Why does the rabbit have a very wet nose? Wet face in a rabbit and methods of treating this disease

Content:

Wet face in a rabbit (bite, woodlice) is an inflammation of the oral mucosa in baby rabbits, young or adult rabbits, which occurs due to excessive salivation, which leads to wet fur on the nose, near the mouth and even on the sternum. Constant salivation over time leads to the development of an acute inflammatory process in the superficial structures of the dermis, which is provoked by constant irritation of the epidermis.

Main reasons

A constantly wet muzzle in young rabbits and young animals is a characteristic sign of a disease such as midge or viral stomatitis. The causative agent of the infection is a filter virus.

As a rule, the disease is diagnosed in small rabbits aged 1–3 months. At the same time, biting midge is also found in young rabbits at an older age.

Important! Rabbits of all breeds suffer from viral stomatitis (woodlice). The disease is not seasonal, so outbreaks of infection occur at any time of the year. But rabbits suffer most from woodlice in spring and summer. This is explained by an increase in the number of young animals, weakened immunity.

Among the predisposing factors that contribute to infection are:

  • unfavorable conditions of detention;
  • hypo-, avitaminosis;
  • large crowding of animals;
  • high humidity, drafts, sudden temperature changes;
  • decreased immunity, resistance;
  • autoimmune diseases of rabbits;
  • frequent stress;
  • mating of infected individuals with healthy ones.

Stomatitis can be of bacterial, traumatic, or non-viral origin. Often the disease develops against the background of other diseases, severe helminthic infestation or due to improperly overgrown teeth.

A viral infection spreads quite quickly. Infection occurs directly through contact. The carrier of the infection can be a mother rabbit, who transmits the virus to her rabbits through milk or blood during fetal development, as well as latent virus carriers and rabbits that have recovered from woodlice.

If the disease is not treated, biting midge can cause the death of the entire livestock. The infection spreads quite quickly.

Symptoms of infectious stomatitis

Viral stomatitis in rabbits occurs in mild and severe forms. The manifestation of symptoms depends on age, physiological and individual characteristics of the body, and immune potential.

In mild forms, biting midge is practically asymptomatic. The disease often goes away on its own without any treatment after 2–4 days. Small ulcers are visible on the muzzle, lips, and hairless areas of the body. The fur becomes wet on the face. Saliva is released only from the corners of the mouth. A white coating appears on both sides of the muzzle. The tongue turns white, the nose becomes warm and soft. At the same time, unlike a severe form of infection, the ulcers are not so deep and do not itch much. Appetite is normal or slightly reduced. In general, the rabbits remain active and mobile.

If the infection is severe, if treatment is not started, the biting midge will die within two weeks.

  • constantly wet face, chest;
  • profuse salivation (secretion of foamy saliva);
  • loss of appetite, refusal to feed;
  • the presence of ulcers in the oral cavity;
  • weight loss;
  • inflammation of the oral mucosa;
  • severe exhaustion;
  • glued wet fur on the neck, muzzle, sternum;
  • uncontrolled diarrhea.

Important! Against the background of this infection, rabbits are susceptible to other diseases due to a severe weakening of their immune potential.

Sick rabbits have swollen tongues. There are noticeable ulcers and multiple ulcerations on it. The rabbit constantly rubs its face with its paws and experiences severe pain and discomfort. The condition of the coat deteriorates. Animals with wet faces look emaciated and take on an unkempt appearance. The wool falls out and sticks together. Wounds and scratch marks appear on the body. As the disease progresses, the inflammatory process covers the gastrointestinal tract of animals.

Midge can occur in rabbits in an atypical form, which is characterized by slight inflammation. The rabbit's muzzle and chin do not get very wet. The appetite is preserved, the condition of the animals is stable. The infection clears up in 2–3 days.

Treatment

It is possible to cure infectious stomatitis, but this must be done as soon as the first symptoms characteristic of this infection appear. The earlier therapy is started, the greater the chances of a favorable outcome. If the rabbit has a wet face, a veterinarian will prescribe treatment.

Before starting treatment, place the sick animal in a separate cage and isolate it from other animals. In the treatment of infectious stomatitis, medications for general and external use are used, listed below.

