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Worried re vaccines

E

emmiiee

Warren Veteran
I'm really worried about getting mine vaccinated! I've read so many rabbits have had problems since having them!! I have never ever had a rabbit vaccinated ever! and all have lived untill 8+

but obviously getting them vax'd is the done thing, but I would never forgive myself if I gave them it with them being perfectly healthy and then something happening to them, and I know people will say yh but the risk of disease is the same odds etc,

I am just SO confused!! ofcourse I want them protected but not if it means they could die from the vacs :/

Ive booked it and changed my mind about 3 times!! everytime I book it, I read on here that another rabbit is ill/died from no apparent cause and then they say oo they had the vacs such and such weeks ago :/
 
Get them vaccinated the small risk out weighs what could be an upsetting time for you if they get a full blown infection from elsewhere.

There are many of us who have had the vaccine with no ill affects
 
On here you wont read endless posts of 'my Rabbit was vaccinated and is fine'. Most people only post if the is an actual problem.

Just take a look at the posts about UNVACCINATED Rabbits developing Myxi and either being PTS immediately or suffering terribly as treatment is attempted

Then people who post saying 'I have just found my Rabbit dead. She was fine a few hours ago'.

When asked about VHD Vaccination the poster says 'No, we had not realised that Rabbits needed vaccination'................. :cry:

IMO whilst no vaccination is 100% risk free, the risk of actual disease is MUCH greater. In a multi Rabbit situation I think vaccination to be essential and the only responsible route to take.

I know of a situation where 'Homeopathic' vaccine was used (Nosodes). A VHD outbreak occurred and the person lost numerous Rabbits. She never got over the guilt she felt about not using a conventional vaccine.
 
I'm not for over-vaccinating cats and dogs, but from my, admittedly limited, understanding (we don't have myxi and VHD over here) it's different with rabbits. There seems to be a pretty big risk of rabbits getting myxi & VHD if they aren't up to date on their shots so if it were me I'd have them vaccinated. I know what you mean about being worried about them, I was so worried when I had my buns neutered, but the risks outweigh the cons.
 
It's natural to worry but I agree with Jane that people mainly tend to post when there are problems so you don't hear about all the rabbits who have had the vaccinations and are fine.

I've vaccinated my two routinely every 6 mths since I got them 4.5 yrs ago and, apart from one occasion where Alfie was a little off-colour the day after a myxi vacc (which was for just a couple of hrs), mine have never had any problems.

Alfie had the combi vaccination just over a week ago and, so far, has been fine too.

I think the very very slight risk outweighs the much greater risk of them contracting myxi or vhd.
 
Hi there

I have had five rabbits who have caught myxomatosis. Four were vaccinated, one wasn't. Sadly, she died, although the four vaccinated rabbits survived. From my perspective, which has been informed by my experience, I will always have my bunnies vaccinated, and would recommend that you do this also. My vets do a deal where both are vaccinated against myxi for £25, well worth it.
 
You can only get them vaccinated while they're healthy so now is the time to do it.

Jack's Jane is right, people only post about their vacc'd bunny when something goes wrong because there is very little point in posting to ask Qs about a rabbit who had the vaccine and was fine.

The risk of Myxi and VHD is much higher than the risk of illness as a result of the vaccine. Also, if a rabbit is unvaccinated and gets Myxi or VHD then in all likelihood it will die. Unvacc'd rabbit rarely recover from these illnesses.
Vaccinated rabbits can and do recover if they catch it. If a vaccinated rabbit is exposed to myxi or vhd they have the resources to put up a better fight. If an unvaccinated rabbit is exposed to either of these illnesses they don't have the resources to fight it off.
 
Myxi will usually be fine. That's all I vaccinate against. Of course now the stupid combi one is coming in, I'll have to give them both. But I wouldn't worry. I didn't vaccinate until I joined RU, now I've probably done about 10 myxi vaccs in total, no one has had a bad reaction. Ailsa had hers today :thumb:
 
happysaz133 said:
Myxi will usually be fine. That's all I vaccinate against. Of course now the stupid combi one is coming in, I'll have to give them both. But I wouldn't worry. I didn't vaccinate until I joined RU, now I've probably done about 10 myxi vaccs in total, no one has had a bad reaction. Ailsa had hers today :thumb:
Click to expand...

yhh I heard about a combi thingy, so they will only have to have 2 jabs a year now?
 
Mine have all been vaccinated since about 2007 and I've never had any issues other than them being slightly more dozy than usual the next day or two. It's usual on a forum like this to hear the bad sides and when people have issues, and to not hear so much about the many, many people and rabbits who don't have any issues.
 
I know I've read a lot of issues with the cylap VHD vaccine, but I've not seen many issues come from the combined jab.

Myxi seems to be getting more and more common, I'd rather take the incredibly slight risk that my rabbit might have a reaction to the vaccine (and generally, the reaction is just that they're off colour for a few days) rather than know it's almost certain death if they're exposed to the viruses at all while unvacc'd.

I've never had a rabbit have a reaction to a vac, and I had Charlie done with the cylap vac for years and he's a wimp and will act on deaths door if he feels at all unwell.
 
Some vets are still using the old vaccine so you could always have that for 6 months and see if there are more issues with the combined vaccine over the next few months. I presume there won't be issues doing this otherwise lots of owners who vaccinate with the old vaccine will have problems.

My 2 weren't vaccinated and now have myxi. We have been fighting it for 2 1/2 weeks now and still don't know if they will survive. I wouldn't wish it on anyone so I would accept any slight risk and get vaccinated.

Dave
 
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