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Suspected myxi, but vet not sure

Aliandbuns

Mama Doe
Hi All
One of my Dad's rabbits (Basil) has suspected myxi. As far as we know he is completely unvaccinated. (I have lectured my Dad about this before but to no avail, now he is wishing he had listened to me.)

Basil has very sore swollen eyes, he can hardly see out of them any more, and swollen genitals.

He has taken Basil in to the vets a couple of times and the vet keeps saying she is unsure whether it is myxi or not because Basil is still eating and drinking and does not have a temperature. So she keeps saying wait another couple of days and see how he is. (My Dad had actually taken Basil in to the vet the second time expecting he would have to be PTS.)

From what my Dad has told me about the symptoms, I can't believe it is something other than myxi. But, of course, I am no vet!

Are there other viruses that would give these symptoms that poor Basil might recover from?

I am worried that he is suffering unnecessarily. But, on the other hand, the fact he is still out and about eating (including wandering round eating grass for long periods) is good, right???

He is such a beautiful bunny...
garden18June2006017.jpg
 
It sounds like myxi I'm afraid. I can't understand why the vet is hesitant. However, as the poor bun is unvaccinated I suppose treatment is unlikely to save him as it's been left too late. I wonder why the vet isn't erring on the side of caution here.
 
I am sorry to say that I think it is most likely to be Myxi :cry:
As Basil is unvaccinated his chances of survival are minimal :cry:
I would *not* attempt treatment for Myxi in an unvaccinated Rabbit. Personally I would PTS :cry: :cry:

Janex
 
It does sound like myxi to me too.... a hard lesson to learn for your dad, he's not alone though, no matter how many times I've told friends to vaccinate for myxi and vhd they don't, you did as much as you could and your dad made the decision. Very sad, he is a gorgeous bunny :cry:
 
Please all keep your fingers crossed for Basil's partner Cybil. She has been separated from him and is now vaccinated, but obviously may already have the illness. The vet (different one) checked her over today and she was fighting fit (which is why he was happy to administer the vaccine as he felt she would probably have been showing signs of illness by now if she was going to get ill).

Basil is still eating and drinking well and running about, although less than he used to. His lungs and nose are currently clear which I think is why the vet is keen to give him a chance. It really is hard for my Dad to know what to do when the vet is keen to let Basil fight it and won't/can't confirm that it is myxi.:(
 
Sorry - forgot to ask - what are your views on separating them - is this the right thing to have done? Cybil was bathing Basil's eyes for him (which presumably puts her at greater risk) but having her around must have been some comfort to him. I understand that rabbit to rabbit infection (whilst thought unlikely) is possible, especially from contact with the mucus from the eyes etc., so separating them helps reduce the risk. (Note that neither rabbit has flea problems.)

Please let me know what you think.

Also, which is more stressful on Cybil, seeing a very ill partner or not seeing him at all?:cry:
 
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Sorry - forgot to ask - what are your views on separating them - is this the right thing to have done? Cybil was bathing Basil's eyes for him (which presumably puts her at greater risk) but having her around must have been some comfort to him. I understand that rabbit to rabbit infection (whilst thought unlikely) is possible, especially from contact with the mucus from the eyes etc., so separating them helps reduce the risk. (Note that neither rabbit has flea problems.)

Please let me know what you think.

Also, which is more stressful on Cybil, seeing a very ill partner or not seeing him at all?:cry:

I believe that seperating them is necessary :cry:
I too worried about the stress this would cause but a recent case of Myxi on here has shown that seperating an infected Rabbit is essential.

What treatment is Basil on?
I do hope he is on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Buns with full-blown Myxi do eat and behave normally at first. It is usualy a secondary bacterial infection that proves to be fatal :cry:

Janex
 
Separation - such a difficult issue.

I have had all too many cases of myxi. I have never separated my rabbits until the affected one required intensive nursing. It could be argued that by now both rabbits would be affected anyway if they are going to get it.

My rabbits have never passed Myxi on to another rabbit.

HTH. I so wish Basil a positive outcome.

Good luck
Cara
 
I believe that seperating them is necessary :cry:
I too worried about the stress this would cause but a recent case of Myxi on here has shown that seperating an infected Rabbit is essential.

What treatment is Basil on?
I do hope he is on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Buns with full-blown Myxi do eat and behave normally at first. It is usualy a secondary bacterial infection that proves to be fatal :cry:

Janex

I know he is on antibiotics at the moment. Not sure about the anti-inflammatories though, will mention this to my Dad.

How long would it be, do you think, before he shows other symptoms?

I laid awake last night just thinking how awful this is and thinking how much I love my two.:cry:
 
I was advised not to seperate my two,but Floss had(has!!) Nodular myxi, not the full blown one. My vet said that it was important to keep her stress -free and felt that a seperation would upset her, besides which he reckoned that Bournville would have already contracted anyway. Bournville was fine last year and I'm assuming he'll be ok again.
 
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