Rabbits are small, delicate animals. Many conditions can kill your rabbit quickly if left untreated.
Is it normal for my rabbits to die suddenly?
It’s abnormal for a young rabbit to die suddenly; contact the nearest veterinarian to rule out any infectious conditions.
Pasteurellosis, bloat, suffocation, accidents, aflatoxicosis, coccidiosis, and heat stroke are the most common causes of sudden death among rabbits in Uganda.
Why are my rabbits dying suddenly?
There are many causes of sudden deaths among rabbits, but most are due to poor feeding, housing, and hygiene.
The most diagnosed causes by vets are:
Snuffles (pasteurellosis):
It’s a bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system.
Signs of snuffles in rabbits are:
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny nose
Red eyes
Wet paws
Teary eyes
What causes snuffles among rabbits?
Poor ventilation
Excessive coldness, mostly during rainy seasons
Poor hygiene causes the accumulation of ammonia (urine smell) in the rabbit house.
Feeding rabbits moldy feeds
Stress due to movement, change of food, or change of house.
Over crowdedness
What is the best treatment and prevention of snuffles among rabbits?
Give broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Provide a heat source during cold seasons.
Use soapy water or detergents to clean off urine and poop.
Provide multivitamins before making any changes.
Never feed your rabbits moldy or contaminated feed.
If changing to a new diet, it should be gradual.
Bloat
It’s an abnormal increase in the size of the abdomen or stomach. It can be sudden or gradual.
Acute or sudden bloating is mostly seen in young rabbits and is commonly associated with an abrupt change of feed, feeding rabbits fresh, unwilted vegetables, or feeding rabbits contaminated feed.
Acute bloat must be handled as an emergency; if not addressed immediately, the rabbit will die in a few hours.
Treatment of acute bloat in rabbits
Stop feeding immediately.
Decompress the stomach using a stomach tube.
Give probiotics and anti-gas agents.
Chronic bloat
It’s the gradual increase in abdominal size. It occurs over a long time, depending on the primary cause.
It’s confused with weight gain by farmers.
It’s mostly seen in adult rabbits due to conditions like hepatic coccidiosis, peritonitis, tumors, chronic inflammation of the bowel, etc.
Treatment of chronic diseases depends on the primary cause. First, establish the underlying cause and treat it accordingly.
Coccidiosis
It is a protozoan disease caused by Eimeria spp.
Contrary to chickens, coccidiosis in rabbits mostly affects the liver rather than the intestines. It can be transmitted from the mother to the baby.
As a precaution, do not buy breeding rabbits from a breeder farm with a history of coccidiosis unless they have culled the infected stock.
What are the symptoms of coccidiosis among rabbits?
Gradual loss of weight despite a good appetite
Swollen stomach or abdomen
Poor hair coat
Unthrifitness
Diarrhea
Accumulation of fluids in the stomach
Stunted growth
Anemia
Treatment and prevention of coccidiosis among rabbits
Treatment of coccidiosis is not recommended among commercial rabbits because it takes a long time to heal due to autoinfection.
Rabbits have to be medicated for a long period, which doesn’t make any economic sense. It’s better to cull all the infected rabbits, disinfect the farm, and restock healthy rabbits.
For pet rabbits, the most commonly used treatment protocol by vets includes:
Isolate the sick rabbits.
Give anticoccidial drugs, e.g., sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
Give liver tonics to help the liver regenerate.
Suffocation
Keeping rabbits in a poorly ventilated, crowded place can lead to the death of small or young rabbits, which can’t compete for oxygen.
Aflatoxicosis
Is caused by giving your rabbits moldy feeds. Aflatoxins cause damage to the different organs, e.g., the liver, kidney, etc.
Accidents
Rabbits get knocked by motorcycles or cars or get any other form of traumatic injuries.
Heat stroke
During hot seasons, rabbits in poorly ventilated cages suffer from high temperatures between 12:00 and 3 pm.
Other causes of sudden death are:
Poisoning from a toxic plant
Rough handling
Viral or bacterial infection
Nutritional deficiencies
Allergic reactions
Tips to avoid sudden death among your rabbits
Proper feeding
Do not give your rabbit moldy feeds.
Do not feed rabbits unwilted vegetables.
Proper housing (the house should be spacious, well-ventilated, easy to clean, etc.)
The house should be clean 24/7.
Routine deworming
Buy rabbits from trusted breeders with no hereditary diseases.
Conclusion
Rabbits are cave creatures; they hide when sick or uncomfortable, making it difficult to diagnose their diseases in the early stages.
Make routine vet visits to help in early diagnosis and prevention of rabbit diseases.
Contact us call / WhatsApp +256771909946 for free consultations on the current state of your pet
Don’t forget to read the related posts below and share them with other responsible pet owners.
Read about the causes and treatment of weight loss among rabbits
Read about causes and treatment of bloat among rabbits.
Read about the most common diseases among rabbits in Uganda and their treatment
Read the causes and treatments of hair loss among rabbits
