Domestic Rabbits Diseases and Parasites
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Archival Copy. For current information, see the OSU Extension Catalog:https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu PNW 310-E • Revised January 2008 DOMESTIC RABBITS DISEASES AND PARASITES A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication Oregon • Idaho • Washington Archival Copy. For current information, see the OSU Extension Catalog:https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu Contents Factors in disease prevention Fungal diseases ......................................18 and control ................................................ 4 Parasitic diseases .................................19 Body soundness and livability .....................4 Adequate nutrition .....................................4 Prevention and control .............................19 Suitable environment .................................4 External parasites ......................................20 Prevention, eradication, and control Ear mites ............................................20 of transmissible diseases ..............................5 Fur mites ............................................20 Sanitation program ...............................5 Cuterebrid flies ...................................20 Disinfection .........................................6 Fleas and ticks ....................................21 Practices to maintain health and Internal parasites ......................................21 prevent disease ............................................7 Coccidiosis .........................................21 Encephalitozoonosis ...........................22 Bacterial diseases ................................... 7 Toxoplasmosis ....................................23 Pasteurellosis ..............................................7 Roundworms......................................23 Rhinitis (snuffles) .................................7 Tapeworms .........................................24 Pneumonia ...........................................8 Nutritional diseases .............................25 Pyometra ..............................................8 Orchitis ................................................9 Pregnancy toxemia ...................................25 Otitis media .........................................9 Vitamin A deficiency ................................25 Subcutaneous abscesses .........................9 Vitamin E deficiency ................................25 Septicemia ............................................9 Hereditary diseases ..............................26 Enteritis .....................................................9 Glaucoma .................................................26 Enterotoxemia ......................................9 Malocclusion ............................................26 Mucoid enteropathy ...........................10 Splay leg and ataxia ..................................26 Tyzzer’s disease ...................................10 Coccidiosis .........................................11 Miscellaneous ..........................................27 Listeriosis .................................................11 Cannibalism .............................................27 Necrobacillosis .........................................11 Heat prostration .......................................27 Salmonellosis ............................................12 Broken back .............................................27 Staphylococcosis .......................................12 Sore hocks ................................................28 Mastitis ..............................................13 Tumors .....................................................28 Conjunctivitis (weepy eye) .................13 Fur eating and hairballs ............................28 Treponematosis (vent disease) ...................13 Coprophagy .............................................29 Hutch burn ..............................................14 Yellow fat .................................................29 Pseudotuberculosis ...................................14 Winter breeding depression ......................29 Tularemia .................................................14 How to pack and ship specimens Viral diseases .........................................15 for laboratory diagnosis ....................29 Myxomatosis ............................................15 Shipping dead animals..............................29 Rabbit pox ...............................................16 Accompanying information ......................30 Fibroma ...................................................16 Herpes virus infection ..............................16 Rabbit papilloma ......................................16 Oral papilloma .........................................16 Viral enteric diseases .................................17 Viral hemorrhagic disease .........................17 2 Archival Copy. For current information, see the OSU Extension Catalog:https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu Domestic Rabbits: Diseases and Parasites N.M. Patton, K.W. Hagen, J.R. Gorham, and R.E. Flatt Domestication of the Euro‑ been improved from the long, Rabbit raising has continued pean rabbit probably occurred in rangy, low‑meat‑yield type to the to be a backyard or part‑time monasteries during the Middle compact, blocky animal of today. business. However, the size of Ages. By the middle of the 17th The offspring of one doe the herds has expanded from a century, rabbits were commonly yield more than 120 pounds of few does to the current average raised in England and continen‑ meat per year, and 200 pounds rabbit herd of 20 does, and it is tal Europe. Oryctolagus cuniculus, per doe is not unlikely in the not uncommon to see herds of one of the more successful mam‑ future. Feed required to pro‑ 300–500 breeding does. mals of the world, is both pro‑ duce 1 pound of meat has been Commercial rabbitries aver‑ lific and adaptable. reduced from about 6 pounds to aging fewer than 30 rabbits per Most of the fancy breeds were 3.5 or 4 pounds. cage per year (sent to market) developed within the past During the past 10 years, the find it very difficult to show a 100 years, and only since the rabbit industry has expanded profit. Typically, the profitable early 1900s have rabbits been considerably. It may not, as yet, commercial number is more raised domestically in the United have reached the popularity it than 40 rabbits per cage per year. States. The first commercial experienced during World As in all facets of agriculture, colonies were started in southern War II. But the nutritional the profits from rabbit raising California. Meat rationing dur‑ qualities of rabbit meat are depend a great deal on manage‑ ing World War II gave the infant making rabbit more acceptable, ment and market. If an area has industry a push. and production is increasing. a steady demand for rabbit meat Today, approximately and a stable processor, the rab‑ 200,000 people are engaged in bit farmer can net a reasonable some phase of the rabbit business profit and add to the family in the United States, and animals income. are produced in every state. Meat processors serving major cities Nephi M. Patton, director emeritus, market more than 10 million Rabbit Research Center, Oregon State University; Karl W. Hagen (deceased), pounds of rabbit meat annually. bacteriologist, and John R. Gorham, Over the years, the breeds have veterinarian, Agricultural Research Ser‑ vice, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pullman, Washington; and Ronald E. Flatt (deceased), veterinarian, Depart‑ ment of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University. Revised in 2007 by John Harkness, professor emeritus, Mississippi State University. This publication is a revision of USDA Agriculture Handbook 490, originally published in 1976. It was prepared with the support and permission of the Agricultural Research Service. 3 Archival Copy. For current information, see the OSU Extension Catalog:https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu The difference between profit from disease—is a better source rabbits. A simple change to a and loss often comes down to of replacement stock than a diet higher in fiber and lower in a person’s ability to master the rabbit that does not show these energy gives adequate growth husbandry and disease control traits. without the risk of enteric techniques necessary for success. Healthy, well‑framed, well‑ disease. The only rabbit that will fleshed mature does producing On the other hand, does need return a profit to its owner is a litters containing from 8–12 live adequate energy for reproduc‑ healthy one. This publication is young, with low mortality at tion, which may not be pro‑ designed to help ranchers recog‑ 8 weeks, good feed conversion, vided by diets extremely high in nize the more common rabbit and high weights are potential fiber. Progressive rabbit raisers diseases and to know when pro‑ sources of breeding stock. Care‑ now feed two diets, one to the fessional advice is needed. Dis‑ fully examine each individual growing fryers and another to eases are classified according to selected for breeding. Look for the producing does. A simple major cause—bacterial, viral, defects and general health, and diet that provides good health, nutritional, hereditary, fungal, eliminate animals that deviate growth, and production is pre‑ and miscellaneous (including from normal. Through rigid ferred but often difficult to find poisoning, tumors, and vices). application of this practice, a because the needs of the various profitable, high‑producing herd classes of rabbits are considerably can be established. different. Factors in