  • 2% aqueous solution of copper sulfate. Douche the oral cavity, lubricate wounds and ulcers 1-2 times a day.
  • Potassium permanganate solution (potassium permanganate). You can douche with a 15% solution daily until complete recovery. Treat affected areas of the body with potassium permanganate. The potassium permanganate solution should have an average concentration.
  • White streptocide powder. Pour 0.2 grams into the baby rabbit's mouth for 2–3 days.
  • Biomycin. Place 0.02 g in the mouth.
  • Sulfadimezin. Instill 0.2 g. into the oral cavity for 3–4 days.
  • Spray Lugol. The oral cavity is irrigated three times a day.
  • Penicillin ointment, lanolin, white neutral petroleum jelly. The oral cavity is treated twice a day.

A sick rabbit is prescribed complex antiviral, antibacterial drugs, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. 20–30 thousand units of penicillin are administered subcutaneously or 40–50 thousand units intramuscularly at a time.

With this disease, Apidermin, which contains propolis, honey, pollen, and extracts of medicinal plants, helps well. The medicine improves immunity, accelerates regeneration processes, promotes rapid healing, and has an antiseptic and wound-healing effect. Apidermin can also be used in rabbits for prophylactic purposes.

In the treatment of biting midge, immunomodulators are also used to strengthen the body's defenses, vitamin and mineral complexes, and supplements. To normalize the intestinal microflora after antibiotic therapy, rabbits are prescribed enzyme agents and probiotics (Vetom, Lakoferon).

It is worth noting that treatment of severe forms should be carried out under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. Treat your rabbits following all your veterinarian's recommendations.

Prevention

To prevent rabbits from becoming infected with biting midges, it is very important to follow sanitary and hygienic standards and rules. Keep the cages clean and disinfect the premises where rabbits are kept. Do not allow baby rabbits to come into contact with other animals and birds.

Do not neglect preventive vaccinations. Deworm rabbits several times a year using complex anthelmintic agents. To strengthen the immune system, animals need to be given complex vitamin and mineral preparations and premixes. Control the quality of feed.

Advice! As an additional preventive measure, experienced farmers recommend adding 5 ml of iodine tincture per 10 liters of water to drinking water for rabbits.

After purchasing new individuals, keep them in quarantine for some time in separate cages.

Rabbits that have recovered from viral stomatitis are discarded and not allowed for breeding.

When you notice the first signs of biting midge, invite a veterinarian for treatment. With timely prescribed treatment, the prognosis is generally favorable.

HOW IS RABBIT WET MUZZLE DISEASE TREATED? Rabbit wet face disease is quite common. If your furry pet has fluid on its face, then you should know that this is the first sign of a serious midge disease. Such a problem as biting midge and methods of combating it should be known to all rabbit owners, and especially to those who have just started breeding. Therefore, we will consider in more detail the symptoms of this disease, methods of treatment and prevention. Blob is a rabbit stomatitis caused by a viral disease. This disease affects rabbits from 1 to 3 months. It is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue, frequent salivation and a wet nose.

Rabbits suffer from infectious stomatitis for up to several months; characteristic signs are a wet nose and profuse salivation. The causative agent is considered to be a filter virus that is contained in the saliva of an animal. The most susceptible are small rabbits that are still being fed by their mother or have just stopped feeding. The most interesting thing is that this disease is seasonal, and the peak of its manifestation is considered to be autumn and spring. The spread of the disease is explained by the fact that there is an increase in young animals, weakening immunity, and overcrowding in housing. We must not forget that during such seasons there are temperature fluctuations, increased air humidity and heavy precipitation. Stages of woodlice manifestation

