COMMERCIAL RABBIT RAISING 45 



Table 4. — Common ailments oj domestic rabbits — Continued 



Diseases and symptoms 



Skin Mange: Reddened, 

 scaly skin, intense itch- 

 ing and scratching, some 

 loss of fur. 



Favus or Ringworm: Cir- 

 cular patches of scaly 

 skin with red, elevated 

 crusts. Usually starts 

 on head. Fur may 

 break ofif or fall out. 



Sore Hocks: Bruised, in- 

 fected, or abscessed 

 areas on hocks. May 

 be found on front feet 

 in severe cases. Animal 

 shifts weight to front 

 feet to help hocks. 



Urine- Hutch Burn: In 

 flammation of external 

 sex organs and anus. 

 Area may form crusts 

 and bleed and, if severe- 

 ly infected, pus will be 

 produced. 



Spirochetosis or Vent Dis- 

 ease: Similar lesions as 

 produced by urine or 

 hutch burn. Raw le 

 sions or scabs appear on 

 sex organs; transmitted 

 by mating. 



Conjunctivitis or Weepy 

 Eye: Inflammation of 

 the eyelids; discharge 

 may be thin and watery 

 or thick and purulent. 

 Fur around the eye may 

 become wet and mat- 

 ted. 



Mites (Cheyletiella para- 

 sitivorax (rabbit fur 

 mite) and Sarcoptes 

 scabiei (scabies or itch 

 mite) ,) 



Fungus (Trichophyton, 

 and Microsporum) . 



Bruised or chafed areas 

 become infected. 

 Caused by wet floors, 

 irritation from wire or 

 nervous "stompers." 



Bacterial mfection of the 

 membranes. 



Spirochete (Treponema 

 cuniculi) . 



Bacterial infection of the 

 eyelids; also may be 

 due to irritation from 

 smoke, dust, sprays, 

 or fumes. 



Treatment and control 



Dip entire animal in a 1.75 

 percent lime-sulfur bath 

 (prepared by mixing 

 commercial 30 percent 

 lime-sulfur concentrate, 

 8 oz., laundry detergent, 

 1 tablespoonful, per gal- 

 lon tepid water) . Repeat 

 in 2 weeks if necessary. 

 Rubber gloves advisable. 



Griseofulvin given orally at 

 the rate of 10 milligrams 

 per pound body weight 

 for 14 days. Combine 

 this treatment with dust- 

 ing nest boxes with in- 

 dustrial fungicidal sulfur. 

 Can also be treated with 

 a brand of hexetidine. 

 Apply to infected area 

 for 7 to 14 days. 



Small lesions may be helped 

 by placing animal on lath 

 platform or on ground. 

 Advanced cases are best 

 culled. Medication is 

 temporarily effective. 



Keep hutch floors clean and 

 dry. Pay particular 

 attention to corners where 

 animals urinate. Daily 

 applications of lanolin 

 mav be of benefit. 



Inject intramuscularly 



100,000 units of penicillin. 

 Do not breed until lesions 

 heal. If only a few 

 animals infected, it is 

 easier to cull than treat. 

 Do not loan bucks. 



Early cases may be cleared 

 up with ej'e ointments, 

 argyrol, yellow oxide of 

 mercury, or antibiotic. 

 A combination of 400,000 

 units of penicillin com- 

 bined with y2 gr. strepto- 

 mycin to each 2 ml. 

 For eye infections drop 

 directly into eye. Pro- 

 tect animals from air- 

 borne irritants. 



