ADVICE NEEDED 9 Week Old Baby Rabbit with Myxi - She has been to vets

Hi I am new to this so hoping its ok to post. We purchased a French lop from a lady last weekend she was not a breeder but we saw rabbits with mum and dad and there pens looked very clean etc and at time of purchase the baby girl we picked seemed healthy. We brought her home and fell in love with her instantly. She has a massive home and run as we had put a lot of thought into it before we purchased and had converted our out building into a massive home for her and made an outdoor pen that joined onto this. In addition to this she hoped around our house and had cuddles on the sofa but on wednesday her eyes looked a little puffy(no weeping she just seemed a little squinty) So I brought her in so I could keep an eye on her, on thursday her eyes still looked puffy but she seemed fine in herself was still eating and drinking and hoping about (she had a vets appointment for her Myxi jab on Friday anyway) so took her to the vets on Friday where the vet took one look at her and said she had Myxi although her eyes still didnt seem to be weeping and her genitals were not swollen(the most commen signs according to the vet). He said rabbits with Myxi dont usually survive in truth about 2% do and he thought best option would be to put her to sleep but we could try nursing her and giving her antibiotics. I know this probably seems silly but because I loved our little bunny so very much I convinced myself that 2% was better than no chance and decided to try nursing her(although we have only had her a few days she has quickly become part of our family and we all love her very much) I left the vets wth Antibiotics and eye drops and so much determination that my little girl was going to survive. The vets said if she deterioted we are to take her back and have her put to sleep so that she does not suffer. Unfortunately I think I have made the wrong decision she hasnt got any worse but she is not getting any better either despite our nursing and love and the meds. She is still eating and drinking and bouncing about but her eyes are virtually shut now and she looks very sorry for herself. I would really like some advice from some experienced bunny owners as this has broken our whole families heart my children are devasted even hubby is very teary about it all. Do you think the best option would be to take her to the vets tommorow and have her put to sleep as I am worried i am prolonging her suffering. In just a few days she has become such a big part of our family its really is heartbreaking

I hate to tell you but your vet is right, the kindest option is generally to put to sleep if an unvaccinated rabbit contracts myxo. It's a very unpleasant death if left to take it's course

I know it's heartbreaking to lose a member of the family but if still wanted to have a rabbit I'm sure you could find a lovely pair in rescue who are already vaccinated, neutered and bonded.

Have you eyedrops and lots of pain meds and stuff to keep her eating??

Im ever so sorry.If shes not vacced she may well not make it...its quite common.
I dont know if mum was vacced and could pass on any immunity..possible not.
Vibes and keep us in the know.Id be interested to know about mum and siblings too.

If your rabbit was vaccinated she should have a good chance at survival if not the situation is worse.
I'm very surprised you didn't mention if your vet gave you recovery food to syringe feed and fluids. Is she eating and drinking? if not you will need to try and syringe feed water and recovery food (or I have used pellets soaked in water and mushed up before. Sub cut fluids may also be nessecary. Did the vet give her any pain relief such as matacalm or loxicalm (essentially the same thing)
If not I would be maybe trying to find a rabbit savvy vet ASAP. She definately needs pain relief and rabbits are very good at hiding if they are in pain.

As for if to PTS, having never nursed a bunny with this illness I'm not sure what to say. I think you will know if she is suffering.

The other thing you need to do is make sure there are no fleas in your home as this is how the virus is passed. Maybe she brought a few with her or you have a cat that's brought a couple in.

Sending get well vibes for the little baby xxx

I am afraid to say your vet is correct its hard to hear as she is so young and you obviously love her but a little bunny with no immunity is unlikely to be in the 2 % they 2% tend to be bunnies who have been vaccinated then over due there boosters by a few years.
It's a very painful death so if you did decide to continue you will need quite high doses of painkillers.
I am so sorry

Oh gosh how absolutely heartbreaking for you all

I have to say I agree that pts would probably be the kindest option. Occasionally a rabbit can be nursed through (usually if they have previously had a vaccination which is a little out of date) but it is incredibly intensive over 2-4 months not a couple of weeks, and I have known people fight for about 6 weeks or so before eventually thinking that they have turned a corner only for the bun to suddenly crash and need to be pts after all that time. Sadly the outcome is almost inevitable, so if it is definitely myxi and the little one already has eyes shut and is sorry for herself at this stage, I would opt to end the suffering and let her go sooner rather than later. Devastating I know, and very tragic, and it may take a while for you to feel ready to have bunnies again - although if you do, perhaps see if there is a rescue near you where the bunnies are already vaccinated and neutered before you fall in love and take them home, so at least you wouldn't have the worry of this heartbreak happening again.

