Scabies In Rabbits: Symptoms And Treatment
There are many ‘shared’ illnesses among various pets, but the symptoms and treatments are not always the same. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about mange in rabbits.
What is mange in rabbits?
Although rabbits are usually quite resistant to disease, they can sometimes spread certain viruses or bacteria. In the case of scabies, it is more common in animals that live in hot, humid and rural areas than in urban spaces or with well-marked winters.
A rabbit is more likely to spread scabies if it lives in overcrowding or poor cleaning and care conditions, as can happen in an illegal breeding site.
Rabbit mange is very contagious, not only among animals of the same species, but also among others such as dogs and cats.
The main means of contagion for scabies is direct contact with an infected animal. Once it appears, it spreads quickly. In addition, parasites can “travel” through different fabrics (eg, a person’s clothes or a blanket) and even through the wind. They are also small and almost impossible to see!
The responsible for this disease is a mite : males can jump (like fleas) and females are responsible for creating furrows in the dermis where they lay their eggs. Their reproductive capacity is incredible, and although they only live for three weeks, they can leave descendants of millions of copies.
scabies symptoms
Rabbits can “camouflage” the symptoms, and by the time we notice the disease it will be well advanced. The best way to identify scabies is to frequently check your pet’s fur (especially the head) and pay attention to certain behavioral changes. The main symptoms of mange in rabbits are:
- Appearance of white scabs on different parts of the body, including the ears, around the eyes, nose, mouth and between the fingers.
- General bad smell.
- Hair loss outside the changing season (usually spring).
- Cracks in the skin, sometimes with bleeding.
- Excessive and nervous scratching that causes sores or ulcers.
- Accumulation of earwax, bedsores, otitis (in the case of ear scabies).
- Loss of appetite.
- Dermis thickening.
- Nervous behavior, sleep problems, tics.
How to Treat Mange in Rabbits
If there is any doubt about scabies in your pet, it is very important that you take him to the veterinarian so that he can recommend the proper treatment. He will probably do some tests that include skin scraping and culture to confirm which mites are and what type ( Scabei sarcoptes, Psoroptes, Notoedres, Demodex or Choriptes ).
The most common treatment for scabies in rabbits is injections of a special medication. The dose and repetitions will be indicated by the veterinarian. It is also common to accompany the treatment with an oral antiparasitic (pills).
Owners, in turn, will have to follow very strict hygiene habits, especially in the cage and areas where the rabbit usually spends time. Also, a special topical treatment with a medicine called benzyl benzoate should be applied to the wounds caused by scabies to heal faster.
To avoid the occurrence of this disease, in addition to the complete hygiene of the house and the animal’s enclosure, we recommend that you put anti-mite products in your cage and that you eliminate the remains of dead hair that fall from the animal.
This way, it will be easier to eradicate the mite and prevent the disease from spreading among all your pets.