Infectious stomatitis in rabbits occurs when feeding occurs in the nest. At the moment when a person separates them from the mother to the rest of the rabbits, the number of sick people increases significantly. If the owner does not pay attention to the problem in time and does not give injections, then in two weeks almost the entire offspring will be destroyed. The initial stage of woodlice. On the animal, you can notice the appearance of redness on the oral mucosa and, in addition, abundant salivation occurs. This symptom occurs after the incubation period, which lasts 2-4 days, is completed. If you look at a rabbit's mouth, you can see a white coating on the tongue, the mucous membranes of the lips and on the sides of the nose. The tongue acquires a white coating and increases in size; after five days, a brown or dirty yellow coating forms. Then this plaque gradually disappears, and small ulcers form in its place, and the color of the tongue becomes gray-red, and a large ulcer forms in the middle. After the first symptoms of woodlice manifest themselves in the oral cavity, strong salivation and drooling begin. In the early stages, saliva flows from the corners of the mouth. Thus, the fur sticks together along the edges of the nose, muzzle and neck. After 2 days, saliva production increases noticeably. An acute form of woodlice leakage. After strong salivation changes to a worsening of the general condition, the sick rabbit becomes inactive, can always be found in the corner of the cage, and there is a feeling that he is constantly chewing something. As for the animal’s appetite, it does not disappear, but the food must be chewed; the rabbit cannot do this, since the process becomes painful. And that's why rabbits always lose weight.

If you look at the saliva, it resembles a white foam that is released along the entire edge of the lips, and there is moistened fur on the lower lip and under the jaw. The animal constantly begins to rub its face and nose, which causes a painful appearance. It is because of these symptoms that the disease got its name woodlice. The worst sign at this stage is uncontrollable diarrhea. If the disease process occurs with unfavorable factors, the rabbit will die within five days from the moment salivation begins. But if the principle of treatment has a beneficial effect on the animal, then complete recovery will occur 12 days after the moment when the change in the oral mucosa occurred. In many rabbits, due to this disease, the hair near the muzzle and nose and in the submandibular area remains stuck together or falls out. Due to the fact that the skin is exposed, ulcers and ulcers form, which subsequently heal for a long time. A mild form of the disease is a wet muzzle. In addition to the above symptoms of the disease, woodlice can occur in a mild form and almost unnoticed. But in this form of the disease there is a moment of damage to the oral cavity, but not as deep as in other forms. At such a moment, saliva flows out in the corners and only for a couple of days. If you look at the appearance of the rabbit, its condition does not change. The nose is warm and a little soft. And another important factor is that rabbits retain their appetite, but become inactive.

Treatment of the disease Treatment of stomatitis or woodlice is carried out orally or using subcutaneous injections. The principle of treatment is as follows:

Firstly, you can use a 2% solution of copper sulfate. Using this solution, the oral cavity is wiped or douched. This procedure needs to be carried out twice a day. Secondly, a manganese solution is used. To do this, douche every day. Thirdly, you can use white streptocide, which is poured into the mouth 2-3 times a day. Fourthly, you can use Biomycin, which is placed in the mouth at 0.02 grams. Fifthly, they use Sulfadimezin drops, which are instilled into the mouth at 0.2 grams for three days. Sixth, “Penicillin ointment”, which you can make yourself if you take 170 grams of Vaseline, 200 thousand units. penicillin in the amount of 30 grams and 2 grams of sulfonamide. Using this self-prepared ointment, treat your mouth twice a day. Seventh, you can take penicillin and inject it subcutaneously or intramuscularly. If you prefer to use alternative medicine, then you can use a drug such as Apidermin. It contains honey, propolis and pollen. This way you will achieve an excellent preventive effect. This drug has an excellent analgesic effect, it relieves inflammation in a matter of minutes and increases the animal’s immunity, and thereby cell regeneration occurs. The most important thing in the treatment system is that rabbit stomatitis must be treated on time and not wait until the muzzle becomes wet. It is necessary to feed the animal with complete and easily digestible food. It is advisable to feed milk, sour milk, cereals and various mashes. For example, you can make a mash of mixed feed with the addition of potatoes.

Prevention of the disease For preventive purposes, the owner of rabbits is recommended to carry out generally accepted anti-epidemic measures. Examine your rabbits every day, paying special attention to the mouth and nose. If you find sick animals, then immediately isolate them from healthy ones. Cells must be disinfected with a 3% caustic soda solution or a 2% calcium hydroxide solution. For preventive measures, healthy rabbits are given half the dose of medication. You can also give iodized water, that is, dilute 0.5 mg of iodine in one liter of water. A weak solution of manganese is also suitable for such purposes. After two weeks, if the rabbit does not show symptoms of the disease, then it is completely healthy and its meat can be used for food.

