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Possibly stupid question about vaccinations....

catherine09

Mama Doe
I'm looking into the possibility of starting a small luxury boarding/fostering operation when I get my first house, and I know that all reputable boarding places state bunnies must be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to arrival, which will automatically be a requirement for me too. However, I just sat down and thought about it, and I'm not sure I actually understand why that is!

Are un-vaccinated rabbits more prone to getting the disease? I know that sounds a ridiculous question but say I had a bale of hay that contained myxi, and I gave to both vaccinated and non vaccinated rabbits, surely the un-vaccinated buns would catch it and the vaccinated ones wouldn't/catch the other nodular type of myxi? I can't understand why having un-vaccinated buns in the same garden as vaccinated buns puts the vacc'd buns at more risk? And if it doesn't put the buns at more risk why have that stipulation? Or is it less complicated that I'm making out to be and just a risk thing - incase a bunny dies of myxi or VHD whilst staying with you and you get blamed?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, it won't change me specifying that all vaccines should be done, I just wanted to better understand why that stipulation exists :D
 
I'm nowhere near as well informed as the others on here so you will get a better answer than this... but.... I was told it's fleas that carry myxi and VHD so if the flea bites an infected bunny then an unvac bunny it will catch it.

I think it's also contagious by bowl / water sharing etc. Not 100% sure though as I say someone else will have a better answer for you!
 
Hey, yeah I'm pretty sure either Myxi or VHD is transferable by human contact amongst other things - the thing I don't get is if my own bunnies are vaccinated and I bring other bunnies into my garden that aren't - why should I be bothered that they aren't vacc'd?

I'm sometimes not very good at explaining what I'm thinking!!
 
Hey, yeah I'm pretty sure either Myxi or VHD is transferable by human contact amongst other things - the thing I don't get is if my own bunnies are vaccinated and I bring other bunnies into my garden that aren't - why should I be bothered that they aren't vacc'd?

I'm sometimes not very good at explaining what I'm thinking!!

:wave: aahhhh I see now! I'm not too good at skim reading either :lol:

We got there in the end though!! Haha

I know what you mean, I always think that when I read about vac requirements.

Perhaps it's just people wanting to keep the myxi virus numbers as low as possible - sort of not "promoting" (can't think of a better word!) anti-vacc'd bunnies. Maybe they're just encouraging others to vac their own? I dunno.... I find it all very confusing :lol: :roll:
 
:wave: aahhhh I see now! I'm not too good at skim reading either :lol:

We got there in the end though!! Haha

I know what you mean, I always think that when I read about vac requirements.

Perhaps it's just people wanting to keep the myxi virus numbers as low as possible - sort of not "promoting" (can't think of a better word!) anti-vacc'd bunnies. Maybe they're just encouraging others to vac their own? I dunno.... I find it all very confusing :lol: :roll:

Yeah that makes sense, I mean all owners should vaccinate their bunnies as standard and I guess making sure that bunnies in your care are vacc'd is good practice, plus it would be risky incase a bunny died from myxi/VHD in your care and the owner blamed you....

It's just from looking on boarding websites they are so strict on the timescales and things it makes me wonder whether there is actually a more technical reason for it that I'm not seeing...hmm :?
 
Hey, yeah I'm pretty sure either Myxi or VHD is transferable by human contact amongst other things - the thing I don't get is if my own bunnies are vaccinated and I bring other bunnies into my garden that aren't - why should I be bothered that they aren't vacc'd?

I'm sometimes not very good at explaining what I'm thinking!!

I think the problem is if you bring a rabbit in that has myxi or VHD then the other rabbits in your care that havent been vaccinated may get it. Then you send them home and they start with disease. I expect the person is going to blame you. Where ever you have multiples of animals coming in and out then one way or another you are going to get diseases that spread it could be anything. Imagine if a rabbit did bring myxi into your place you would have to shut down then somehow control the disease which isn't an easy task. I think you either have to make them sign something to say they accept the risk if their buns are not vaccinated or only accept buns that are vaccinated. Its a difficult one because not all owners vaccinate (I don't have mine vaccinated) so it would limit your customers.
 
I think the problem is if you bring a rabbit in that has myxi or VHD then the other rabbits in your care that havent been vaccinated may get it. Then you send them home and they start with disease. I expect the person is going to blame you. Where ever you have multiples of animals coming in and out then one way or another you are going to get diseases that spread it could be anything. Imagine if a rabbit did bring myxi into your place you would have to shut down then somehow control the disease which isn't an easy task. I think you either have to make them sign something to say they accept the risk if their buns are not vaccinated or only accept buns that are vaccinated. Its a difficult one because not all owners vaccinate (I don't have mine vaccinated) so it would limit your customers.

