How to treat worms in rabbits
Worms in rabbits are not uncommon. Rabbits are gentle and curious animals; danger can lie in wait for them at every turn. The eared ones are constantly chewing something, and therefore you need to watch what happens in their mouths, whether it is edible or not.
If it became noticeable how dramatically the behavior of a pet has changed: he has become lazy, succumbed to apathy, he is tormented by thirst and hunger, then he probably has worms.
Worms in rabbits
To save a pet, you need to use anthelmintic drugs for rabbits. You should also carry out timely prevention of worms in rabbits.
It is imperative to maintain cleanliness in the room where the pets are kept and to disinfect drinkers and feeders in time so that signs of the disease do not even think to appear. You can find out in more detail about the types of worms in rabbits in the photo or video.
How is infection with worms
It is difficult for the rabbit owner to trace and understand whether and at what moment an infection with worms occurred. Rabbits are unpredictable animals: now they want to chew it, and the next second they will find an object more interesting. It is especially worth watching the animal while walking it on the street: any garbage leftovers will become a real find for him and you never know how many worm eggs are on this delicacy. One has only to lick, and infection is inevitable.
In fact, symptoms do not appear immediately. The process of development of worms in the body of an animal takes time. It depends not only on the host, but also on the type of helminths. There are about 10 of them: trichinella, roundworm, tapeworm, fluke, pinworm. The last of the above often visits rabbits. This small round parasite reproduces in the anal area. Rabbit pinworm can be found directly in pet feces.
If the pet does not leave the house, there is no need to rush to give in to doubts: it could well have been infected by other pets visiting the street, or a child's boot, accidentally stained with feces during a walk.
The sources of infection are very different, but it is impossible to know about the infection until the worms create an entire nation, and this really disturbs the rabbit. Worms begin to parasitize in the intestines, destroy mucous membranes and poison the body. Most of the food consumed will be reabsorbed by the worms. Thus, the pet will begin to eat more, while losing weight. As soon as bacteria enter the internal wounds, the inflammatory process will be irreversible. The Fuzzy will be on the verge of life and death, if he is not immediately helped.
Symptoms of parasite infestation
How can you tell if your pet is infected? It is enough to follow it and identify similar symptoms:
- the animal drinks more and goes to the toilet more often;
- a greenish consistency prevails in the pet's feces;
- the baby is worried about constipation, diarrhea;
- ambiguous appetite, a fluffy may not look at his favorite delicacy for days;
- eared sheds profusely, his hair is brittle;
- the eye membrane is cloudy;
- the rabbit becomes lazy, tired and lies a lot;
- the animal scratches under its tail and crawls its booty on the ground.
Once the symptoms are found, it's time to start treatment and find the right remedy. However, amateur performances are not welcome here. For advice, it is better to contact a veterinarian who will examine the pet and give clear instructions. At the end of the course of treatment, prophylaxis is desirable.
Diagnosis of the disease
It would seem that it is easy to determine the type of parasite and the type of infection. As mentioned above, worms can be found in feces, but the larvae do not always end up in feces. To get an answer for sure, it is worth repeating the tests within 3 days. Of course, there is another way, more pure: the blood of an infected rabbit, when examined, shows that the amount of antibodies has increased in order to defeat the parasites. It is forbidden to eat an infected eared eared with a changed blood composition. For the animal to recover, it is necessary to undergo treatment and prevention.
Treatment of worms
Worms in rabbits and treatment should be carried out as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. Various drugs are used against this unpleasant problem. You need to give medicines that the veterinarian will prescribe. Most often, a remedy for worms is prescribed for farm rabbits, which is injected subcutaneously or taken orally. In prevention, they are considered less often. The most effective drugs include Shustrik, Albendazole and Gamavit.
The drug "Shustrik" has such a name for a reason. It helps to deal with the problem quite quickly, so it is considered a good suspension. If the pet is actively fighting back, not wanting to take the medicine, a good option is to dilute the drug with food.
