Grey lungs with red spots

[Mac060709]

Hello! I have a question.
My parents have a litter that was just weaned not too long ago. They started dying off suddenly without any symptoms. They butchered the last two, and the only thing they noticed was the lungs were grey with red spots. After some research, I think they could have had a weaning/heat stress induced pasturella infection, maybe? If they did, would the meat be safe to eat? And how contagious would it be to other rabbits and animals? Or maybe it was something totally different. It’s a fairly controlled situation, no new rabbits coming in lately.

Thank you all in advance!

 

[eco2pia]

Honestly I am not sure. There are a lot of respiratory illnesses that can cause this kind of lung damage. Mostly I would say that I would not eat the lungs themselves or feed them to anything. As with any meat, I would not eat it without cooking thoroughly, and I would also freeze it for a week before I cooked it.

There are not a lot of things that will cause these symptoms that will survive that treatment, so in my area I would likely eat them, but that is an eat at your own risk kind of thing. With lungs the big concern is tuberculosis, which is quite hard to kill and very contagious, but fortunately that is vanishingly rare in rabbits, as they seem to be resistant.

As for contagious, you lost a whole litter. Yes, it is contagious, and likely by air. However, adults often have more mature immune systems and fight thing off that kill kits, so don't panic, but do watch for sneezing, and dirt/snot wiped on the forepaws--sometimes that is the only hint they give.

 

[Mac060709]

Honestly I am not sure. There are a lot of respiratory illnesses that can cause this kind of lung damage. Mostly I would say that I would not eat the lungs themselves or feed them to anything. As with any meat, I would not eat it without cooking thoroughly, and I would also freeze it for a week before I cooked it.

There are not a lot of things that will cause these symptoms that will survive that treatment, so in my area I would likely eat them, but that is an eat at your own risk kind of thing. With lungs the big concern is tuberculosis, which is quite hard to kill and very contagious, but fortunately that is vanishingly rare in rabbits, as they seem to be resistant.

As for contagious, you lost a whole litter. Yes, it is contagious, and likely by air. However, adults often have more mature immune systems and fight thing off that kill kits, so don't panic, but do watch for sneezing, and dirt/snot wiped on the forepaws--sometimes that is the only hint they give.

Ok, thank you so much for all the information! I will definitely tell them everything you said and try not to spread it to our rabbits.