Diagnosis and treatment of rabbits with pododermatitis

The article presents the results of diagnostic studies and treatment of rabbits with pododermatitis, taking into account the sensitivity of isolated staphylococci to antibacterial agents. The choice of treatment was based on the high sensitivity to Staphylococcus aureus. The work was carried out during 2023–2024 in private farms of the Poltava region. It was found that the isolated S. aureus in all the studied farms was resistant to neomycin (growth inhibition zone: 0–6 mm), chloramphenicol (0–3 mm), norfloxacin (0–4 mm), and polymyxin (0–3 mm). Sensitivity to amoxicillin, tylosin, amoxiclav, cefazolin, gatifloxacin, and sparfloxacin varied across the studied farms. In 75 % of the farms, S. aureus was resistant to amoxicillin (0–4 mm) and tylosin (0–5 mm). Only in one farm (25 %) were the staphylococci sensitive to amoxiclav (16–24 mm). In two farms (50 %), the bacteria showed moderate resistance to amoxiclav (8–16 mm), and in one farm, the isolate was resistant (0–2 mm). In 75 % of the farms, the staphylococci showed moderate resistance (6–15 mm) to cefazolin, and in one farm (25 %), the pathogen was fully resistant. High sensitivity was demonstrated in 75 % of farms to gatifloxacin (18–25 mm) and sparfloxacin (17–26 mm). In all studied farms, high sensitivity of S. aureus was recorded to enrofloxacin (18–26 mm) and tetracycline (18–23 mm). The pathogen also showed fairly high sensitivity to doxycycline, with inhibition zones ranging from 16–26 mm. The selection of therapeutic agents was based on the high sensitivity of S. aureus to tetracycline and enrofloxacin in all the studied farms. Therefore, for local treatment, Chemi spray (Invesa) was selected. It is recommended for treating surgical and traumatic wounds, ulcers, and open abscesses in animals. Treatment was applied twice daily, in the morning and evening, for a duration of 6–10 days. Rabbits with deep lesions (scoring 4–6 points on the Drescher and Schlender-Böbbis scale, 1996), increased body temperature, and general condition deterioration were treated with oral Enrofloxacin-100. The therapeutic solution was prepared immediately before use at a dose of 10 mg of enrofloxacin per 1 kg of body weight. To better calculate the daily dose for a group of animals, the formula from the instructions was used: number of sick animals × average body weight × 0.1. During treatment, for five consecutive days, this solution was the sole source of drinking water. Complete ulcer healing depended on depth and diameter. Minor lesions were fully epithelialized and began to regrow hair within 7–10 days. Full recovery in 90–95 % of rabbits with mild forms of pododermatitis occurred by day 14. In the remaining 5–10 %, full epithelialization of the wound defect completed by day 20 after treatment began. Deep pododermatitis healed more slowly. With deep wounds on the forelimbs (85–90 %) and hindlimbs (75–80 %), epithelialization was mostly completed by days 21–25. In rabbits with large wound areas, scar tissue and epidermis formation continued until days 30–32. The duration of the wound healing process and the time of epidermal closure were directly proportional to the depth and surface area of the lesions. In 10 % of rabbits, healing of pododermatitis wounds on the forelimbs occurred faster than on the hindlimbs, which is attributed to the larger wound area of the latter and the greater mechanical load on the wound surface.