Rabbit Otitis Media: Symptoms and Pathological Changes

1 Causes

Poor management, long-distance transport, sudden feed changes, malnutrition, parasite infection, overcrowding, and cold, stuffy, damp or poorly ventilated hutches all lower a rabbit’s resistance and let bacteria in, causing infection. Otitis media can also be secondary to other diseases — eardrum perforation, external-ear inflammation, influenza and infectious rhinitis can all inflame the tympanic cavity and ear canal, with Pasteurella multocida being the main infecting pathogen.

2 Symptoms and Pathological Changes

Simple otitis media is hard to detect; torticollis is the main clinical sign and its degree varies between rabbits. With unilateral otitis media the head and neck tilt toward the affected side and the affected ear drops down; sometimes the head also rolls or rotates, which is why the disease is also called wry-neck disease. With bilateral otitis media the rabbit lowers its head and extends its neck. Once the ear becomes purulent or discharges pus, the rabbit may also show fever, depression, difficulty eating and drinking, and dehydration. If the infection spreads to the meninges and brain, movement disorders and other neurological signs are very likely.

The course of rabbit otitis media is slow and can last a year or more.

3 Treatment and Prevention

1. Treatment. a. Anti-inflammatory care: inject Baytril (enrofloxacin) every two days at 0.13 ml/kg, and add ciprofloxacin hydrochloride 80 g per 100 kg of drinking water, or enrofloxacin soluble powder 200 g per 100 kg of feed. For the local lesion, clean with a disinfectant, blot dry with cotton, then drop ampicillin sodium or Baytril into the ear twice daily for 5 days. Also give subcutaneous ampicillin sodium at 20 mg per rabbit, 2–3 times daily for 5–7 days. b. Strengthen nerve nutrition: subcutaneous vitamin B1 and vitamin B12 at 0.05 ml/kg each.

2. Prevention. 1. Treat external-ear inflammation, influenza, rhinitis and conjunctivitis in rabbits promptly. 2. Vaccinate with the rabbit bivalent vaccine every early spring and early autumn, keep hutches clean and disinfected daily, and prevent disease before it starts.