Both diseases are highly infectious and deadly but can be avoided with annual vaccinations.įollow Lara’s advice above to help your small furry pet avoid unnecessary risks this summer. Myxomatosis is spread by rabbit fleas, and RVHD-1 & RVHD-2 are carried by birds, insects, and even on clothes, hands, and objects people touch. Rabbits are more at risk of contracting Myxomatosis & Rabbit Viral Haemorrhage Disease during the summer months too, due to increased wildlife activity. Sudden death can occur in groups of guinea pigs. ![]() Check for symptoms: nasal discharge, sneezing, difficulty breathing, conjunctivitis, fever, weight loss, depression, loss of appetite. For reference, a hutch should not be damp, humid, or overly dusty. Be sure to clean your pet’s hutch regularly and provide adequate ventilation to help prevent this disease. Lara advises that poor hygiene and airflow can also lead to bacterial pneumonia, a significant summer disease in guinea pigs. A fibrous diet including hay, vegetables, and fresh water is needed so the digestive system produces caecal (soft poops) they can eat. Check their rear end and fur regularly (incontinence can attract flies). Avoid flystrike by keeping your pet and their bedding clean and dry.Flystrike can lead to death if untreated. Look for maggots and flies around your pet and in their hutch. ![]() Check for signs of flystrike: Initially quiet & lethargic, refusing food & drink, a strong smell coming from their hutch, digging into corners for pain relief.You may need to give yours a ‘butt bath’. Pets that struggle to keep themselves clean due to old age, arthritis, or dental issues are most at risk. These turn into maggots that burrow into open sores and moist places like the rear. Flies quickly lay eggs on soiled bedding.You can provide more vitamin D via certain foods, supplements, and carefully planned time in the sun (avoid heatstroke) or under a UV lamp.įlystrike is common in rabbits & guinea pigs during summer.Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in guinea pigs & rabbits: Fatigue, depression, muscle weakness/aches/cramps, bone pain, dental issues.Guinea pigs & rabbits need sunlight/UV rays to help them produce the vitamin D they need.Avoid heatstroke by keeping their hutch somewhere cool and shaded in the summer, away from direct sunlight and with good ventilation.Ī lack of natural sunlight can cause vitamin D deficiency. ![]()
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