Albendazole and Gamavit rank second in the ranking. These drugs work great as a duo. The first fights worms, while the second strengthens the immune system. If you worm with such drugs, then the signs of the disease in the decorative rabbit quickly disappear. They are given alternately on different days. An overdose is dangerous to the health of the rabbit, therefore, before you solder or give your pet Pirantel, Tetramisole, Dronten, etc., you need to study the instructions for use and consult a veterinarian.
Self-treatment with the above drugs is possible only after consulting a veterinarian. Any medicinal product for domestic use should be given to animals with special responsibility.
If the rabbit is very tight and he is already preparing to leave for the next world, when the internal organs are affected and it comes to the liver, intestines, heart, it is necessary to give Albendazole. This drug has not dealt with such tragedies. Only pulling is in no case possible.
You also need to vaccinate rabbits against worms. To combat an unpleasant ailment, a drug for worms for rabbits, like Levamisole, is used. It is used both orally and in the form of injections. Before vaccination, the rabbit needs to be mentally prepared, as well as to improve the diet.
Treatment with folk methods
If a remedy doesn't work, you can use herbal medicine. Treatment with folk remedies has been famous since ancient times. Tansy and wormwood are an excellent analogue of medicines for worms. If the season does not allow finding these herbs, there are needles: the rabbits will consider them a delicacy. For prophylaxis after a course of treatment, it is also necessary to add these plants to the diet.
Sagebrush
Wormwood not only cleanses the intestines, to some extent, this herb can be used to worm the body. She copes with poisoning, and also serves as an excellent anthelmintic drug. The agent has the right to stand on the same pedestal with Albendazole. Wormwood not only cleanses the rabbit's body of parasites, but also stimulates appetite. Moreover, wormwood treatment helps absolutely everyone, not only rabbits.For a quick action, wormwood is mixed with fragrant hay, medicinal herb is introduced into the daily diet in about a 30% ratio.
Tansy
Treatment with folk remedies is good because it is not as harmful to the rabbit's body as the use of drugs. People are also treated with tansy, like wormwood. She is also miraculous, only her appearance inspires confidence more. Tansy ideally complements the summer bouquet of medicinal herbs, rabbits will be delighted with the variety of the diet. Tansy is given in the same quantities as wormwood. With diseases associated with worms, and with depletion of immunity, you can drink a decoction of tansy for pets. Such methods should be done when the disease is at an early stage.
Needles
An excellent weapon for the war against worms is pine needles. Only, unlike analogues, needles are a winter plant. If tansy and wormwood are not at hand, a spruce plant is always useful in order to glance through the pets. There is only one caveat: it is necessary to collect needles strictly at temperatures below 20 ° C. In warm weather, the needles are full of essential oils, overdose of which will only get worse. All herbal supplies must be harvested before flowering. An infusion of several herbs should be given to rabbits for a couple of days. It is also extremely important not to forget to monitor the purity and freshness of your pet's water.
Prevention of worms in a rabbit
Prevention of worms in rabbits should be strictly observed and carried out immediately after purchasing a pet. During the course of treatment, an isolator is required. The Fuzzy will only be happy to spend the sick leave in peace and quiet. Thus, it will turn out to protect other inhabitants of the rabbitry from a similar fate. Cleaning the cage must be done with gloves - this is a factor of personal safety. Feces are immediately thrown away, and the place of their recent stay is thoroughly cleaned with chlorinated water or boiled over.
Hay must be dry, processing must be done according to all the rules. If the eared one knocks over the drinker on the litter, it should be changed immediately. In dampness, microbes start and larvae spread, then they will not be washed off. Prophylaxis is usually carried out in March and August. This period is the best way to promote full recovery.
Prevention can be carried out both with folk remedies and with drugs, in both cases it is advisable to do this 1-2 times a year.
Medicines for worms are given within 3 days, followed by 10 days of rest and again 3 days of prophylaxis. Better to go through it than to save the pet from the clutches of death. Prevention is by no means a waste of time, because without proper treatment, parasites penetrate the muscle tissue, heart and even the mucous membrane of the eye, after which saving the rabbit is fraught with failure. It is better to treat once again to be sure of the health of the fluffy pet.