Kira Stoletova

What is popularly called “wet muzzle” or “wet muzzle”, veterinarians call infectious stomatitis. Small rabbits are especially susceptible to this disease during the period of feeding with mother's milk or weaning from their mother. In rabbits, wet face disease is transmitted through blood, saliva or urine.

An animal can be a carrier of infection throughout its life. But the activation of the virus occurs due to stress caused by a change in food, the movement of young animals into separate cages, and a change in temperature in the rabbitry.

Symptoms of a wet face in rabbits

A rabbit's wet face is caused by a filter virus that enters the body of a healthy animal through contact with sick relatives.

The spread of the disease in the herd occurs due to errors in the maintenance of recovered individuals. Even if the pet has recovered, it remains a carrier of the virus for the rest of its life. Such individuals are removed from the breeding stock and kept separately from the rest of the herd.

Once in the animal’s body, the virus actively multiplies in the cells of the mucous membrane. Symptoms of the disease progress rapidly:

  • profuse salivation begins;
  • the rabbit's nose becomes wet and mucus comes out of it;
  • the fur on the skin around the nose and mouth thins;
  • the pet looks disheveled and untidy;
  • the mucous membranes of the mouth acquire a bright pink or red tint;
  • weight loss due to decreased appetite;
  • 2-3 days after infection, the tongue becomes covered with a white coating, and then turns brown;
  • in the absence of treatment, the plaque is replaced by groups of ulcers;
  • then one large ulcer forms at the root of the tongue;
  • the skin becomes inflamed;
  • wool falls out in places;
  • diarrhea begins.

There are many videos on the Internet where you can see the symptoms of midge. You need to know what a sick pet looks like.

How to treat rabbits for midge (wet muzzle).

Infectious stomatitis in a rabbit. Wet muzzle. How I treated rabbits

Infectious stamotitis or "wet face"

RESULT OF TREATMENT OF "WET MUZZLE"

9 Wet face

We are trying to treat the “wet face”.

Diseases of rabbits. Wet face or infectious stomatitis

Treatment of the disease "infectious stomatitis" in rabbits.

How to cure midge in a rabbit //Life in the village!!!

Terramycin spray for rabbits

Sometimes excessive salivation occurs due to mechanical damage to the mucous membrane, burns or poisoning. To begin providing timely assistance to the animal, you need to know exactly why the rabbit has a wet face.

Causes

A wet face in rabbits can occur for many reasons, but the main one is poor living conditions:

  • keeping animals too crowded in a small area;
  • dirty cages in which feces are not removed in a timely manner;
  • contaminated drinking bowls and feeders;
  • the presence of drafts in the rabbitry;
  • sudden changes in temperature in the cage;
  • decreased immunity;
  • poor nutrition.

Animals that have recovered from the disease acquire immunity to the disease, but remain carriers of the virus for their entire lives. This is why rabbits get a wet face if you keep healthy rabbits together with sick ones.

Infection occurs in another way. Often, female rabbits who have had biting midge do not have any external signs of the disease, but are carriers of the pathogen. If such females are allowed to breed, the resulting offspring may become infected with the disease from the mother.

For this reason, it is better to buy an adult female from trusted breeders or at livestock shows. The animal must have documents confirming its health and the presence of all vaccinations. Buying males and females secondhand at spontaneous markets or from unverified livestock breeders increases the risk of the entire livestock being affected by the disease.

Forms of infectious stomatitis

A disease in rabbits in which their faces become wet is called infectious stomatitis or midge. It has three forms, differing from each other in the severity of symptoms and the presence of complications:

  • Easy. The animal's appetite does not suffer much, which is why there is no sudden weight loss or weakness. The bowel movements are normal, there is no diarrhea. The behavior of the young animals does not change much. Saliva is released only in the corners of the mouth. This form of stomatitis is often confused with mechanical damage to the oral mucosa. A wet face in rabbits, if treated, goes away within 11-14 days. Most pets survive.
  • Heavy. All symptoms manifest themselves extremely strongly. The animal completely refuses food and water. The muzzle becomes inflamed and covered with purulent abscesses. The oral cavity is completely covered with ulcers, salivation is profuse. Due to severe diarrhea, the animal's body becomes dehydrated. Most often, this form entails the death of the animal 4-5 days from the onset of the disease.
  • Atypical. Symptoms are mild or completely absent. No changes in the animal's behavior are observed. Complete recovery occurs 4-6 days after the onset of stomatitis.

