Rabbit Vesicular Stomatitis
📝 Summary
The vesicular stomatitis virus causes rabbit vesicular stomatitis, living in sick rabbits' saliva and necrotic oral tissue; just-weaned kits are most at risk. Incubation is 5 to 7 days. Signs: red mucous membranes, vesicles on lips, tongue, and palate that become pustules then ulcers with heavy drooling; secondary bacteria cause foul necrosis. Mortality exceeds 50%. Differentiate from chemical or mold-induced stomatitis, which is not contagious.
1 Rabbit Vesicular Stomatitis
1. Incubation
Kits weaned 1 to 2 weeks are the most affected; adults rarely get it, and it does not spread to other species. Sick rabbits are the source; their oral secretions and dead tissue carry the virus, contaminating feed and water; susceptible rabbits are infected via tongue, lips, and oral mucosa. Eating moldy feed lowers resistance, and sharp or hard feed then damages oral mucosa, another trigger.
2. Symptoms
Incubation is 5 to 7 days. Early signs: red, congested mucosa, then millet-sized fluid-filled vesicles on lips, tongue, palate, and other oral sites that turn white or gray pustules, then ulcerate with heavy drooling. Secondary bacterial infection causes necrosis of mucosa, lips, and tongue with foul odor. Drool wets the face, neck, and chest, causing skin inflammation and hair loss; some rabbits show similar lesions on the genitals. Severe oral damage and drooling lose water and mucoproteins, leading to chewing trouble, poor digestion, lost appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, wasting, then lying down and dying from weakness. The course is 2 to 10 days; mortality exceeds 50%.
Note: distinguish from stomatitis caused by chemical irritants, toxins, or moldy feed, which is not contagious; vesicular stomatitis is.
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