Today whilst at work I saw a wild bunny with myxi. I tried to catch him so I could take him to the vets but he ran off into a field. What are the risks, if any, to my buns at home ie, from my shoes, clothes etc? They are not yet vaccinated as I have seven and vet trips are therefore tricky.
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Myxi question
- Thread starter Lynne18
- Start date
bunny babe
Wise Old Thumper
Personally as a precaution, I would remove all clothing and wash it before you go near your bunnies and also get a good shower/bath before touching them.
If yours have not had their jabs yet then you should get them done asap.
If yours have not had their jabs yet then you should get them done asap.
bunny babe
Wise Old Thumper
Just wash ya hands etc hun but i think Myxi is actually transmitted thru flies biting ya bunnys the flies carry it from an infected bunny i THINK noy 100% sure but thats what my O/H said)
Yes it is transferred through biting bugs, but I wouldn't take the chance of going near my buns with the same clothes on.
louise and Gus
Wise Old Thumper
No there is no hope unfortunately Maybe call the RSPCA?
As for your own buns, Myxi cannot be spread except for biting insects. But I would take this as an early warning that it is in your area and get all your buns vacc'd asap!
Maybe call the RSPCA?As for your own buns, Myxi cannot be spread except for biting insects. But I would take this as an early warning that it is in your area and get all your buns vacc'd asap!
An unvaccinated rabbit (if i've remembered this is right) has less than 10% chance of surviving myxi - the kindest thing to do is to try & catch him & bring him to the vet to be pts
Myxie cannot be directly transmitted through clothing. Myxie is only transmitted via biting insects, ushc a fleas and mosquitos. The reason why people strongly suggest changing clothes after handling a bun with myxie is that you may have picked up any fleas if these were on the infected animal.
Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
Myxomatosis
..............Eradication of a Species?
Myxomatosis
Caught in the centre of a soundless field
While hot inexplicable hours go by
What trap is this? Where were its teeth concealed?
You seem to ask.
I make a sharp reply,
Then clean my stick. I'm glad I can't explain
Just in what jaws you were to suppurate
You may have thought things would come right again
If you could only keep quite still and wait.
Philip Larkin
2.1 PATHOGENESIS
In Sylvilagus myxoma viruses produce localised benign fibromas which provide a source of infection for transmission of the virus by arthropod vectors. Following inoculation of Oryctolagus cuniculus with virulent myxoma virus there is a well-defined sequence of appearance of the virus in different organs. It is only found in the inoculation site on the first day, by the second day it is also found in lymph nodes, by the third day in the blood, spleen and liver. On the fourth day the virus can be seen in all tissues. Up until this point the only physical sign of infection is a lump in the skin at the inoculation point, however on the fifth day conjunctival swelling is apparent. Signs of infection are generalised on the sixth day by swellings on the skin and muco-cutaneous junctions, the eyelids, nose and anogenital region. Symptomatology reaches a peak on the eight and ninth days and death usually occurs on the tenth.
The cause of death is obscure because although the virus multiples to reach high concentrations in skin there is little involvement with the adrenals, kidneys, spleen, liver, lung and brain. The swellings cannot really be called tumours as they are due to a large extent to an accumulation of mucinous material as well as some degree of cellular proliferation in the dermis. There is also a proliferation of endothelial cells of the small capillaries and venules, and there is some thought that this may be a causative factor in the death of the host.
2.2 TRANSMISSION
The mechanisms of transmission of myxomatosis are of extreme importance since they demonstrate why it is epidemic or endemic in some countries and has localised outbreaks in others. The reasons for differences is due to the effects of environment on transmission, particularly on the availability of vectors for the disease.
2.2.1 Contact Infection
Myxomatosis is accompanied by a profuse ocular discharge as well as a discharge from the skin lesions, both of which are rich in virus. These discharges allow transmission of the virus by direct contact with scratches on the skin or superficial mucous membranes as occurs during social or sexual interaction.
Transmission via the respiratory tract is also possible if rare. Infection does not occur by feeding and therefore there no faeco-oral transmission.
This method of infection is of primary importance in the warren environment of O. cuniculus where there are many rabbits in a small area.
2.2.2 Arthropod Vectors
Insect vectors form a very important method of transmission. A wide number of mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, mites and lice have been shown to be vectors. The insects can feed on the blood of the infected rabbit or more easily on the exposed area of skin lesions. Further more, unlike infected rabbits which die after about ten days after which the possibility of contact infection is reduced, it has been shown that mosquitoes can carry a virus capable of re-infecting rabbits for up to 6 weeks. Rabbit fleas, particularly Spilopsyllus cuniculi, can act a reservoir of infection for several months after rabbits have deserted a burrow.
Taking into account the range of mosquitoes this allows transmission of the myxoma virus over greater areas than are usually travelled by the rabbits alone. This allows the spread of the virus to take place between colonies of rabbits, and in the case of the fleas, allows rabbits from a different colony to become infected be entering a warren where all the occupants have been killed by myxomatosis some months previously.
please get your own rabbits vaccinated even if you have to take several at a time... they may do a discount for a large group and also they mihgt come out to you.. no matter how many bunnys its vital to get myxi vaccs done chelsea caught it last year and without the vaccs she would have died i only know of 2 buns who have survived the full blown version(vaccs buns can get nodular version)
I'm sorry to hear of your loss Gaile. My friend has just lost 3 of her 8 bunnies to Myxie in the last week. The rest were vaccinated as soon as it became apparent the first had Myxie. It's still too early to say whether the rest will be okay. A fourth is showing signs so it'll be another visit to the vets tomorrow for her to get him checked out.
We both thought our bunnies were safe as they were in secure gardens but sadly we were wrong. I've had both of mine vaccinated this week and would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.
We both thought our bunnies were safe as they were in secure gardens but sadly we were wrong. I've had both of mine vaccinated this week and would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.
