Pets are subject to attacks of various small parasites. These include fleas, which are capable of striking not only cats and dogs, chickens, sheep, but also rabbits. A flea is a blood sucking parasite that can tolerate various diseases.
This article will discuss how to display these bloodsuckers in rabbits and about preventive measures.
Do rabbits have fleas
Unfortunately, rabbits are subject to this misfortune just like other animals, but they very poorly tolerate these parasites. Ears strike entire colonies of fleas that are found in two subtypes. Some are only in rabbits, and the second - also in felines. Fleas bite pets, and the bite begins to itch, which leads to the formation of wounds.
Before you start the fight against this scourge, you need to know what this parasite looks like. It is a small insect of up to 5 mm in size, and its color can vary from dark brown to black.
The shape of the body is slightly flattened at the sides. Throughout the calf there are small scales that allow you to lock in the hair of pets. When a flea drinks blood, its abdomen expands and can hold up to 10 ml of blood. This parasite moves with the help of three pairs of powerful and strong paws, which allow it to jump up to 30 cm in height.
Did you know? A flea can be in a frozen state for up to a year, and after defrosting it is capable of not only infecting pets, but also actively reproduce.These pests can live for more than three months. Their colonies grow very quickly, as one female is able to lay about 50 eggs per day, and she does this both on the surface of upholstered furniture and on the carpet. Infection occurs when a rabbit touches its coat with an infected surface.
To determine the presence of the parasite is possible by dried pieces of blood on the fur of the animal
Biting the eared animal, the flea injects saliva, which prevents blood from clotting. It is at this moment that the animal is infected with dangerous diseases, for example, myxomatosis.
Are people dangerous?
Fleas are able to carry such dangerous diseases as typhoid, plague, salmonellosis, Siberian plague and other diseases. If there are pets that have these parasites live in the dog, then the person needs to be on his guard. Although they are not able to live on a person, however, they can feed on his blood when they are deficient in nutrition.
Important! A flea bite in a person can cause a strong allergic reaction, as well as cause serious complications that can be fatal.
So, a flea can live up to 60 days without food. In rare cases, parasites feed on human blood; children are often susceptible to their attacks, because these pests can calmly bite through their thin skin.
What diseases cause
Fleas affect the eared in the area of the withers or spine. The most dangerous are diseases such as UHD, purulent conjunctivitis and myxomatosis. Consider each ailment in more detail.
Myxomatosis
This is a dangerous viral disease that can be fatal if you do not promptly seek treatment from a veterinarian. The disease is spread by blood-sucking insects (for example, through the bite of a flea or a mosquito) or from a sick individual to a healthy one (sexually or by airborne droplets).
The disease is manifested by the following symptoms:
- redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes;
- decreased activity in the animal;
- lack of appetite;
- redness around the eyes;
- nodular lesions on the head, ears and around the eyes (at a later stage of the disease, they appear on other parts of the body);
- temperature increase up to + 40-41 ° С;
- swelling of the head, back and genitals.
Important! Myxomatosis virus can exist on a dead carcass for up to 2 weeks. To neutralize it, dead animals are necessarily burned.An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian who, during examination, takes a biomaterial for analysis. To do this, use the affected skin.
VGBK
Viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits (UHD) - A dangerous disease that very quickly affects the entire body of the animal. With the late detection and treatment of the virus can be fatal, not only the sick individual, but the entire brood.
The disease has 2 different forms: acute and chronic. The second is manifested due to inadequate care of animals, in the process of feeding, and acute - as a result of contact with a sick individual or during transportation, contact with cattle.
Get acquainted with the diseases of rabbits, methods of their treatment and prevention.
The virus is able to live for a month in manure or up to 3 months in the carcass of a dead rabbit.
Symptoms of the acute form of the disease:
- weakness and immobility of the animal;
- high temperature (+ 40-41 ° С);
- lung damage;
- bleeding from the mouth;
- tachycardia;
- lack of appetite;
- diarrhea.
Carcasses of rabbits who died from the disease
In the chronic stage, UHD appears as conjunctivitis, rhinitis, anus bleeding, pneumonia, and blue lips.
VGBV virus, getting into the bloodstream, very quickly spreads throughout the body, affecting the lymph nodes, liver, spleen. As a result of its impact, the walls of the vessels begin to break down, bleeding occurs in the eyes, bleeding opens, and the heart is unable to participate in the blood circulation process.
Important! Rabbits that have had VGBK, can not be used for further breeding, because they lack immunity.
When the first signs of the disease show up, you must show your pet as soon as possible to the veterinarian who can accurately establish the diagnosis. To do this, a blood sample is taken from a heart from a patient, a differential diagnosis is made.
Rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease - autopsy
Conjunctivitis with pus
Conjunctivitis - This is a disease that manifests itself as redness and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye. The cause of the disease can be either mechanical or chemical stimuli, or infections or vitamin A deficiency.
Symptoms:
- eye redness;
- the appearance of puffiness;
- purulent discharge;
- tearing;
- sour eyes;
- allergic reaction.
Learn how to contain, what to feed, how to deal, how to determine sukrololnost, when to set aside rabbits from a rabbit, how to hammer a rabbit, how to make a rabbit skin.
If you do not treat the disease, the animal may go blind. In addition, the purulent form is accompanied by abundant hair loss around the eyes. Independently you can make a regular eye wash (decoction of chamomile), but do not neglect the advice of a doctor who can prescribe drugs that affect pathogenic microorganisms.
Purulent conjunctivitis in rabbits
Flea symptoms
Observing the behavior of rabbits, it is possible to determine whether there are blood-sucking parasites on them. Symptoms that indicate fleas are as follows:
- pet bites itself strongly, while making screaming sounds;
- the presence of eggs, larvae or dead individuals;
- redness of the skin and itching.
Since parasites are contagious, familiarize yourself with flea control in chickens.For additional examination of the animal, a special comb is often used, with the help of which the parasites, their larvae and eggs are combed out. It is best to use white paper for this, on which it will be easy to detect small vampires.
Without treatment, anemia can develop in rabbits.
Ways of breeding
In the pet stores for sale there are various drugs that in the shortest possible time can save the rabbit from fleas. Such products include drops, solutions and shampoos.
Did you know? At the court of the French king Louis XIV, a special position was introduced - page for catching fleas.
Drops
In the fight against fleas, such drops as Advantage showed themselves well. Some vets also prescribe "Frontline", which is used only as a spray. For processing, this tool is sprayed at a distance of 30 cm from the rabbit hair, in the calculation of 1 press per 1 kg of live weight.
Spray Front Line should be watered slightly with animal hair.
Drops "Advantage" proved to be a highly effective means of fleas. So, after one treatment, 98-100% of fleas die within 12 hours. In this case, the destruction occurs not only adult parasites, but also their larvae and eggs die. After a single treatment, "Advanceage" retains its effect for 4 weeks. This tool is safe for both animals and humans.
For processing rabbits whose weight does not exceed 4 kg, use "Advantage 40", and for heavier ones - "Advantage 80". Apply the product to the neck area at the base of the skull, directly on the skin of the animal. The contents of the pipette are completely squeezed onto the skin that is not damaged. After application, care must be taken that the rabbits do not lick each other.
Important! Drops "Advantage" is prohibited to use for rabbits, whose age has not reached 10 weeks, as well as for animals raised for human consumption.To increase efficiency, it is forbidden to bathe rabbits within 48 hours from the time of treatment, and a month later it is necessary to re-treat animals.
Shampoo
Shampoos, such as "Bolfo" and "Neguvon" can be used to remove fleas in rabbits. During processing, it is necessary to accurately determine the dosage. For example, "Neguvon" is diluted in such a concentration: 15 g per 1.5 l of water, and the animal is washed with this solution.
Shampoo "Bolfo" is used in a ratio of 0.5-1.0 ml per 1 kg of live weight. The tool is carefully distributed throughout the body of the animal and carefully, massage actions, rubbed into the skin.
Find out what and how to feed a rabbit without a rabbit.
When applying it is necessary to ensure that the shampoo does not get into the eyes of the rabbit, which can cause damage to the mucous membrane. 10-15 minutes after application, the shampoo is washed off with plenty of warm water. Re-processing is performed after the detection of parasites in 7-10 days after primary processing.
Insecticidal solution
To control fleas, Bromocyclen insecticidal solution can be used. This tool is diluted in a ratio of 0.005 ml per 1 liter of water, the result is a 0.5% solution. It is distributed throughout the skin of the animal and left for 10-15 minutes, then thoroughly washed with plenty of water. The course of treatment is repeated 2-3 times with a frequency of 8 days.
What else can be used against fleas
You can also use a collar as a means of controlling fleas, however, it should be borne in mind that toxic substances are used during its production.
The collar can show its effectiveness while walking. In this case, he is able to scare away new parasites, however, immediately upon returning from a walk, he is recommended to be removed.
Important! The collar from fleas is forbidden to use for rabbits whose age has not reached 4 months.
Preventive measures
Preventive measures will help protect rabbits from blood-sucking parasites.
These include:
- regular inspection of the animal's hair;
- bathing with flea shampoos;
- vaccination against these parasites;
- general cleaning of the dwelling.
Learn how to make cages, feeders, drinkers for rabbits.
Particular attention in its content should be paid not only to the fight against fleas, but also to the prevention of their appearance, because these parasites are dangerous carriers of many diseases.
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