The main causes of diarrhea in rabbits and how to treat at home
The appearance of diarrhea in a rabbit is due to the influence of a variety of factors. These include infectious pathologies, helminthic infestations, food poisoning. Also, changes in diet, stress factors, and violations of conditions of detention become the cause of problems. To eliminate violations, it is necessary to establish the causes of their occurrence. To prevent diarrhea, you need to vaccinate in a timely manner.
Causes of liquid feces
Currently, food poisoning is considered the main and most common cause of diarrhea. It can be associated with feeding the animals with poor quality products. Also a common mistake of breeders is the use of wet greens. But there are also other violations.
Infectious diseases
Many of the bacteria that cause diarrhea in animals normally live in the intestines. They take part in the processing of feed. However, with a decrease in immunity, microorganisms become pathogenic. The following factors lead to this:
- change of feed;
- use of substandard products;
- containment violations - low temperature or high humidity;
- stress factors - especially important for a decorative rabbit;
- secondary infections that appear as a result of invasion.
The occurrence of diarrhea may be associated with insufficient chewing of food in the presence of infectious stomatitis. This is a serious viral pathology that occurs at any time of the year and quickly affects all livestock. Stomatitis is accompanied by reddening of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a white coating. They gradually turn brown. Ulcerative defects lead to loss of appetite.
Baby rabbits and pregnant females can suffer from salmonellosis. Infection is possible through feed. It is also carried by birds and rodents. With the development of pathology in animals, exhaustion and diarrhea are observed.
Helminths and protozoa
Many parasites live in the intestines of rabbits. The maximum harm is caused by worms that affect the liver, bile ducts, and pancreas. They also often affect the mucous membranes of the digestive organs. This provokes indigestion and prevents the absorption of food and water molecules.
Single-celled organisms are capable of provoking coccidiosis. With this disease, diarrhea is observed. Also, animals suffer from flatulence, exhaustion, loss of appetite, wool pollution. Mass death of animals is often observed.
Another helminthic infection that domestic rodents are susceptible to is passalurosis.At the same time, in animals, pronounced itching is observed in the anal area. Rabbits become infected when they eat contaminated feed. If sanitary standards are not observed, there is a risk of damage to the entire livestock.
The larvae of the cestode Cysticercus pisiformus provoke the appearance of cysticercosis. In this case, the internal organs are covered with bubbles. In addition to diarrhea, rabbits suffer from decreased appetite and are quickly emaciated. Pathology leads to massive deaths - especially among young rabbits.
Non-infectious pathologies
The cause of problems can be irregularities in the diet, a sudden change in diet, the use of spoiled foods. All these factors provoke inflammation of the mucous membranes of the intestines and stomach. Pets should not be given frozen root vegetables that are covered in dirt or mold. It is recommended to dry fresh grass at first.
It is important to change the diet of animals gradually. The rabbit needs to adapt to the new food. In this case, the daily volume should be increased smoothly. Often the so-called burnt grass, which was piled up in a dense heap, becomes a provoking factor. Such food provokes indigestion, which is accompanied by diarrhea.
First aid
If diarrhea occurs, the rabbit should be immediately isolated from the herd. This will prevent the spread of an infectious disease. During this period, you should certainly clean the fur from the remains of feces and give the rabbit clean water or chamomile broth.
A sick rabbit must have access to water. This will help prevent dehydration, which is often fatal.
Then you should try to independently identify the provoking factors of loose stools. If the faeces contain mucus, blood, or their color changes, and the rabbit does not eat, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. Such symptoms indicate the appearance of an infection. It can be viral or bacterial.
How and how to treat diarrhea in a rabbit
You need to start therapy only after consulting a doctor. As a rule, medicines and folk recipes are used for diarrhea.
Pharmacy preparations
For the treatment of animals at home, you can give the following funds:
- Linex. The drug helps to improve the intestinal microflora and cope with flatulence. It is recommended that adult animals be given half a capsule of the medicine twice a day.
- Activated carbon. The composition helps with flatulence and food poisoning. The tablet must first be crushed and added to the feed.
- Baycox. The remedy is used for infections. To do this, mix 1 liter of water with 1 small spoonful of the product and let the rabbit drink the resulting solution throughout the day.
Traditional methods of treatment
At home, you can make effective folk compositions:
- Chamomile. Take 1 large spoonful of herbs, mix with a glass of boiling water and leave for a quarter of an hour. Strain and give the resulting solution three times a day, 1 large spoon.
- Bloodroot. Take 1 large spoonful of dried herbs and mix with a glass of boiling water. Insist for 20 minutes. Give the rabbit 1 small spoon three times a day.
- Oak bark. It is recommended to introduce a decoction from this product into clean drinking water. This will help keep your body hydrated.
Special diet for sick rabbits
If diarrhea occurs, it is recommended to make adjustments to the diet. It is important to provide the pet with hay and control its access to water. It is also permissible to introduce anti-worm agents into the drinker.
It is recommended to remove juicy food, protein foods, flour, fatty foods from the diet.The diet should contain a lot of oats and compound feed, which includes useful elements. In this case, chemical additives should be abandoned. Doctors advise giving rabbits astringent herbs. These include bitter wormwood and burdock. It is also permissible to use yarrow.
If you refuse to drink, there is a risk of death of animals from dehydration. In this case, the rabbits have to be forcibly watered using a disposable syringe. It is also permissible to inject saline by injection. Such injections are performed 2-4 times a day.
Diarrhea prevention measures
To prevent diarrhea, animals should be vaccinated in a timely manner. Vaccinations should be given to young animals at the time of weaning. For the first time, the procedure is performed 30-40 days after birth. Many vaccines for frequent infections have to be given 9-12 months apart.
To avoid poisoning and infection of animals, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Balance your diet. The food should contain a lot of carbohydrates, a minimum amount of fat and protein.
- When buying, consider the composition of the feed and the quality of the cereals.
- Don't give your rabbit lots of vegetables and fruits.
- Greens should be washed and dried before feeding animals. It is best to use dried grass.
Overcrowded cells and indoor pollution are the reason for the active spread of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, it is recommended to change the litter at intervals of 2-3 days. Antimicrobial sanitization, which must be performed every 2 weeks, is of no small importance.
Rabbits are more susceptible to intestinal problems. To improve the bacterial microflora of the stomach, it is recommended to give the cubs "Biomycin". Also, the use of plants with a high fiber content will be the prevention of diarrhea.
Diarrhea in rabbits can be caused by a variety of factors. The causes of problems include infections, violations of conditions of detention, and helminth infections. To cope with diseases, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian in a timely manner and strictly follow his recommendations.
