention. When the incidence of respiratory diseases in the rabbit flock is relatively high, drugs can be administered in phases for prevention and control. Enrofloxacin has a relatively ideal effect; use it according to the instructions.

Sixth, vaccination. Respiratory diseases in domestic rabbits are caused by mixed infection by multiple pathogens, mainly Pasteurella and Bordetella, but the currently domestically produced Pasteurella-Bordetella bivalent vaccine has a certain effect on respiratory diseases, though the protection rate is not very high. It can be used on rabbit farms where respiratory diseases occur frequently, but other measures should not be relaxed just because the vaccine has been injected.

Dermatophytosis and mange: In winter, the daylight hours are short, light intensity is low, and the rabbit house is relatively humid, which is favorable for the occurrence of dermatophytosis and mange. Rabbit farms that have previously experienced these diseases should be prepared. For mange, a relatively effective and simple method at present is injection of ivermectin. Some people report that mange is difficult to eradicate: medication works, but it recurs after stopping. Several key points must be grasped here: First, treat early. When domestic rabbits are found to be affected, give drug treatment in the early stage, which works quickly and has a low recurrence rate; Second, repeat medication. After the first injection, inject once more only after 10 days; Third, disinfection is crucial. The cages of affected rabbits and the surrounding environment must be thoroughly disinfected, generally using a flame torch or a 0.25% trichlorfon aqueous solution. Otherwise, if the mites hidden in the environment are not eliminated, mange will be difficult to eradicate completely. For fungal skin diseases, I do not advocate treatment. It is recommended that when one is found, one should be culled and handled (deep burial or incineration), and at the same time the environment must be thoroughly disinfected.

Coccidiosis: Winter is the season with the lowest incidence of coccidiosis, but according to my years of diagnosis of diseases on some rabbit farms, winter coccidiosis is also quite serious. It is not that the incidence of coccidiosis on these rabbit farms in winter is higher than in other seasons, but mainly that people mistakenly believe that because winter temperatures are low, coccidiosis will not occur, and therefore stop drug prevention. For rabbit farms with relatively high temperatures in the rabbit house, prevention of coccidiosis must be strengthened. In the southern regions of our country, the temperature in rabbit houses in winter is above 0°C, with high humidity; while in the northern regions, although the environmental temperature is below 0°C, through heat preservation and warming measures, the temperature in the rabbit house is mostly above 0°C. Although above 22°C is the suitable temperature for the onset of coccidiosis, after many years of observation by the author, as long as it is above 0°C, there is a risk of onset. Therefore, it is recommended that rabbit farms in all regions breeding in winter should pay attention to the prevention of coccidiosis. The key to preventing coccidiosis lies in effectively controlling coccidia's drug resistance. An effective method is to rotate drugs, with each drug used for 1 to 1.5 months. If Chinese and Western methods are combined, the effect will be somewhat better.