Category:Enteropathies - Rabbit

This article is still under construction.

Bacterial enteropathies should really be regarded as "overgrowths".

Clostridial Diseases - Rabbit

Colibacillosis - Rabbit

Tyzzer's disease

Salmonellosis

This article is still under construction.

Salmonellosis is due to Salmonella typhimurium which has been recorded as manifesting a severe enteritis in baby rabbits. Clinical signs include depression, fever, +/- diarrhoea, abortion (Okerman 1994). Salmonellosis is a zoonosis.

Pseudotuberculosis

This article is still under construction.

(syn: rodentiosis) Pseudotuberculosis is not just a condition of the gastrointestinal tract. Infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis as a result of direct or indirect contact with infected rodents or wild birds is encountered occasionally. The provision of freshly gathered wild plants or unwashed vegetables must be considered as a source of infection. Clinical signs include cachexia with an enlarged spleen being detected on abdominal palpation. Diagnosis is usually made on post-mortem examination, the organism being isolated from the typical lesions - necrotic foci in the lymphoid tissue of the spleen, caecum and ileo-caecal. Treatment and prevention of spread of the infection to contact animals is by the use of oral fluoroquinolones. Further prevention is via rodent control.

Synopsis of treatment for enterotoxaemia and bacterial enteritis

This article is still under construction.

• Warmth up to 27°C
• Fluid therapy
  • Hartmann’s is probably better than dextrose-containing fluids (Clostridial toxins “feed” on monosaccharides)
  • intravenous or intraosseous.
  • maintenance = 100ml/kg/day
• Analgesia
  • buprenorphine
  • butorphanol
  • carprofen
• Cholestyramine resin (Questran, Bristol-Myers Pharmaceuticals) - rabbit must be well-hydrated because the same chain of events occur when ispaghula husk (psyllium) is given to rabbits (see anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract).
• Antibiotics are indicated if it is a true bacterial enteritis but should be avoided if Salmonbella sp. is isolated.
• Probiotics. Lactobacillus spp are claimed to attach to mucosa and compete with pathogenic bacteria.
• Transfaunation
  • Caecotrophs collected from a healthy rabbit
  • Elizabethan collars
  • Fed whole to maintain the protective mucus coating
• Rabbits with diarrhoea should never be starved
  • Ad lib hay and leafy greens. Dandelions, parsley, freshly pulled (not cut) grass and groundsel
  • Assisted feeding – commercial high fibre products for herbivores are available (eg). Most rabbits will accept food orally may be necessary.
  • Vitamin C may be of use in limiting the absorption of iota toxins and improving mucosal integrity
  • Oxbow Critical care for herbivores,
  • Supreme Recovery Diet via a syringe or nasogastric intubation

References

• Bell, J. C., Palmer, S. R. and Payne, J. M. (1988). The Zoonoses. Edward Arnold, London. ISBN 0-7131-4561-7
• Carman, R. J. (1994) Clostridial enteropathies of rabbits. Journal of Small Exotic Animal Medicine. 2 (4), 179-181
• Okerman, L. (1994) Diseases of Domestic Rabbits. Blackwell Scientific Publications ISBN 0-632-03804 -7. 2nd Edition
• Walden, N. B. (1990) Rabbits - A Compendium. The T.G. Hungerford Vade Mecum Series for Domestic Animals. Series C Number 13 Published by the University of Sydney Post Graduate Foundation In Veterinary Science March 1990 ISBN 0909973 80 6 ISN 0812 0048