I'm not considering letting un vaccinated bunnies into my care, I just wanted to know as it's been puzzling me for a while now :roll::lol:
 
I'm not considering letting un vaccinated bunnies into my care, I just wanted to know as it's been puzzling me for a while now :roll::lol:

I wonder if the same applies to cat and dog kennels? I can see where your coming from though I know someone with a sanctuary and she has had a few diseases take hold of them and she says it spreads before the symptoms show and causes havoc and even after disinfecting everything it doesnt always clear up. I suppose diseases can be hard to get rid of in a group so thats why they only accept vaccinated pets.

Good luck though I would love enough space to offer pet boarding.
 
I wonder if the same applies to cat and dog kennels? I can see where your coming from though I know someone with a sanctuary and she has had a few diseases take hold of them and she says it spreads before the symptoms show and causes havoc and even after disinfecting everything it doesnt always clear up. I suppose diseases can be hard to get rid of in a group so thats why they only accept vaccinated pets.

Good luck though I would love enough space to offer pet boarding.

When my dog went into kennels we had to produce his vacc certificate and he also had to have a kennel cough one too, so yeah they care even more.

I guess the spread of disease is the main thing, especially if bunnies were coming and going regularly.

I'm only going to have one or two bunny and piggy boarding spaces (outdoor and hopefully indoor too) - I wouldn't want to have too many as I feel they wouldn't get enough attention if I had loads!
 
I may be WAY of base here, but I'm pretty sure that vaccinated buns can get Myxi, it just isn't as serious as an un-vaccinated one getting it. So maybe a bunny with myxi (but not showing any/many symptoms cos they are vaccinated) would wreak havoc if there were un-vaccinated bunnies nearby?
 
I may be WAY of base here, but I'm pretty sure that vaccinated buns can get Myxi, it just isn't as serious as an un-vaccinated one getting it. So maybe a bunny with myxi (but not showing any/many symptoms cos they are vaccinated) would wreak havoc if there were un-vaccinated bunnies nearby?

Yes your correct they can still get it.....same with cats I have a stray cat which i took in who has cat flu and mine are vaccinated...he will have it for life and hes always bunged up and sneezing poor guy. The vet did warn me that my cats could get it but it wouldnt be as serious but it can still cause complications. I dont have my buns vaccinated....do most people have them done?
 
Hi
Yes, a vaccinated bun can still get myxi.
As far is boarding is concerned, I personally wouldn't board unless they insisted on all buns being vaccinated, for both myxi and VHD.
Not sure why two weeks though as if the VHD vaccine used is cylap i think it's not effective for 21 days.
Good luck
 
I think the problem is if you bring a rabbit in that has myxi or VHD then the other rabbits in your care that havent been vaccinated may get it. Then you send them home and they start with disease. I expect the person is going to blame you. Where ever you have multiples of animals coming in and out then one way or another you are going to get diseases that spread it could be anything. Imagine if a rabbit did bring myxi into your place you would have to shut down then somehow control the disease which isn't an easy task. I think you either have to make them sign something to say they accept the risk if their buns are not vaccinated or only accept buns that are vaccinated. Its a difficult one because not all owners vaccinate (I don't have mine vaccinated) so it would limit your customers.

This. I think you'll have to have some sort of waiver document for owners to sign about their rabbits catching illnesses whilst with you anyway, but its about covering yourself. If you have 2 unvacced buns there and one comes in carrying it, then the other gets it, then the vacced buns get nodular myxi - it could ruin you. You'd have to do quarentine so would have to cancel any incoming boarding customers for a couple of months, plus you'd have to nurse all these buns and pay the vets bills till the owners come to collect them - but what if the bun dies and so the owner doesnt come to collect, or the owner doesnt want to pay for the vet bills because the bun caught it in your care? Of course you'd probably get debt collectors etc involved but I imagine you have to pay for that. Plus you've got the vet bills of the others in your care, and the damage to your reputation as you've had a disease outbreak. It could ruin you.

Personally if I was running a boarding business I think I would allow an exception with having vaccs, but only if it has been confirmed with a vet that it is for health reasons and the person is upfront about it and if the owner is made to sign an additional agreement and leaves card details/a cheque deposit.
 
Lady Lagomorph, out of interest why dont you vaccinate, is it for moral reasons or do you use an alternative method of protection or something? You can PM me if you dont want to say publically, I'm just nosy :lol:
 
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