A. Etiology: Pasteurella multocida is a small, Gram-negative, nonspore-forming bipolar rod.

B. Transmission: Transmission occurs by direct contact, aerosol, venereal, and hematogenous routes. Incidence of infection and disease is high (probably > 90%). Many rabbits are asymptomatic carriers. The incidence of bacterial carriage is no different in antibiotic-treated rabbits.

C. Disease Forms: Upper respiratory disease ("snuffles"), pneumonia, otitis media, pyometra, orchitis, subcutaneous abscesses, conjunctivitis and septicemia are manifestations of P. multocida infection


1. Snuffles - This is the most common manifestation of pasteurellosis. Clinical signs characteristically include serous to mucopurulent nasal exudate with sneezing and coughing. Exudate may be seen on the medial aspect of the forepaws



2. Enzootic Pneumonia - Affected rabbits frequently die acutely with no signs (especially young rabbits); anorexia and depression may be observed. Acute pneumonia lesions include red-grey foci of consolidation of the cranioventral lung lobes with or without hemorrhage



3. Otitis Media - Usually there are no clinical signs. Torticollis will occur if the function of the internal ear is compromised, either by direct bacterial invasion or by the damaging effects of the bacterial toxins. Nervous signs and incoordination are observed if the bacteria extends to the meninges. Creamy, white exudate in middle ear is found either uni- or bilaterally

4. Genital Infections - Venereal or hematogenous transmission may occur. Affected rabbits may have a vaginal discharge which may be serous to mucopurulent and/or a history of infertility

5. Abscesses - Contaminated wounds and septicemia are common routes for abscess development in a variety of locations, but especially in the subcutis. The presence of subcutaneous swellings which are filled with creamy exudate and may have draining fistulous tracts is typical of Pasteurella abscesses

6. Conjunctivitis
Reddened conjuctiva with serous to mucopurulent adherent exudate are found

7. Septicemia - Septicemic rabbits usually die acutely

Diagnosis: Tentative diagnosis of pasteurellosis is based on clinical signs and gross necropsy findings of a mucopurulent exudate associated with inflamed body parts such as the respiratory tract, subcutis, middle ears, and reproductive tract. A presumptive diagnosis may be reached by making a smear or scraping from the affected area and staining with a gram stain. With torticollis, radiographs of the tympanic bulla may disclose the presence of exudate or bony reaction (increased density in the bulla). Definitive diagnosis requires isolation of the bacteria by culturing the affected site(s



TABLE 1: Antibiotics Commonly Dispensed for Rabbits

Enrofloxicin 2.5 to 5 mg/kg b.i.d. for 5 to 7 days (oral and injectable)

Procaine penicillin 40 to 60,000 IU/kg body weight IM s.i.d. for 3 to 10 days

Sulfaquinoxaline 0.256 gm/50 gm feed for 30 days or 226 gm/ton of feed

Tetracycline 300 mg/liter of water for 7 days, or 5 mg/kg q.i.d. for 7 days



Control: The best control for pasteurellosis is good husbandry techniques and culling of rabbits with clinical disease. Since most all rabbits carry Pasteurella multocida in the nasal cavity, management measures are aimed at controlling the clinical disease expression. The rabbitry must have good ventilation, low ammonia levels, and low humidity to decrease incidence of this disease.</A>