Risk factors and prediction of the severity of respiratory diseases in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract

This study examined the health information of domestic rabbits to find the risk factors and the relationship mortality rates due to respiratory diseases and to predict of the severity of the respiratory diseases by carrying out a prospective study. The study process involved collecting samples from healthy and sick rabbits with respiratory diseases. In total, there were 1,758 samples, which were divided into 1,000 healthy rabbits, 758 sick, and 210 dead rabbits. Age, sex, breed, density in rabbit husbandry, sanitation, and management had been related to illness. In order to investigate the relationship of the clinical symptoms, comparisons were made between the sick rabbits and those that had expired from respiratory diseases. The findings indicated that having the symptoms of oculonasal discharge and having a higher body condition score [Standard (Score=3) to obese (Score=5)] were not found in relation to the dead rabbits. The cause of the sick rabbits to have a higher mortality rate include 1) indicators of mental status, such as having depression or having a lower body condition score: [Emaciation (Score=1) to Underweight (Score =2)]; 2) increases in the respiratory rates and heart rates; 3) lung opacity pattern of interstitial, 4) an abnormal Complete blood count, and 5) blood chemistry parameters, such as Aspartate aminotransferase, Alanine aminotransferase, Alkaline phosphatase, Albumin, Gamma-glutamyltransferase, Blood Urea Nitrogen and creatinine. These values are used to predict the severity of respiratory diseases and to classify patient rabbits. This is the first report of severity index of respiratory diseases for domestic rabbits.