What's the deal with pasteurella?

[GBov]

I keep reading that you should cull when any rabbit might just possibly have it but why?

NOT trying to start any arguments here but I really want to know.

 

[Amy]

This is my understanding- You cull to protect the rest of your herd, as it is untreatable and very contagious. You can sometimes give the rabbit medicine for it, but it'll just mask the symptoms. I had to do this with our 1st buck, which was hard and set our breeding schedule back a little, but I think we did the right thing.

 

[avdpas77]

For most of us, Pasteurella sp. (or at lest the virulent forms of it) is so dangerous that we would rather dispatch the animal immediately and sanitize the cage then face loosing or letting all our rabbits get infected.

That being said, a rabbit sneezing, or even getting a bit wet around the nose,does not necessarily mean Pasteurella. Many rabbit have allerigies to some hay or wood shavings.

 

[Miss M]

That's basically it. Some people think that it is in the system of all rabbits, while others don't think so. We don't know. We do know that some rabbits are resistant to it. They can be exposed, and never develop symptoms.

Culling for pasteurella helps you develop a herd that is resistant, or possibly doesn't have it at all. It helps you maintain a herd that is healthy and relatively problem-free.

Some even cull for allergies. Any sign of health issues. It may seem a bit ruthless, but they are the ones who seem to now have robust, disease-free rabbitries.

 

[mystang89]

For most of us, Pasteurella sp. (or at lest the virulent forms of it) is so dangerous that we would rather dispatch the animal immediately and sanitize the cage then face loosing or letting all our rabbits get infected.

That being said, a rabbit sneezing, or even getting a bit wet around the nose,does not necessarily mean Pasteurella. Many rabbit have allerigies to some hay or wood shavings.

This. I had a rabbit who constantly sneezed. When I was outside with him he didn't seem to ever stop, (probably allergic to me.) But it wasn't pasturella though so if you run into something like that at first make sure its pasturella before you cull.
PS. He died of BNS. (Broken neck syndrome.)

 

[avdpas77]

That's basically it. Some people think that it is in the system of all rabbits, while others don't think so. We don't know. We do know that some rabbits are resistant to it. They can be exposed, and never develop symptoms.

Culling for pasteurella helps you develop a herd that is resistant, or possibly doesn't have it at all. It helps you maintain a herd that is healthy and relatively problem-free.

Some even cull for allergies. Any sign of health issues. It may seem a bit ruthless, but they are the ones who seem to now have robust, disease-free rabbitries.

I usually cull for allergies, but sometimes it is only one kind of hay our wood shavings, and if that is they case changing it will fix the problem. Of course, I raise a lot of rabbits and I have many to choose from for breeders. It is a different story for those getting started.

Most all rabbits carry some form of Pasturella, only two of the strains are deadly, or at least seriously harmful. Still, since most of us don't have a lab or vet on call, we try to error towards the safety of our whole herd. Even a regular Vet can't tell one which strain it is, only that the animal has it. So if one can't stop the sneezing or sniffles by taking away the hay or changing to a different kind of wood shavings, we go ahead and eliminate the potential for a catastrophe.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

For most of us, Pasteurella sp. (or at lest the virulent forms of it) is so dangerous that we would rather dispatch the animal immediately and sanitize the cage then face loosing or letting all our rabbits get infected.

That being said, a rabbit sneezing, or even getting a bit wet around the nose,does not necessarily mean Pasteurella. Many rabbit have allerigies to some hay or wood shavings.

Yep....exactly that! There are hallmark symptoms to look for....white snot, matted front paws, white eye discharge or sneezing accompanied by any or all of these. I immediately cull when I see these. If it is just sneezing, I quarantine and watch to see what is causing it. Sometimes it can be allergy, or hay/seed/pellet up the nose or just water/fines when they are eating or drinking. Clear nasal or eye discharge can be allergy related as well.<br /><br />__________ Mon Dec 03, 2012 12:34 pm __________<br /><br />

That's basically it. Some people think that it is in the system of all rabbits, while others don't think so. We don't know. We do know that some rabbits are resistant to it. They can be exposed, and never develop symptoms.

Culling for pasteurella helps you develop a herd that is resistant, or possibly doesn't have it at all. It helps you maintain a herd that is healthy and relatively problem-free.

