c - Agriculture Research Extension Network (ARENET)

norrnal contents and colc
ellings may be an indica
scesses or ruptures
e ~udden death. LC..V
Low weigh t gain
Abortions
@ Loss of weight which makes the rabbit feel 'bony'
Unfortunately, few of the diseases of rabbits are accompanied ' by
characteristic clinical signs to allow the farmer recognize them easily.
Therefore farmers should notify a veterinarian immediately they notice
some of the general signs of ill health listed above. The clinical signs and
treatment/control of the common diseases and disease conditions that
cause losses in rabbit production are given in the appendix (see appendix)
8.3 Guidelines of disease prevention/cont
In general for disease prevention and control, farmers must always
manage and take care of housing and ventilation, proper manure disposal,
control of rodents, taking care of the birds that might enter the house and
washing and disinfection of the hutches. Each of these involves many
activities and it is important that the farmer or rabbit keeper develops a
routine of how to attend to each of them.
@ Providing good housing/hutches and ventilation
The way the househutch is constructed should facilitate proper
cleaning, disinfection and maintenance of sanitary conditions
e.g. suitable floors, adequate waste disposal and absorbent
bedding. Good ventilation must be provided as this will allow
movement of air ahrough the building with the objective of
replacing foul air with fresh air containing needed oxygen.
e Thorough cleaning and disinfecting
The hutches must aewavs be cleaned and disinfected. If there
was death of rabbi1 to disease in some hutches, it is
recommended that tf washed, disinfected and Iefi unused
for a minimum of 2 weelts. When bringing in new stock, the
cleaned hutches must be left unused for one month.
Proper manure disposal
I
Disease causing agents may be contained in urine, feces,
exhalation and in the nose and mouth discharges. These
excretions may act as media for gl-owth of disease causing