Even after recovery, the pet may look sick for several more weeks until the fur returns to normal and the weight is restored. There is no need to rush to rehome a sick pet with a relative.

If the disease is not completely cured, a relapse is possible, that is, the return of the disease and its exacerbation. Only if you are sure that the pet is completely healthy, you can release it into the general flock.

Treatment of biting midge in rabbits

In order for the animal to survive and recover, treatment of the disease must begin in the first days after infection, as soon as the first symptoms appear. The breeder himself chooses how to treat a rabbit; fortunately, there are enough funds for this on the modern market of veterinary drugs:

  • You can treat the animal with regular pharmaceutical Streptocide. The tablets are ground to form a powder and given to the animal orally every 8 hours. Treatment lasts up to 3-4 days.
  • The antibiotic Biomycin is used. It is usually used to treat cattle, but if there are no options, then it is better than not treating a rabbit at all. It is important to select the amount of medication needed by the animal based on its weight. The drug is given once a day for 2 days.
  • Penicillin injections have also shown good results in treating young rabbits.
  • An effective and inexpensive way to cure a wet chin in a rabbit is Sulfadimezin.

In addition to treating the disease with medications, it is necessary to carry out symptomatic treatment of the disease. This increases the rabbit's chance of recovery:

  • A 15% solution of potassium permanganate should be applied as a lotion to the affected areas of the skin of the face.
  • 2% copper sulfate is used to treat the oral cavity of a sick animal. You need to be very careful to prevent your rabbit from ingesting the solution due to its toxicity.
  • Local application of Streptocide emulsion and Penicillin ointment helps rapid healing of ulcers.
  • At home, you can make an ointment with your own hands to treat baby rabbits. To do this, take petroleum jelly, lanolin, sulfamide and 200 thousand dry penicillin. The ointment is applied to the affected skin.

Rabbits are also prescribed a course of Apidermin to increase immunity and improve tissue regeneration. If the animal is not treated, the disease will worsen and the fluffy will die a painful death.

All drug dosages should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Prevention of viral stomatitis in rabbits

Like any other disease, biting midge is better prevented than treated. If an individual with symptoms of viral stomatitis appears in the herd, it is necessary to resort to measures to prevent the epidemic:

  • Since the disease does not manifest itself during milk feeding, it is necessary to examine the young animals daily after weaning from their mother, up to 4 months of age.
  • When the first signs of biting midge are detected, all individuals must be isolated. You need to think in advance where you can take the rabbits during the quarantine period.
  • After the death or slaughter of infected animals, feeders and drinking bowls must be treated with disinfectants or boiled, if their size allows.
  • It is necessary to promptly remove rabbit feces and prevent animals from eating it. Due to a deficiency of B vitamins, many animals eat their feces to make up for the deficiency.
  • Rabbits that have recovered from the disease are removed from the breeding facility. If the eared cat was bought secondhand or from dubious nurseries, before mating it is necessary to test for the presence of antibodies in the blood.

Nutrition for rabbits during treatment

Due to damage to the oral cavity during illness, the animal cannot eat and drink normally, which complicates the recovery of the body. Your pet should be given soft food:

  • boiled root vegetables;
  • warm milk with bran soaked in it;
  • curdled milk;
  • liquid porridge.

Adequate and high-calorie nutrition during the period of treatment and recovery is the key to a positive outcome of the disease. The transition to a normal diet should be done gradually so as not to cause stress to the rabbits.

Rabbits are lovely pets, but they get sick even with careful care. One of the ailments of this small animal is biting midge. The primary sign of this disease is the animal's wet face. Midling in rabbits is quite severe, so the first symptoms and methods of combating this disease should be known to all owners. Especially for those who are engaged in full-fledged breeding.

Midge is a stomatitis caused by a virus. The mucous membrane of the animals' mouth becomes inflamed, and the fur around the muzzle becomes wet due to frequent secretion of saliva and is constantly wet. The typical age of animals at which they are most often susceptible to the disease is only the first 3 months of life.

The causative agent of biting midge is a filter virus; the disease quickly spreads to the entire litter of small rabbits. It is extremely important to take all measures for treatment.