Big hugs to you all, it's an awful thing to have happened so soon and your whole family must be devastated. Big hugs x x

I'm so sorry to hear this

I'm afraid I agree with others that have posted, pts will be a kinder option I think. The risk of survival is so low if the rabbit isnt vaccinated, and those that do survive often have to be nursed and even force-fed for weeks or months, on a large amount of painkillers and medication. Putting her to sleep will be your final act of love for this little one.

Have you told the breeder? She/he may well have an outbreak, but even if not s/he should quarentine his/her rabbits, so s/he would probably be grateful if you told them. If you do decide to get another rabbit, once you feel ready, it might be best to avoid this breeder, as bucks should not be kept with litters or the mothers as it causes back-to-back litters.

This must be really upsetting, you've obviously got a big heart. I hope you're okay.

So horrible for you and your bun I'm so sorry.

I agree with pts, especially when she gets worse. http://exoticpets.about.com/od/rabbitshealth/p/myxomatosis.htm It's such a horrible slow disease. :'(

How awful for you all. The incubation period for myxi is typically about 5 days so it is highly likely your poor bunny already had it when you got her she just wasn't showing symptoms then so I honestly don't think there is anything you could have done to prevent this.
If it is definately myxi then I think the kindest thing would be tp have your little one pts. If you haven't already you should also notifiy the people you bought her from that this has happened.

I hope this terrible experience hasn't put you off having rabbits.

blue_vix said:

If your rabbit was vaccinated she should have a good chance at survival if not the situation is worse.
I'm very surprised you didn't mention if your vet gave you recovery food to syringe feed and fluids. Is she eating and drinking? if not you will need to try and syringe feed water and recovery food (or I have used pellets soaked in water and mushed up before. Sub cut fluids may also be nessecary. Did the vet give her any pain relief such as matacalm or loxicalm (essentially the same thing)
If not I would be maybe trying to find a rabbit savvy vet ASAP. She definately needs pain relief and rabbits are very good at hiding if they are in pain.

As for if to PTS, having never nursed a bunny with this illness I'm not sure what to say. I think you will know if she is suffering.

The other thing you need to do is make sure there are no fleas in your home as this is how the virus is passed. Maybe she brought a few with her or you have a cat that's brought a couple in.

Sending get well vibes for the little baby xxx

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Thank you for your kind words. The vet gave me fucthalmic eye drops and meloxicam antibiotics to give with a syringe. No recovery food to be fed with a syringe as she is still eating and drinking her usual food and water. x x

Thank you all for your kind words. I think you have just confirmed what I was already thinking just wanted to be sure as its an awful decision to have to make. I have not informed the people I got her from at the moment but was already planning on giving them a call to inform them So will also do that asap. Thank you all once again.

Before you do go ahead with PTS I would try and confirm with the people who you got her from whether the mother was vaccinated - if she was then the little one will have some immunity and if it was me, and she continued to only have the shut eyes as a symptom, i would not yet PTS.

IF she continues to only have shut eyes and NO nodules elsewhere (swellings on nose, head, ears, etc), no swollen genitals, and none of the other signs - then tbh I might query the diagnosis.

Can you post an image of the eyes? Are they red and swollen and do they have sort of nodules on the eyelids at all?

parsnipbun said:

Before you do go ahead with PTS I would try and confirm with the people who you got her from whether the mother was vaccinated - if she was then the little one will have some immunity and if it was me, and she continued to only have the shut eyes as a symptom, i would not yet PTS.

IF she continues to only have shut eyes and NO nodules elsewhere (swellings on nose, head, ears, etc), no swollen genitals, and none of the other signs - then tbh I might query the diagnosis.

Can you post an image of the eyes? Are they red and swollen and do they have sort of nodules on the eyelids at all?

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^^^ This. I don't have any experience of myxi (thankfully) but I would want to make sure that the diagnosis was 100% myxi before considering PTS.

There are plenty of people on here who have bunny savvy vets so may be worth asking if anyone can recommend one in your area in case you need a second opinion (start a new thread in rabbit chat and the area you are in). As you are new to keeping bunnies, it is worth knowing that there are quite a lot of vets who are not bunny savvy but they may appear to know what they are talking about to people new to bunnies.