Some even cull for allergies. Any sign of health issues. It may seem a bit ruthless, but they are the ones who seem to now have robust, disease-free rabbitries.

I usually cull for allergies, but sometimes it is only one kind of hay our wood shavings, and if that is they case changing it will fix the problem. Of course, I raise a lot of rabbits and I have many to choose from for breeders. It is a different story for those getting started.

Most all rabbits carry some form of Pasturella, only two of the strains are deadly, or at least seriously harmful. Still, since most of us don't have a lab or vet on call, we try to error towards the safety of our whole herd. Even a regular Vet can't tell one which strain it is, only that the animal has it. So if one can't stop the sneezing or sniffles by taking away the hay or changing to a different kind of wood shavings, we go ahead and eliminate the potential for a catastrophe.

:yeahthat: :goodpost:

 

[akane]

It's treatable it's just not curable. The rabbit has to be on antibiotics for life and will always be a risk to other rabbits. It can wipe out an entire rabbitry. Many have had to basically start over because their herd got a strain they were not resistant to. We lost our favorite pet doe recently to pastuerella. She was in sad shape so quickly before I put her down. Luckily the rest of mine seem to be immune to that strain.

 

[Peach]

Lindsey and I were at a show this weekend and I don't know how many rabbit we looked at that had snot/nasty paws/etc. Even a rabbit Lindsey got off the raffle table, she had to send it back for snot and crust. We had people butt in to see why but then a swarm of people came by to ask what pasturella was (YIKES!). We had one lady run off ask someone and com back saying " well that lady says it's treatable" ....we had to tell her YES it is treatable but you are just masking it but when your barn is full of sick rabbits, be prepared to loose a lot of your investment into rabbits. I dont know how many times I washed my hands at that show.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Lindsey and I were at a show this weekend and I don't know how many rabbit we looked at that had snot/nasty paws/etc. Even a rabbit Lindsey got off the raffle table, she had to send it back for snot and crust. We had people butt in to see why but then a swarm of people came by to ask what pasturella was (YIKES!). We had one lady run off ask someone and com back saying " well that lady says it's treatable" ....we had to tell her YES it is treatable but you are just masking it but when your barn is full of sick rabbits, be prepared to loose a lot of your investment into rabbits. I dont know how many times I washed my hands at that show.

That right there scares me to death!!! I really don't want to expose my rabbits to that kind of thing....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

There was an exhibitor in my Rex class that had a doe DQ'd for snot and matted paws in show A... and guess what? He put her back on the table for the B show! :evil:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

There was an exhibitor in my Rex class that had a doe DQ'd for snot and matted paws in show A... and guess what? He put her back on the table for the B show! :evil:

Me thinks I will be bringing hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes with me to the show in Crosby.... :x

 

[Peach]

I def encourage bringin wipes. I think Hulk got his sickness from some rabbits from this exhibitors harlequins that were blowing snot and sneezing. She showed even after we pointed out her rabbits. Hulk was judged at the table where they had been. She was at this show too. I wonder if that was the lady that was telling people it was "treatable".

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I will not show rabbits because of this. To risky for me. It took allot to get where i am today. So i am not going there.

 

[GBov]

What degree of fatality does it have?

And no, we wont be showing either. EVER!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

What degree of fatality does it have?

And no, we wont be showing either. EVER!

Depends on the strain...some are just long term, low grade infections that have to be treated for the life of the animal...(would not work in my barn) and some are very contagious and virulent enough to kill within days of symptoms being shown. And it really is impossible to know which one your rabbit may have without keeping it for a long time to watch.

 

[akane]

Some strains just go away on their own as the rabbit's immune system takes over and some stains like what our doe got are deadly. She was so thin with missing fur on her face and it only took less than a week. She would have died in another few days anyway. Then you have everything in between. Problem is you don't know what you've got until it's too late and the whole herd is infected which is why many people act immediately without waiting to see how serious it is or not.

 

[Peach]

I don't think you should be discouraged from showing, but like all things, there are risk involved. Just have to take the extra precautions to prevent things the best that you can.

 

[AnnClaire]

This is why folks that do show regularly quarantine returning show stock for 30days ...

 

[skysthelimit]

Or even have separate barns or parts of barns for show and breeding stock. My show juniors went from an October show to a November show, and still have not made it back in the barn.