Early signs of Myxomatosis?! Could it be Pasteurella?!!

Guys, I'm panicking. Here's the deal:

First thing - Ginger was fine, dove into his breakfast and has eaten it all.
Midday - Seemed a bit quiet. I put them both in the big run and Ginger started nibbling straight away. I didn't stay and watch because I had to walk the dog.
Early afternoon - brought them in from the big run. Ginger was lying down, and didn't come bounding up as he usually does. I had to go and pick him up. I noticed both his eyes were watering. This is usual in the left eye due to his teeth, but he's never had a problem with the right eye before. I thought it might just have been the cold.
Just now - been out to the shed and Ginge came hopping down the ladder towards me, then just sat in the hutch. Both his eyes are watering still, and he's scratching at them. No sign of swelling around his eyes, but I turned him over to check his bits and I'm not sure, they might be slightly swollen? I'm not an expert on rabbit genitalia to be honest!


What do you think I should do? I'm so scared! He was absolutely fine last night and this morning! He's vaccinated, but I know that doesn't prevent myxi. Do you think I should take him to the emergency vets? I know, if someone else had written this post I'd be saying 'take him in NOW!' but I don't even know that the vet would be able to diagnose it, as it's not really obvious? Would it not lull me into a false sense of security if I took him now and they said he was ok? I'm freaking out a little bit. I've not seen any wildies with myxi, and he's not been scratching at himself in general. Pickles is fine.

I'd be more inclined to say it was his teeth playing up rather than Myxi, from what I have read most myxi buns don't seem to go quite/off their food at first, plus it is swollen eyes rather than weepy. However I still think you should get him to the vets? Might need some pain relief and a dental?

Is your vet not open on a Saturday?

Without seeing him it's impossible to say.

I would call the Vet for advice.

Good luck xx

Im afraid thjis is very much the pattern with what happened with Hawthorn - and generally my experience is myxi buns go off their food anbd stay indoors (or in hutch) more the two days or so just before the symptoms actually show.

After that they start to eat again for a day or so , then start being picky again 2-3 days after the symptoms show. (this is based on sample of 3 - but I know that Rio who has myxi (PomandRi) has now gone a bit quiet and picky a few days in to the symptoms showing

Good luck and I really would take to a vet.

are his ears hot and heavy?

The vet said it's highly unlikely that it's myxi, but to bathe his eyes in cooled boiled water and moniter him for now. I just took a bowl of recovery out, and he nearly had my hand off guzzling it down! His eyes are very watery though, and although there's no swelling they're perhaps, not quite as wide as usual. I don't think it can be his teeth as he had his dental last week. His ears feel fine, perfectly normal.

The thing with Ginger Bun is he's always 'dying off'. I don't want to go rushing down to the vets if it's just a bit of dust or something, but on the other hand if it is myxi I want to start treatment as soon as possible! What exactly is the procedure?

Oh no :shock: Sending trillions of non myxo vibes hun xxxxxx

hmmm - once a vet has confirmed myxi (usually by looking at eyes and genitals and feeling base of ears or close examination of nose hardness) they are on metacam, a form of eye abx, and abx orally (against secondary infection).

add to this keeping indoors in constant warm heat (above 22 degrees), eye bathing, and when needed bisolvon to help keep nose clear and I also use saline nasal sprays.

there are other things to use as well just to give comfort.

I'm trying to word this tactfully - don't want you to go into panic but at the same time want to suggest that you keep a very close eye on things!

As Parsnipbun mentioned, my vaccinated bun Rio has myxi and I have to say that his started out in a very similar manner to Ginger's. Last Saturday one of his eyes was a little swollen, pink-rimmed and weeping slightly. There was no discharge but it was rather more closed than the other eye. Although my very first thought was that he might have myxi, he had no other symptoms - no swellings, no loss of appetite, no lethargy - and I concluded that he'd probably poked himself in the eye with something.

Other symptoms didn't start to appear until the middle of this week in the form of a lump on his nose, reduced appetite and lethargy. Just today I noticed that a lump is starting to form at the base of one of his ears and he must have a bit of a runny nose as the fur around his nostrils has a small but constant patch of wet.

However, before you start to worry, can I add that Rio is not particularly poorly, touch wood. His eye was back to normal within three days, his appetite loss and lethargy only lasted a couple of days and although the lump on his nose hasn't gone down, it hasn't got any worse either. He's been out in the garden today, was running around quite happily and even managed a binky.

So, please don't rule out myxi and keep a close eye on him. However, as a bun who has been vaccinated, even if he does have it there is a good chance that he will have a mild infection.

Good luck and do post if there are any developments. Keeping my fingers crossed for you and Ginger.

glad to hear Rio is coping fine Hawthorn is rather worse than this now

Oh god, I wish I'd taken him to the vets today now. I just went out to them again. He used his littertray, but instead of weeing in one long stream he did several short bursts, which I've never noticed him do before. Is this one of the signs? I guess if his 'boy bits' are uncomfortable...? I'm so scared.

Oh I am really sorry to read this. I hope Ginger will be ok and it's not Myxi. I can imagine how scared you feel, it's always worse as well, when you know the vet is closed. Wish I could offer you some advice but I have very little knowledge of Myxi and I think I should read more about it. Thinking of you and sending lots of calming vibes your way.

Can you bring both o fthem into the warm - this is one of the key things in fighting myxi - warmth - and it is due to be a cold night.

parsnipbun said:

Can you bring both o fthem into the warm - this is one of the key things in fighting myxi - warmth - and it is due to be a cold night.

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I've got the heater full on in the shed. No, screw that, I'm bringing them in the house! And I'm going to get him to the emergency vet tomorrow, somehow. Even if it does turn out to be nothing (and that seems less and less likely) I need to know I've done everything I can.

Your vibes are very much apprieciated guys, thank you. Parsnipbun, loads of vibes for little Hawthorn. It's the most evil thing.

Thinking of you and your baby and sending get well soon wishes xxx

Oh no, I knew I'd panic you!

I'm really sorry and hope things will be clearer one way or the other in the morning.

PomandRi said:

Oh no, I knew I'd panic you!

I'm really sorry and hope things will be clearer one way or the other in the morning.

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You were only saying what I knew already. I wouldn't be nearly as worried if he were normally fit and healthy, but he's so, so thin and fragile. I love him so much, I couldn't bear to lose him. When did Rio first develop the signs? Do you have a thread about it? Vibes for him too.

I really hope he's going to be ok and it's not M xx

How is Ginger this morning? xxx

*lily* said:

How is Ginger this morning? xxx

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I'm begining to wonder whether it might be the new bag of hay? It's been open for several days now, but they've not had much of it. He's been sneezing though every time he noms it - but then, if he's got myxi perhaps his irratated airways would cause him to react to it? He's sneezing generally too. Also, if it is the new hay, wouldn't Pickle be sneezing too?

He's was hopping round my room and seemed ok, but now he's lying down looking uncomfortable, and Pickles has gone to look after him.