Maggots, also known as myasis, are common in rabbits. It is a disease in which the maggots of flies enter the fur and skin of the rabbit. These maggots cause major inflammation of the skin and underlying tissue. If this is not noticed and treated in time, rabbits can become very ill and eventually even die from this disease.
Cause
One of the better known diseases among rabbits is Myiasis, or maggot disease. This condition mainly occurs during warmer days and is therefore often present during the spring and summer period. Myiasis is caused by the blue-green blowfly that lays eggs in the caked excrement that is stuck in the rabbit’s fur. These flies are active in the summer and then occur in large numbers. A rabbit that suffers from Myiasis will certainly experience discomfort from this. But how do you recognize the symptoms of Myiasis in your rabbit?
Symptoms
Myiasis occurs, as mentioned, in the warm months of the year. The eggs are mainly laid in the area around the anus and groin. After the fly has laid the eggs, maggots can emerge within a few hours. The saliva of the larvae causes tissue death and inflammation of the skin and underlying tissue occurs. This can also happen very quickly. The larvae eat their way through the skin to deeper tissues, as it were. This causes a lot of itching and pain, the rabbit can dehydrate and go into shock. Rapid intervention is crucial, because myiasis can cause the rabbit to die within 24 to 48 hours. The following symptoms can occur: redness, ulcers, holes and maggots in the skin, mainly around the anus and in the groin area. Subcutaneous thickenings. Pain, itching, lethargy and reduced appetite. Then shock and death.
Diagnosis
The rabbit with myiasis can have a wet and dirty bottom. The rabbit can smell very bad. Furthermore, you can often (not always) see the maggots when you pick up the rabbit and look under the hair. You may also notice that you see green flies around the rabbit. If the myiasis spreads, you can notice that the rabbit becomes really sick, he becomes lethargic and drowsy. If you suspect myiasis in your rabbit, this is an emergency and it is best to contact the veterinary practice as soon as possible (also during the weekend). The vet will then assess how extensive the myiasis has progressed. Often the rabbit can still be saved if you are there in time. The living maggots are then removed as quickly as possible by washing the rabbit and injecting something that kills the maggots. In addition, the rabbit often needs antibiotics and painkillers to allow the infected wound to heal. The wound caused by the maggots also needs care.
Treatment
Depending on the condition, the vet will treat the rabbit as soon as possible. The backside will be shaved and washed. The rabbit will be checked over for wounds that could also contain maggots. The maggots will be removed one by one with tweezers. The vet can give an injection with a parasiticide. The rabbit will be given painkillers and antibiotics and, if necessary, an IV and force-feeding. Furthermore, you should regularly check at home whether there are any maggots present. These must be removed and the rabbit must be washed regularly. The vet will also check your rabbit for other possible conditions, such as dental problems, poor nutrition, diarrhea and the like.
Prevention
Keep the cage dry and clean and check the rabbit every day under the tail for caked feces, wet fur and wounds all over the body. If the backside is dirty, you can clean it with lukewarm water. Rabbits have sensitive skin, so only use water or a special rabbit shampoo. It is important to dry the backside thoroughly afterwards. The right food for your rabbit consists mainly of hay. A healthy rabbit eats this all day long. Remember that a regularly dirty backside usually indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract. This can be the result of bad teeth, feeding errors, illness or disturbed intestinal flora. External agents used by livestock farmers and hobby farmers against flies and maggots in sheep are not safe for rabbits and in many cases cause drowsiness or even paralysis. It is therefore not advisable to use these.
Compare rabbit insurance
All rabbit owners know that keeping a rabbit in a stable or riding school is not cheap. It costs a lot of money to give your rabbit the care it needs. Food and the farrier have to be paid for. All in all, not a cheap hobby. It is therefore very sensible to take out rabbit insurance. You can choose to have your rabbit partially insured or, for example, only insure the trailer. Not every insurance is the same, of course. On our site, you can use the rabbit insurance comparison module to compare different providers, so you can see which one suits you best. A number of costs are reimbursed by almost every insurer. Think of vaccinations that the rabbit must receive annually. These vaccinations are quite expensive and you can, as it were, recover them from your insurance. The treatments for this – for example on the hoof or legs – are in most cases also covered by the insurance taken out. It also applies to almost all insurances that most of the medicines that your rabbit has to take are reimbursed. In some cases, it may be the case that you also have to pay part of the costs for these medicines yourself. This depends, for example, on what kind of medicine it is. In addition to the above examples, there are also additional insurances. These do not necessarily have to be directly related to the rabbit. You can think of additional insurance for theft or accident insurance for passengers. After all, you can end up badly if you fall off a rabbit. Theft and accident insurance are often offered as additional insurance. So take a good look at your personal preferences and get good advice on which insurance suits you best.
Insurer Figo Pet, for example, is recommended as one of the cheaper insurance companies to insure your rabbit with.