Fingers crossed for your little one.

parsnipbun said:

Before you do go ahead with PTS I would try and confirm with the people who you got her from whether the mother was vaccinated - if she was then the little one will have some immunity and if it was me, and she continued to only have the shut eyes as a symptom, i would not yet PTS.

IF she continues to only have shut eyes and NO nodules elsewhere (swellings on nose, head, ears, etc), no swollen genitals, and none of the other signs - then tbh I might query the diagnosis.

Can you post an image of the eyes? Are they red and swollen and do they have sort of nodules on the eyelids at all?

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Hi I will take a picture and post on here I have just got to try and figure out how to post a pic on this thread. thank you though x

If you upload it onto something like photobucket and then paste the link for the image into your message, that should work.

parsnipbun said:

Before you do go ahead with PTS I would try and confirm with the people who you got her from whether the mother was vaccinated - if she was then the little one will have some immunity and if it was me, and she continued to only have the shut eyes as a symptom, i would not yet PTS.

IF she continues to only have shut eyes and NO nodules elsewhere (swellings on nose, head, ears, etc), no swollen genitals, and none of the other signs - then tbh I might query the diagnosis.

Can you post an image of the eyes? Are they red and swollen and do they have sort of nodules on the eyelids at all?

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Hi I have now taken pics but can not figure out how to upload them on here. They are red and swollen so much so that they are fully closed. But not at anytime have they seemed weepy or seemed as if there was any discharge. Im not sure about nodules its hard to tell nothing there thats obvious. I think her nose does look a little puffy but no swelling in the rest of her face face. She is still eating and drinking on her own and is still hoping about quite a lot she does not seem lifeless in fact is still hoping around our front room at the moment. Genitals are not swollen or weepy. But in the last couple of hours she has started to sound a little snuffly and is sneezing. If you know how I can upload a pic then let me know and ill upload or alternatively if there is an email address I can mail them too happy to do that too. Many thanks I really am touched at how helpful eberyone on here has been. Emma xx

Emmyloo said:

Hi I have now taken pics but can not figure out how to upload them on here. They are red and swollen so much so that they are fully closed. But not at anytime have they seemed weepy or seemed as if there was any discharge. Im not sure about nodules its hard to tell nothing there thats obvious. I think her nose does look a little puffy but no swelling in the rest of her face face. She is still eating and drinking on her own and is still hoping about quite a lot she does not seem lifeless in fact is still hoping around our front room at the moment. Genitals are not swollen or weepy. But in the last couple of hours she has started to sound a little snuffly and is sneezing. If you know how I can upload a pic then let me know and ill upload or alternatively if there is an email address I can mail them too happy to do that too. Many thanks I really am touched at how helpful eberyone on here has been. Emma xx

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The nose and the snuffly bit dont sound great tbh . . tonight may be the decider . . I have had 3 buns with myxi of whom the first survived, the second survived but only lived a year after and died of prob. reated renal failure, and the third died. All had had the vaccine - but the first one had had it a year previous (that was back when that was what was recommended).

There are however people on here who have had non vaccinated buns survive - and I do wonder if little ones might survive especially if maother was vaccinated.

you can email me on twigs.way@ntlworld.com but it will be tomorrow before I pick up now.

A friend of mine nursed an unvaccinated bun through myxie last year. It took about a month but she got through it. However, she was an adult rabbit - about 2 years old, I think. She had never been vaccinated so had to fight it from scratch, as it were.

Whether it was kind or the right thing to do to put the rabbit through that illness I cannot say...

Good luck with your little one.

I have answered (after seeing the photos) direct on email.

As I said - many people will have examples of different cases and different outcomes - and also some will have strong opinions on whether to nurse or not. In the end it is up to you, a GOOD rabbit vet, and of course it depends absolutely and centrally on whether or not the bun is sufferring.

Many years ago all five of my buns caught myxi and were unvaccinated. They all survived and I still have one now - Molly. I was very ignorant at the time about how awful myxi was and didn't even consider PTS - I just assumed they would pull through. They all wanted to fight and were still eating and reasonably lively. I did spend an awful lot of time at the vet - virtually daily with one or the other of them.

I don't regret not having them PTS as they all recovered and enjoyed the rest of their lives. Molly is getting on in years now and has slowed down but is still a happy nomming bunster who will come out of her hutch and explore if the weather isn't too bad - she likes her comfort does my Molly

Good luck with your little one. Sending lots and lots of vibes xxxx