Midge has two forms: light and heavy. The first is characterized by a painless course of the disease, while the second is dangerous due to the death of the pet. Death occurs within 10 days of infection.

Veterinarians call the disease differently - infectious stomatitis. There are a number of characteristic features that make it several times easier to determine:

  • Rabbits up to 3 months old are susceptible to the disease, while adults have strong immunity;
  • the virus spreads through blood, saliva, urine;
  • biting midge most often appears in autumn and spring, but under poor conditions it can appear at any time of the year;
  • a severe form of the disease occurs if healthy and sick individuals are kept at the same time.

Of course, despite the seasonality, biting midges can appear in summer and winter. This is influenced by quite a few factors: from conditions of detention to temperature fluctuations.

Wet face: reasons

There are many reasons for such features of the disease:

  • in spring and autumn, rabbits give birth;
  • often during this period, animals, like people, have significantly reduced immunity;
  • changes in air temperature;
  • increasing indoor air humidity;
  • small room for a large brood;
  • infected individuals are kept with healthy ones, resulting in sick offspring.

The causes of woodlice are quite obvious and can be easily eliminated with proper and attentive care.

Symptoms

A wet muzzle that appears in rabbits is an alarming signal, although it may be associated with other rabbit diseases. It is important to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms, otherwise there is a high risk of losing all individuals.

Characteristic signs of damage to the brood by woodlice appear 2–3 days after infection. It’s easy enough to miss them; they are not obvious. It is especially difficult to determine if the owner is engaged in breeding - it is not so easy to examine many individuals.

The primary symptoms are redness of the mouth. The mucous membranes clearly swell, and the tongue becomes covered with a white coating. Contrary to popular belief, not every animal has a wet nose, so when a rabbit’s nose begins to get wet, this is a clear sign of a serious illness. However, in the first days the rabbits remain active, it is quite difficult to notice that something is wrong.

Five days after infection, the plaque becomes brown and ulcers appear in the mouth. There is a strong secretion of saliva: it literally drips, the fur around the muzzle gets wet and sticks together.

A sick rabbit begins to avoid its relatives. He sits in the corner, often rubs his face with his paws, and is very apathetic to what is happening. At the same time, the animal maintains a good appetite, but quickly loses weight - eating and drinking is painful due to ulcers in the mouth. When chewing food, a slurping sound appears.

The secreting saliva abundantly wets the fur, initiating its loss along the entire line of the muzzle. The skin becomes inflamed, small wounds appear from friction with the paws of these particular areas of the muzzle. Then they begin to fester.

In addition, woodlice exhibits other symptoms: loose stools, lethargy. Appetite gradually disappears. The pet dies before 10 days after infection. However, if this does not happen in the first 7 days, then the animal is likely to survive and recover.

The name "woodlouse" comes from the rabbit's appearance after death. The body is wet and thinner, the fur around it is stuck together and has fallen out. Ulcers spread throughout the body, and large amounts of mucus are hidden in the intestines.

As a result, the disease develops in less than two weeks, manifesting itself with the following symptoms:

  • salivation;
  • plaque in the oral cavity;
  • lethargic state;
  • diarrhea;
  • ulcers

Unfortunately, the disease can only be determined by profuse drooling, and only then can full treatment begin. That is why in a short time the entire brood of young animals becomes infected.

Treatment

Infectious stomatitis cannot be delayed, so its treatment must begin at the first sign. Efficiency in this is the most important thing; this is the only way that therapeutic measures will have an effect within two days. And every owner should know what to do when a midge appears, even if he has not encountered the disease before.

The muzzles and mouth of an infected rabbit must be treated twice a day with a 2% solution mixed with water. This measure is sufficient for mild forms of woodlice.

In severe cases, streptocide is used, half of the tablet of which must be crushed and poured into the rabbit’s mouth, and the second part of the powder - after 10 hours. Often this method is combined with treatment with vitriol. Sick individuals can be cured much faster this way.

It is necessary to change the diet of sick rabbits. It becomes difficult to chew heavy food due to open ulcers in the mouth, so the food is softened. Often, owners switch to soft food for the entire brood. But even such nutrition should be complete and easy to digest.

Animals are given milk, curdled milk, liquid cereals and various mixed feeds. For example, boiled potatoes with mixed feed softened with water.

