Viral hemorrhagic rabbit disease: description, causes, treatment and vaccines

Krolikovodstvom engaged in many owners of household plots and villagers. This is in most cases profitable and not too complicated. However, it is possible to get profit from a farm of this specialization only in case of proper care of animals. First of all, when keeping rabbits, you should pay maximum attention to preventing the spread of all kinds of infections. Otherwise, you can quickly lose all the livestock.

One of the most formidable diseases of these animals is the VGBK. Treatment of hemorrhagic disease of rabbits is not carried out. Virtually no methods to save animals in the event of infection do not exist. The attack on propagation in the herd of VGBC is usually 90-100%.

Causal agent

Causes a specific RNA-containing calcivirus with an extremely high virulence. Activity, and very high, even at a temperature of 40-50 degrees, it can save more than five years. Fortunately, only rabbits are susceptible to this calcivirus. Other agricultural and domestic animals, as well as humans, can not become infected with an infection such as rabies haemorrhagic disease, can not.

The susceptibility of animals to VGBC is very high. This disease can be affected by rabbits of any gender, of all ages and breeds. The statistics of morbidity also does not depend on the season of the year. However, most often the VGBK rabbits get sick all the same in autumn or winter.

The most sensitive to viral hemorrhagic disease are animals older than 3 months, weighing from 3 kg. Why the body of young rabbits is able to resist the disease better than adults, for scientists is still a mystery. Very often, the disease for unknown reasons also affects pregnant and lactating females.

A bit of history

The first virus hemorrhagic disease of rabbits was recorded in China, in the area of Dzyan-Dzu. Many farmers in this province have lost entire animal runs in just a day. In Europe, calcivirus first showed itself in 1986. This time the Italian farmers suffered. The case of animals began immediately after the rabbit from China was brought into the country. In two years (1986-1988), the VGBAC covered practically the entire territory of Italy. Up to 600 dysfunctional farms were registered in the country. Many rabbit breeders simply went bankrupt. At the same time, Italian veterinarians and scientists were powerless to change anything. They could not even identify the virus, calling HBV a disease.

In Russia, the infection of rabbits with calcivirus was first recorded in the Jewish Autonomous District. At the very border with China, at the farm "Far East", almost all the animals were killed. Unfortunately, since, as in Italy, the disease was not identified, no measures were taken to prevent its spread then. The remaining rabbits were beaten at the meat processing plant, and the skins were sent to the felt factory. As a result, after a while the disease manifested itself in the Moscow region. There were recorded cases of infection in other parts of the country.

To date, VGBC is common in most regions of Europe, in South-West Asia, the Americas and in Africa. The work on the systematization of data on this disease is carried out by the International Epizootic Bureau.

How can infection occur?

The danger of viral haemorrhagic rabbit disease for business is not only due to the lack of treatment methods and 100% mortality, but also because of the lightning spread. This infection can be transmitted in many ways. Very often, the originator of infection of animals is, for example, farm staff. The virus is easily tolerated both on shoes and on clothes. In addition, sources of infection may include:

• Litter;
• manure;
• stern;
• water;
• Particles of skins of sick animals.

It is passed calcivirus and just airborne droplets. In the skins of sick animals it can last up to three months.

Hemorrhagic Rabbit Disease: Symptoms of Infection

There are only two basic forms of VGBC: lightning fast and acute. In the first case, from the moment of infection of the animal to his death, only a few hours pass. In the evening, the owners can feed more healthy animals, and in the morning they can be found dead. In this case, the disease itself does not manifest itself clinically. Animals just die.

The acute form of VGBC develops as quickly as, for example, myxomatosis. The viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits in this case can last several days. The incubation period is 2-4 days. Then the rabbits begin to show signs of depression, lack of appetite, a disorder of the nervous system. Animals can have convulsions of the limbs, tilting the head. In this case, rabbits suffer, groan or squeak.

At the final stage of the disease, a yellowish-red liquid begins to form from the nasal apertures in the animals. Since the appearance of the first signs of the disease before the death of animals with acute form of VGBC, no more than 1-2 days pass. Infected pregnant rabbits always have miscarriages.

Pathological changes

The virus hemorrhagic disease of rabbits received its name due to the fact that at autopsy of carcasses of dead animals veterinarians always detect multiple hemorrhages in almost all internal organs. In this case, most of all rabbits are affected by the liver and kidneys. The blood of animals after death can not be curtailed for a long time.

Particularly strongly internal organs are affected in adult animals. The liver of the fallen rabbits is enlarged and easily torn due to the flabby consistency. Color it has unnatural - yellow-brown, sometimes with a red tint. It is in the liver of an infected rabbit that there is an increased concentration of calcivirus. Basically, because of its multiplication, there is a violation of its function.

The spleen in rabbits, who died from VGBC, is slightly enlarged, also has a flabby consistency and unnatural (this time a dark purple) color. The kidneys of the fallen rabbits are blood-filled, and the gastrointestinal tract is catarrhal. In the intestine, multiple hemorrhages are observed.

From what rabbits die

The death of infected animals, in addition to liver failure, occurs as a result of pulmonary edema. It is precisely the rapid defeat of these two organs that explains the lightning fastness of the course of the disease. The lungs of dead animals are bloody and swollen intensely. They are colored unevenly, and multiple point and banded hemorrhages are observed under the pleura.

Preventive measures

Despite the fact that calciferous VGBC is transmitted in many ways, it is still possible to prevent the infection of animals. Of course, an obstacle to the development of the disease should be, among other things, compliance with sanitary standards in rabbit. Cells and cages should be cleaned in time. Kill calcivirus is not all disinfectants. Therefore, use only special tools designed specifically for the processing of rabbits.

It is very important to give maximum attention and quality to the feeds purchased for animals. Grain and mixed fodder should be bought only in well-off farms with a good reputation.

Viral hemorrhagic disease of rabbits: vaccine (varieties)

Keeping the cells clean and buying quality barley and oats can significantly reduce the risk of spreading the disease. However, only universal vaccination will completely protect rabbits from VGBC.

Although VGBK is not treated, the vaccine against it was created by scientists nevertheless. And it can be used on the farms several options:

• Associated lyophilized (vaccine against hemorrhagic rabbit disease, myxomatosis);
• Aluminum hydroxide inactivated;
• Three variants of lyophilized tissue (formol-, teotropin- and thermo-vaccines);
• Inactivated, used against HBV and Pasteurreza.

Microbiologists developed not only the vaccine itself against the viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits, but also a special serum. This remedy is good because it shows its protective effect within two hours after intramuscular injection.

Treatment

Specific means of treating such a disease, as a viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits, does not exist. However, in some cases, even those animals that already have clinical signs of the disease (the first) can be saved by administering the serum described above. But, of course, you can not get a guaranteed result in this case.

Vaccination

Prophylactic injections from VGBK are supposed to be carried out by animals of 1.5-3 months of age once. A vaccine is introduced against hemorrhagic rabbit disease in the buttock area. Stable immunity is weakened in animals 6-8 months after the injection. Rabbits, bred for meat, are usually killed earlier. Therefore, there is no need to repeat vaccination. Manufacturers are supposed to do the injections with a periodicity of six months. Pregnant rabbits are allowed to be vaccinated at any stage of embryo development.