Beware- My rabbit developed Chronic myxomatosis after new vaccine Nobi-vac Myxo - RHD

Hi Everyone, I just want to warn people of the new vaccine. I believe it to be unsafe.

Please be wary of this vaccine -
I am concerned that this product is unsafe as my rabbit has now got Chronic myxomatosis within 2 weeks of receiving this vaccine.

The main difference with the new one is that it is live combination vaccine, Its active ingredient is a live myxoma-vectored RHD virus strain 009.

The previous myxomatosis vaccine (Nobi-vac Myxo) is made from a harmless virus called Shope Fibroma.
This is a quote from
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resou...myxo_feb06.htm
‘The myxomatosis vaccine in Britain (Nobi-vac Myxo) is made from a harmless virus called Shope Fibroma. Antibodies made in response to Shope Fibroma Virus also protect against myxomatosis - this is called cross immunity. Different vaccines (including live attenuated myxomatosis virus) are used elsewhere in Europe, but tend to have more side effects and there are concerns that they are not safe enough for use in pet rabbits.’

This suggests using the live virus is not safe. I am concerned as my pet rabbit may die now as a result of this new vaccine. He is on antibiotics and is not very well.

I don't know how many rabitts this vaccine was tested on but it couldn't of been enough.

I am so sorry for your rabbit and you but I believe the new vaccine takes 3 weeks to become effective. Someone else may have more knowledge.

tonibun said:

I am so sorry for your rabbit and you but I believe the new vaccine takes 3 weeks to become effective. Someone else may have more knowledge.

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Thankyou for your reply.

I am aware that it takes 14 days to take effect, so it could be possible that he caught it during that time.
However, I have three rabbbits who were all vaccinated at the same time for the first time. Marley is 2 years old now and I just think it's a co-incidence that he developed this after receiving the vaccine.

We do not live in an area with high levels of the decease either.

I think the old vaccine should be still be available so people hav ethe choice of the having the live virus vaccine or the safe one.

The old virus may not last as long as the new one, but there must be some evidence that it is unsafe as it was not used in the UK before.

tonibun said:

I am so sorry for your rabbit and you but I believe the new vaccine takes 3 weeks to become effective. Someone else may have more knowledge.

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That is the case. It takes longer than the old vaccination to become effective. I had a feeling it was 3 weeks. I commented on it on another thread suggesting that this should be made clearer as then people would perhaps vaccinate a little earlier than normal during the changeover

In addition the myxi itself takes 10 days or so to show from date of infection. So a bun showing clear signs 2 weeks after vaccine may have caught it before sadly

I am very sorry to hear about you buns. Many rabbits who have had vaccinations have some immunity and do survive with medicines to prevent secondary infections and swellings

Baytril, metacam and eye drops to ease the eyes are common

Good luck

welshdragon said:

Thankyou for your reply.

I am aware that it takes 14 days to take effect, so it could be possible that he caught it during that time.
However, I have three rabbbits who were all vaccinated at the same time for the first time. Marley is 2 years old now and I just think it's a co-incidence that he developed this after receiving the vaccine.

We do not live in an area with high levels of the decease either.

I think the old vaccine should be still be available so people hav ethe choice of the having the live virus vaccine or the safe one.

The old virus may not last as long as the new one, but there must be some evidence that it is unsafe as it was not used in the UK before.

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I sympathise with your concerns. The one that was available in Europe was different to this combined one though you are right that they had a single live vaccine and not shope. However this one should give better cover

Marley is getting worse

I do think it is a reaction to the vaccine for a number of reasons:

1. we have 3 rabbits who have never been vaccinated up until now. They are 2 years old
2. since they have never been vaccinated before they do not have any immunity to it
3. they have been vaccinated with a live virus containing myxi
4. if Marley caught the virus in any other form, surely the other two rabbits would be showing symptoms by now, as they were all in the same hutch for at least one - two weeks before we separated them
5. we had them vaccinated September 11, (not high season) Marley started showing symptoms around the 20th - shaking his head at first. This seams too much of a coincidence since we have not vaccinated them before.

Marley is on Baytril at the moment and the vet has given him fluids.
Even the vet believes he is ill due to the vaccine, in her own words "I am furious with the new vaccine, we didn't have any problems with the single one,and our hands are tied as the only one available is the combined one!"

I think they should make people more aware of the risks.

My main concern is that a vaccine containing the live virus was considered unsafe before this combined one.

Marley is living with us in the lounge at the moment, although he has lumps on his nose and in his ears, his eyes are puffy but not gunky. The biggest concern is his breathing, he is wheezing. Has anyone else had this symptom? Or has anyone else nursed their rabbit to health with chronic Myxomatosis? I would like to know their experience and any advice they can offer to make Marley more comfortable.

After only 9 days the vaccine wouldn't have been effective yet. The reason they other two buns are OK is that they probably weren't bitten by the mosquito or other biting insect that bit Marley.

I would question how rabbit savvy the vet is if he's blaming the vaccine. The new vaccine should be more effective. You could start a thread on here asking for a rabbit savvy vet in your area.

Is Marley on Metacam? If he's never been vaccinated before, then his chances are slim, sorry. Sending lots of vibes xx

I would also question your vets supplier too as my vet is still able to use the single vaccines. In fact I think I am the only one who uses the combined one at this practice at the moment:wave:

Geoff's people said:

I would also question your vets supplier too as my vet is still able to use the single vaccines. In fact I think I am the only one who uses the combined one at this practice at the moment:wave:

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They are withdrawing the single vaccine. When I took mine for their vacc about two months ago my vet told me he'd had a letter that morning saying they are no longer making the singles.