Treatment must be repeated for several days. Improvement usually occurs on the second or third day. But you need to observe for another 2 weeks; if there are no signs of illness, then the rabbit has recovered.

Of course, when faced with the disease for the first time, the owner needs to contact a veterinarian. The doctor will advise how to treat animals, prescribing medications and choosing suitable food.

Prevention

Preventative measures for woodlice are as follows:

  • daily examination, including the muzzle;
  • thorough cleaning of cells;
  • add special antiviral additives to the feed;
  • vaccinate all available individuals.

An interesting question may be whether the meat of recovered rabbits can be eaten. After all, many owners breed animals precisely for this purpose. The answer is simple: you can. The meat of a recovered rabbit is not bad or contaminated.

Careful care of your pets and attentive attitude will help you avoid such troubles as infectious stomatitis.

A wet muzzle in rabbits is a symptom of infectious stomatitis in animals caused by a filter virus. The pathogen infects the animal's oral cavity, resulting in increased salivation, causing the pet's fur to become wet on the face and in the neck and chest area. There are other types of stomatitis in which the same symptom is observed. From this article, readers will learn how to distinguish infectious (viral) stomatitis from bacterial stomatitis and how to treat this disease.

Causes of the disease

Midge causes a filter virus that can enter the body of a healthy rabbit from a sick individual or one that has already recovered from the disease. Animals that have suffered from this disease remain carriers of the virus throughout their lives.. It may be present in their feces, saliva and urine. When buying a healthy rabbit from your hands, no one knows whether it has previously suffered from infectious stomatitis. If so, such a pet can infect the rabbits that are kept in the cage with it. But this is not the only cause of the disease.

The source of infection can be food that has come into contact with sick animals, as well as virus carriers - birds, rodents and even insects. Provoking factors are of great importance:

  1. Injury to the oral mucosa, for example due to malocclusion.
  2. Decreased immunity. In turn, the immune system is weakened if rabbits are kept in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions.
  3. Metabolic disease.

Infectious stomatitis most often affects rabbits under the age of 3 months, since their immune system is more vulnerable.

Reference. The peak incidence of viral stomatitis usually occurs in autumn and spring, when there are fluctuations in ambient temperatures and dampness prevails. Under such conditions, the pet's immune system weakens.

Symptoms

The disease develops quickly. The very first sign is the appearance of a specific plaque on the mucous membrane of the mouth and lips, which changes color as the disease progresses. In the first few days, it is quite difficult to detect if your pet is unwell. Subsequently, other symptoms appear, by which it is already possible to determine that the rabbit has a midge:

  1. The muzzle becomes wet due to excessive salivation.
  2. Ulcers appear on the surface of the lips, tongue and cheek area.
  3. Further, the white dots increase in diameter and merge with each other.
  4. The rabbit has a wet chin and neck, the fur sticks together, and the skin in these places becomes inflamed. Later, pustules appear in these areas.
  5. The rabbit loses its appetite and it hurts to eat. Weight loss.
  6. The pet is depressed, sitting huddled in the corner of the cage.
  7. The temperature usually remains within normal limits.

The symptoms characteristic of different types of stomatitis are similar. However, a viral disease is often accompanied by diarrhea. This occurs due to the spread of ulcerative formations throughout the digestive tract, as well as due to intoxication.

Attention! It is necessary to distinguish the condition when the rabbit has a wet nose. This is a clear sign of rhinitis. At the same time, the pet’s fur on both its cheeks and chin becomes wet because it smears the mucus from its nose with its paw. With rhinitis, there are no ulcers or inflammation in the oral cavity.

Severity and prognosis

Midge in rabbits occurs in two forms:

  • light;
  • heavy.

The severity of the disease is determined by the virulence of the virus, as well as the conditions in which the pets are kept. In mild cases, recovery usually occurs 10-12 days after the onset of symptoms - profuse drooling.

With severe infectious stomatitis, the likelihood of animal death increases. Young animals can die within 5 days if treatment is not started immediately, when the first symptoms of the disease are detected.

Attention! If one of the rabbits has a wet face, you should immediately remove it from its healthy neighbors.

