Rabbit Pseudotuberculosis

1 How Pseudotuberculosis Spreads

Carriers and sick animals are the source; the bacteria pass in feces into the environment, so contaminated feed and water drive spread. It can also enter through damaged skin or mucous membranes, and strikes malnourished, low-resistance rabbits most.

2 Symptoms and Lesions

Signs are vague — reduced appetite, diarrhea, weight loss, rough coat, slow movement — ending in death from weakness. Most also show pus-like conjunctivitis, swollen mesenteric lymph nodes, and hard cecal appendix. A few take an acute septicemic course with fever and poor appetite, dying fast.

3 Telling It Apart

Distinguish from tuberculosis and coccidiosis. Tuberculosis runs longer, lesions mainly in lung, liver, and stomach as hard nodules. Coccidiosis runs short with high death rate, mostly in kits, lesions in liver and gut — thickened, congested intestinal mucosa, gas and mucus in the small intestine, nodules, and thickened bile ducts.

4 Treatment

1. Streptomycin or kanamycin intramuscularly, 30,000–40,000 units/kg, twice daily for 5–7 days.

2. Mix ‘Kang’ertu’ 2–3 ml, 50% glucose 10–15 ml, and vitamin C 3–5 ml; intravenous injection 1–2 times daily for 3–5 days.

3. Oral Sargentodoxa (hongteng) decoction: 1.25 g dried herb in 3.75 kg water, simmer to 1.5 kg, filter (first brew); re-boil the residue in 2.25 kg water to 1 kg, filter (second brew); combine and reduce to 1.25 kg, cool, and dose.