Myxomatosis

Re: Myxomatosis

Rachel Jayne — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:21:25 GMT

A quite interesting study I heard of a few years back, was looking to prove that it was less likely to be caused by fleas, more liekly thrombicula autumnalis, as the skin lesions the buns tend to get on the front/side of their face or sternum/front legs are typical of bites from these mites... makes sense if you think about it.

I think it was Glen Cosequer (might have spelt that wrong) who was involved in it...
Study followed 2 groups of wild rabbit burrows, one known to be infested with fleas & a control group... the incidence of myxi in the flea ridden group really wasn't much higher than that of the control.

Will have to see if I can dig out the papers I had...

Re: Myxomatosis

Kim Buckley — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:37:01 GMT

Seen a few cases this year, all who didn't make it. Never actually managed to get a rabbit through it. Had a pair who we tried everything with and they didn't pull through. Nasty nasty disease!

Re: Myxomatosis

A Little TLC — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:06:40 GMT

We haven't had many in this year at the hospital, but it was a cold winter and killed off most of the fleas. I did a study on it a couple of years ago and rewrote our procedure after running it by the vet. Can't cure it, but can treat the symptoms. My procedure pulled through more rabbits than before so I a very proud girl :) I am looking into starting the study up a bit more so I can fine tune it. But have released some that have beat it, and therefore immune to that strain. :)

Re: Myxomatosis

xxserahxx — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:48:03 GMT

Its horrible.. espesh for me a bunny lover.. havnt *touch wood* seen a case this year yet..! we do have a client who is prone to it with her bunnys.. 2 last yr and one who what we thought was a skin form of it where it came out in scabs n ulcerations on face body etc.. which he survived and is now happy with his bunny wifey

Re: Myxomatosis

Rachel Jayne — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:46:15 GMT

It's so sad to see them with, I find you can almost tell they've got it by the sheer sound they make trying to breathe sometimes, like if you can hear them but haven't seen them yet.

I live in quite a rural area so have seen my fair share... I found a baby in the middle of the road once & as I say, as I got out of the car I could hear him wheezing & gasping luckily I wasn't too far from where I worked at the time, so I grabbed him & bundled him into a box in my boot to take him back to work & put him out of his misery..

At my first practice we had a lady who was a bit of a pet-collector, had about 20 rabbits that all ended up catching it & we had to PTS them all

Re: Myxomatosis

Calli D — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:33:08 GMT

We had our first one last weekend and another looks to have it. He came in for a neuter but his ears were hot and a bit bumpy so we are waiting to see if more symptoms develop. He's a couple years old and the new owners have had hime just over a year and not vaccinated him yet. they don't know his previous history. Fingers crossed he will be ok and we can vaccinate him asap.

September seems to be the month we see a lot of it, and in this area we always try to get people to vaccinate every 6 months as we have a large wild rabbit population too. We to had a local lady who rescued and had babies from the rabbits she also bred. The kits were not old enough to vaccinate and she lost all of them within the matter of a few weeks. heartbreaking

I think pet shops are getting better at telling people to get the bunnies vaccinated but more still needs to be done.

Re: Myxomatosis

Jenny Cook RVN — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:15:15 GMT

[quote user="thebeestingbutterfly"]

havent seen too many over the past couple of months but when the weather was damp we had some horrible myxo cases even in vaccinated bunnies! we recommend bi annual myxo boosters and annual vhd. what about fly strike? we've seen a few cases in dogs!!!!

our rabbit awareness boards seem to have hit home over the past few years... nothin worse than maggots

[/quote]

we recommended 6m myxo and annual vhd vaccs.

And yes have seen many flystrike buns this year so far. One the other day and the client was so dumb about it... booked appt saying rabbit had D+ and matted hair round bottom. Vet called me in to assist, held bunny, who was quite flat anyways, started clipping hair and a huge wound appeared from under the matts and maggots just flowed out llike a fountain... huge fully grown ones... vet suggested pts as was so far gone. Owner was like, oh dear, i only bathed and tried clipping her yesterday and they werent there...
Hmmm, she failed to notice the huge necrotic wound then!!!

Re: Myxomatosis

Sal the 1st — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:45:54 GMT

have seen a few myxy rabbits this year - we rec 6monthly vac as we are a rural area

Re: Myxomatosis

thebeestingbutterfly — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:42:47 GMT

our rabbit awareness boards seem to have hit home over the past few years... nothin worse than maggots

Re: Myxomatosis

albatross — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:30:15 GMT

we've seen quite a few cases in the last year at our low income clinic. Most clients haven't the money to vaccinate, but once they see/hear of one myxy rabbit, then they do tend to start a course. Most rabbits with myxy are pts, but we've tried a couple on antibiotics at owners request - not been successful though.

In our area we're also recommending the vhd vaccine.

Re: Myxomatosis

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:01:13 GMT

We don't have a lot of rabbits on the books, and those we do see are not all vaccinated -not by a long shot! Haven't seen a case for quite a while though - years in fact.

Its an awful disease I live in the Peak District, and as a kid remember seeing quite a few wild bunnies with it, sitting by the side of the road.... My Pa used to stop the car and put them out of their misery whenever he came across one

Re: Myxomatosis

chanel clydesdale — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:23:28 GMT

We still get the occasional case up this way but most rabbits what come to us are vaccinated now! Being a member of the british rabbit council and being around the show folks, i know many ppl who simply cant afford to vaccinate all their rabbits or dont believe in it and i only kno one person who has had problem with myxy but that certainly doesnt mean its not around and i certainly wouldnt not have my rabbits vaccinated, They are too precious to me wether they are a show rabbit or not and its such a horrible disease to have to see that i would rather prevent it.