How to prevent and treat ear mange in rabbits? A detailed practical guide

Symptoms of ear mange

Affected rabbits mainly show unbearable itching in the ear area, often constantly scratching with the forelimbs and shaking the head, along with symptoms such as listlessness, restlessness and anxiety, reduced appetite or refusal to eat, and weight loss. Physical signs include red and swollen ear skin, flaking and hair loss, with the affected area gradually expanding, inflammation of the external ear canal, discharge, scabbing, and skin thickening. Because rabbits constantly scratch when itching, this often causes skin infection that aggravates the injury and bleeding, leading to fever, convulsions, epilepsy, and ultimately death.

Prevention and treatment measures

1. Control transmission: Because ear mange is highly contagious, once one rabbit develops the disease, the entire litter of rabbits is very likely to be infected. Therefore, as soon as an infected individual is found, it must be isolated and raised immediately to prevent cross-infection.

2. Treatment of sick rabbits: First, dip a medicinal cotton ball in 2% trichlorfon and apply it directly to the affected area and its surroundings, once a day for 3 consecutive days; second, use ivermectin once a week, injected into the neck muscle at 0.2 mg/kg of body weight, for a total of 3 times.

3. Do a good job of disinfection: Ear mange is a disease caused by pathogens, so in order to thoroughly eliminate pathogens in the environment, cut off transmission routes, and prevent continuous spread. Spray with 1% trichlorfon once a week for 3 consecutive weeks; thoroughly disinfect disease-free rabbits 2 times, and promptly and thoroughly clean up rabbit excrement, rabbit hair, leftover feed, and so on.

4. Enhance resistance: Ear mange occurs mostly in individuals with weaker constitutions and low resistance. Therefore, in the daily feeding by farmers, attention should be paid to increasing the rabbits' vitamin intake, feeding green fodder and complete feed together, so as to improve the rabbits' immunity.