How to treat midge in rabbits

Treatment of a rabbit with infectious stomatitis is aimed at relieving inflammation in the oral cavity, preventing the spread of ulcerative rashes in healthy areas of the mucous membrane, and stimulating the immune system. When a bacterial infection occurs, antibiotics are used.

The rabbit's oral cavity is treated with disinfectants:

  1. Potassium permanganate solution 0.15% 2-3 times a day.
  2. Streptocide. Crush the tablet and apply the powder to your mouth at least 2 times a day.
  3. Ointment with streptocide (mix Vaseline and powder). Lubricate the affected areas of the oral mucosa 2 times a day.
  4. A solution of copper sulfate at a concentration of 2%. Soak a bandage in the product and treat the inflamed areas.
  5. Baytril. The oral cavity is irrigated twice a day with the prepared suspension (half a milliliter is enough for a single use).

Apidermin is an ointment based on beeswax that helps fight various types of stomatitis, including infectious ones. It is applied to the mucous membrane of the mouth and chin. The ointment promotes rapid tissue regeneration, relieves inflammation and improves the pet's immunity, and has an analgesic effect.

Antibiotics

Antibacterial drugs are used for bacterial stomatitis in rabbits. In the case of an infectious disease, their use is justified to prevent complications.

Antibiotics are also used topically in the form of ointments. The recipe for the product with the addition of penicillin is as follows:

  • Vaseline – 170 g;
  • lanolin – 30 g;
  • sulfamide – 2 g;
  • penicillin – 200 thousand units.

All components are mixed, and the resulting ointment is applied to the rabbit’s mouth and chin twice a day for 4 days.

Folk remedies

Herbal decoctions can also be used to treat biting midge. Sage, oak bark, calendula and chamomile are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. A decoction of these plants is prepared following the instructions on the package. The finished product is infused and filtered. A cotton pad or piece of bandage is moistened in it and the affected areas in the pet’s mouth are wiped. You can irrigate your mouth with a syringe without a needle.

Stomatitis of non-viral origin

In addition to infectious stomatitis, a rabbit can also get sick from other types:

  • traumatic;
  • bacterial.

With stomatitis, which is not caused by a virus, drooling is also observed. Let's look at these diseases further.

Traumatic stomatitis

From the name it is clear that the traumatic factor is related to the development of this type of stomatitis. Often, the integrity of the mucous membrane is compromised due to overgrown teeth or when a sharp object gets into the mouth. Pathogenic microflora penetrates the wound, and an inflammatory process develops.

If damage is detected in the oral cavity, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the injury - trim the teeth. In most cases, local treatment of the inflammation is sufficient for the rabbit to recover quickly. For advanced disease, antibiotics are used.

Bacterial

This type of stomatitis develops against the background of a general decrease in immune defense. Provoking factors are:

  1. Poor living conditions.
  2. Stressful situations.
  3. Hypothermia.
  4. Dysbacteriosis.
  5. Helminthic infestations.
  6. Poor nutrition, lack of vitamins.

All these factors contribute to the development of pathogenic microflora in the rabbit’s body. To cure bacterial stomatitis, not only disinfectants and anti-inflammatory agents and antibacterial drugs are used, but also immunostimulants, as well as vitamin complexes. After treatment with antibiotics, it is recommended to restore the animal’s intestinal microflora with probiotics. After recovery, deworming is mandatory.

Feeding

With stomatitis, rabbits quickly lose weight because it hurts them to eat. During treatment, it is advisable to offer them soft food and exclude rough food for now. You can give your pets tender grass, chopped boiled vegetables, and steamed grains.

Disease prevention

Any type of stomatitis can be prevented if you follow preventive measures:

  1. Keep pets in good conditions.
  2. Don't expose them to stress.
  3. Provide the livestock with a balanced, varied diet.
  4. Carry out deworming in a timely manner.
  5. Regularly examine animals and assess their health status.
  6. Keep cages clean and periodically disinfect.
  7. Quarantine newly arrived animals on the farm.

Having noticed that the rabbit has a wet face and neck, it is worth examining its mouth. If there are ulcerations or plaque there, your pet probably has stomatitis. Diarrhea indicates a viral origin of the disease. In this case, it is worth starting treatment immediately, because if the disease is severe, the rabbit can die in a few days.

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