Does your rabbit have any underlying medical problems and was it 100% well at the time of the vaccination? Whilst it is a live vaccine it is a very weakened strain of it and it should not be capable of inducing the actual disease.
Your rabbit could easily have contracted myxi before the vaccination with the onset of symptoms being within that time period.

I'm sorry you have had a bad experience and would urge you to continue to vaccinate your pets. No vaccine is 100% effective but an unvaccinated rabbit has little chance against myxi and VHD and vaccination is always the right choice to make.

I am really sorry that your bunny is poorly, but this is now at least the third time you have posted this over the past few days and your information about the safety of the vaccines is still based on incorrect assumptions about how vaccines work. I wont repeat why here as i have already explained it to you twice! Your assumptions about it being the vaccine because the others did not get it are also incorrect - it is spread by biting insects so if one has bitten your poorly boy, the insect will be 'full up' and is unlikely to go to the next bunny in thr same hutch. It is also very definitely still peak myxo season, it is so set there are still thousands of mozzies about.

While i have every sympathy with your situation, please be very careful about making such assumptions as you could well be encouraging more people not to vaccinate at all, which is a whole lot more risky overall than vaccinating.

I do hope your little one is ok x

I'm so so sorry to hear about your bun Marley catching this horrid disease I am a bit upset too to hear that the new jab takes 3 weeks as mine had it done Tuesday and I was not told this, which is wrong of the vets IMO too

welshdragon said:

I do think it is a reaction to the vaccine for a number of reasons:

1. we have 3 rabbits who have never been vaccinated up until now. They are 2 years old
2. since they have never been vaccinated before they do not have any immunity to it
3. they have been vaccinated with a live virus containing myxi
4. if Marley caught the virus in any other form, surely the other two rabbits would be showing symptoms by now, as they were all in the same hutch for at least one - two weeks before we separated them
5. we had them vaccinated September 11, (not high season) Marley started showing symptoms around the 20th - shaking his head at first. This seams too much of a coincidence since we have not vaccinated them before.

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Myxi is spread by vectors such as mosquitos/fleas so does not normally transfer between bunnies by contact, if it was a mozzi bite then the others are unlikely to be harmed. The European form of the virus is the only one that it spread via contact and is extremely rare in this country.

If Marley was bitten by an insect which caused the virus, wouldn't he have the full classic Myxomatosis?

As he hasn't been vaccinated before and the new vaccine would not have kicked in within 1 week, he would have the full blown virus and would of passed away by now.

welshdragon said:

If Marley was bitten by an insect which caused the virus, wouldn't he have the full classic Myxomatosis?

As he hasn't been vaccinated before and the new vaccine would not have kicked in within 1 week, he would have the full blown virus and would of passed away by now.

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In can take several weeks for a rabbit to die of myxi -

welshdragon said:

If Marley was bitten by an insect which caused the virus, wouldn't he have the full classic Myxomatosis?

As he hasn't been vaccinated before and the new vaccine would not have kicked in within 1 week, he would have the full blown virus and would of passed away by now.

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Not necessarily. They state that it is effective from 3 weeks after vaccination. This is based on the fact that they conducted the challenge test at 3 weeks post vac and saw an acceptable level of immunity. From the point of vaccination the rabbit will start to develop an immune response. The 3 weeks is when, based on the results they have, that immune response is considered to be at a satisfactory level for the purposes of demonstrating that the vaccine provides protection.

RedFraggle said:

Not necessarily. They state that it is effective from 3 weeks after vaccination. This is based on the fact that they conducted the challenge test at 3 weeks post vac and saw an acceptable level of immunity. From the point of vaccination the rabbit will start to develop an immune response. The 3 weeks is when, based on the results they have, that immune response is considered to be at a satisfactory level for the purposes of demonstrating that the vaccine provides protection.

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I'll look on the bright side then - it could have saved him from the classic form of myxi

Marley's progress

Just to let people know, Marley is in his forth week of Myxomatosis now and he's doing ok.

The progress is as follows

First week - the first signs that something was wrong was him shaking his head all the time. After a couple a days, his ears had small red lumps in them, his genitals were enlargerd and his nose was large too.
We took him to the vets and she prescribed him anti-biotics. We brought him into the house to keep him warm and nurse him. He was still eating and drinking at this stage.

Second week - he stopped shaking his head, his gentitals are still swollen, his breathing became like a wheezing sound. His ears got worse and his eyes look sore - red and watery - although his eyes were not gunked up. We continued to take him to the vet every 3 days where she gave him fluids and more anti-biotics. We are also giving him Metacam and water by syringe. He is still eating.

Thirs week - his eyes are drying up and there are scabs on his eyelids. He sneezing and coughing more though. His breathing is still the same. He is still not drinking. He's still on his meds and he's eating on his own.

Forth week - took him to the vets and she pulled some scabs off his nose to make his breathing easier. His ears have small red lumps, his genitals are still enlarged but they have some scabs on them. His nose is a little smaller as it is dry now and not wet.
He has started to dring again which is a good sign He is moving a lot more now too He still has a way to go but fingers crossed he's over the worst of it. he's still on all his meds. He's lost a lot of weight though :-(


So, hopefully he will pull through

I'm glad to hear that Marley's hanging in there and hopefully he's over the worst of it. You've been doing a great job of nursing him through this.

Any reactions to a vaccine should be reported to your vet. S/he should also then report it to the vaccine manufacturer. Sadly, many reactions to vaccines go under-reported, which can make vaccines appear safer than they truly are.