Health Checks
You can help to maintain your pets’ good health by learning to do
some simple health checks every week. These will help you to spot any
problems early so you can get treatment in good time – and this regular
handling will strengthen the bond between you.
A vital part of the health check is getting to know your rabbits.
Like people, they’re all different, so if you become familiar with the
way yours move, react and feed, you will find it easier to spot when
something is wrong.
Make sure your pets are relaxed, comfortable and willing to be
handled when you carry out these checks – an Excel Nature Snack may help
and if your rabbits are unwell, always contact your vet.
Ears – Gently look inside to see if they’re free from mites and fleas, which can carry diseases.
Eyes – They should be clear, shiny, not swollen and
free from discharge. Dampness or dull or swollen eyes can be symptoms of
illness which may lead to blindness.
Teeth – Check to see there is no excessive drooling.
Be careful, rabbits may bite if they’re not comfortable with their
mouths being examined.
Bottom – Make sure it’s clean and not sticky or wet,
which can be a sign of poor diet or malnutrition. Any droppings
attached to the fur should be washed off.
Feet – Make sure the feet haven’t been injured and check that their claws haven’t overgrown.
Fur – see that there are no bald patches, no signs of mites or fleas and no signs of injury.
Infectious diseases
There are two main vaccinations and some simple preventative measures
to keep your pets free from infectious diseases. You should ask your
vet for more details and always keep up to date with vaccinations.
Here’s a brief guide to the four main infectious diseases. But if you
are in any doubt whatsoever, it is vital that you consult your vet as
soon as possible.
Myxomatosis – this disease spreads via blood-sucking
insects, like fleas. Even house rabbits are not immune, because the
disease can be spread by mosquitoes.
- Symptoms – Swellings around the head, face, ears, lips and anus.
- Effects – Blindness, swelling around the face, disorientation, death.
- Action – Rabbits must be vaccinated. See your vet for more details.
Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) – a very serious
condition which causes internal bleeding and shut down of internal
organs. This disease kills – and there is no cure.
- Symptoms – depression, collapse, difficulty in breathing, convulsions, high body temperature, lethargy, bleeding from the nose.
- Effects – death.
- Action – rabbits must be vaccinated. See your vet for more details.
Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi) – a microscopic parasite which affects many internal organs like the kidneys and brain.
- Symptoms – As the parasite acts internally, symptoms are
manifestations of the internal organs being attacked. Increasing thirst
and weight loss, convulsions, tremors, hind limb weakness, coma, loss of
balance, urinary incontinence.
- Effects – Seizures, kidney disease, hind limb weakness, loss of vision and balance.
- Action – There are preventative treatments available. See your vet for more details.
Flystrike – a disease which occurs when flies lay their eggs around the rabbit’s anus.
- Symptoms – droppings stuck around the bottom (that attract flies), diarrhoea can also be a precursor, wounds around the bottom.
- Effects – The eggs hatch into maggots which mature and burrow under
the skin making the rabbit extremely ill. Can be fatal. Pets most at
risk at are those suffering from obesity, dental disease, diarrhoea,
arthritis and skin wounds and those living in dirty hutches. The
majority of cases are due to flies being attracted to droppings or
diarrhoea stuck to the rabbits bottom caused by poor diet.
- Action – There are preventative treatments available. See your vet
for more details. However, a good diet of Excel Herbage and Tasty
Nuggets taken according to The Excel Feeding Plan, can help to prevent
obesity, dental disease and diarrhoea and guard against fly strike. Good
hygiene is also vital.
Problems caused by poor diet
There are two major problem areas which can be avoided with a good diet, plenty of exercise and regular health checks.
Dental problems –Problems like these generally
develop because rabbits aren’t eating enough hay, which is a fibre-rich
food that helps to wear down the teeth.
- Symptoms – Excessive drooling and loss of appetite.
- Effects A rabbit’s teeth will continue to grow around 10-12cm a year
all its life. Vets say that three-quarters of the rabbits they see have
problems with their teeth – the most common problem being overgrown
molars and spurs which can cause extreme pain.
- Action – Check your pets’ teeth on a weekly basis but you must visit
the vet for a dental check every six month as you will be unable to
check their back teeth.
Obesity – Rabbits kept as pets are much less active than those which live in the wild, so being overweight is always a risk.
- Symptoms – Sticky droppings (caecotrophs) that haven’t been eaten, dirty bottoms, ‘bed sores’ on hind legs
- Effects – Obesity puts pressure on the heart and joints, can create
‘bed sores’ on the hind legs and may shorten your rabbit’s life. Some
obese animals find it hard to clean themselves, which can lead to
flystrike. If they can’t reach their bottoms they can’t re-ingest
caecotrophs – the sticky droppings they need to eat as an essential aid
to survival.
- Action – Prevention is better than cure, so ask your vet about your
rabbits’ ideal weight. Weigh them regularly to make sure they fall into
their target weight. All rabbits, but especially those which spend most
of their time in hutches, should have as much exercise as possible.
If your rabbits do become overweight, see your vet for advice. A
calorie-controlled food, such as Excel Light Tasty Nuggets, may be
suggested. Never withhold food from your rabbits – they must have some
fibre in their digestive systems at all times or else they are at risk
of chronic constipation which can be fatal.
http://www.burgesspetcare.com/your-pet/rabbits/caring-for-your-rabbit/
No comments:
Post a Comment