Determination of hair loss (alopecia) cause and effective treatment in laboratory rabbits

In number (16 of 22) of infants in the Dutch laboratory rabbit breeding colony, in aged 45-65 days old, hair loss (alopecia) seen at the top of the head and around a week after the hair fall, was created in a state of complete alopecia. For determination of the cause of hair loss, after the observation and palpation the alopecic area, there have not been any swelling, abscesses, tumors. In skin scrapings, has not revealed the presence of any ectoparasite. Also in scratched skin samples, after lacto phenol cotton blue and specific PAS staining, there was no evidence of fungal disease. The result of bacterial and fungal culture in specific media was negative. On histopathological examination, no specific pathologic lesion was observed. For fungal dermatitis, there were no specific signs in histological sections. In autopsies of animal, certain pathological lesions were not observed in various organs and tissues. After being excluded infectious agents, full analysis of rabbit food pellet done and was determined, the amount of food energy, the percentage of food protein and crude fiber that showed a significant reduction for growing rabbits. The zinc value and the other dietary factors, were in the normal range. Since lack of dietary factors, especially protein and crude fiber cause hair loss in rabbits, accurate balancing the diet and the addition of protein, energy and dietary fiber, the diet with a new formula prepared. The affected rabbits were divided in two separated cages as two groups of seven animals each. The new diet was given in the first group of alopecic rabbits and the other group as before, the previous diet was given. After 20 days in group 1 re-growing hair in the alopecic area began and the hair covering was full after 10 days. but group 2, still remained alopecic. With effective treatment in group 1, the same operation for group 2 had done which they were treated completely 20-30 days later too. By the results of this research, for the prevention of various disorders, including alopecia, the new formula as a food supplier for the growth stage was introduced to the laboratory rabbit breeding colony.