Psoroptes ovis Infestation Impairs Sexual Behavior and Reduces Testosterone Levels in Male Rabbits

This study evaluated the effects of chronic infestation with Psoroptes ovis on sexual behavior, testosterone levels, and physiological parameters in New Zealand male rabbits. P. ovis is a common ectoparasite in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus); however, its impact on physiological parameters and sexual behavior, relevant to reproduction and animal welfare, as well as experimental validity, remains poorly understood.

Twenty-three male rabbits were randomly assigned to control (n = 11) or experimentally infested (n = 12) groups and monitored for 77 days. Behavioral assessments included open-field and sexual behavior tests. Physiological data included serum testosterone, temperature, liver enzymes, and lipid profile.

Infested rabbits showed significant reductions in locomotor activity (- 23.2%), chin marking (- 38.3%), and exploratory activity (- 31.2%). Sexual performance was impaired, with an increase in both reaction time and ejaculation latency, while ejaculations decreased by 30.1% and serum testosterone levels by 58%. No significant changes were found in body weight, food intake, liver enzymes, or lipid markers.

These findings indicate that P. ovis infestation alters behavior and endocrine function in male rabbits, with implications for reproductive health and animal welfare, highlighting the need for early detection and control of ectoparasites in rabbits and underlining the importance that ectoparasitic infections could have on sexual performance in other species.