Vaccination Worries..

Hello all,

As you may or may not know - I own 2 bunnies, both males and are neutered and live happily together. Neither have ever been vaccinated merely because I hadnt heard of the vaccination until a good year or so ago, and secondly I am terrified!

Blossom will be turning 5 in May, and Leo will be turning 1in April. After taking my time to research myxomatosis, I really have come to terms with what a horrible disease it is, and I understand that un vaccinated rabbits stand a very low chance of surviving if they were to contract it.

Initially I had planned to book them in, in the spring/summer time for the combined jab because of course I would rather be safe than sorry - but after hearing so many stories of bunnies catching a full outbreak of the disease after vaccinating, even 6 or so months down the line really scares the life out of me! I couldn't live with myself if I took mine for their jabs and they contracted it, and im really not one for coping with such a horrible disease!

I have taken into consideration that vaccinated bunnies stand a much better chance of not catching it, and a much better chance of recovery if they do, but I really am nnot sure what to do. There is no way my rabbits would ever come in contact with a wild one but I understand that mosquitoes are also a risk.

Some advice, tips, experiences and reassurances would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

All my bunnies are vaccinated and always will be, I used to work in a rabbit rescue and saw probably well over 100 buns vaccinated, I have never seen a bunny react adversely to their jabs. Pretty much every owner on here has their buns vaccinated, every rescue I have heard of vaccinates their buns. Yes of course as with any vaccine there are some risks, I think the worst I've heard of though is a rabbit feeling a bit off colour for a day or two after.

Much like the flu vaccine in humans a myxi jab does not mean the bun can't get myxi. What it does mean is that they stand a much better chance of surviving it and are much less likely to catch it in the first place. If you got your buns vaccinated tomorrow and in 6 months time they contracted myxi it would have nothing to do with the vaccine but the vaccine could save their lives.

Also the vaccination is now a dual vaccination that protects against VHD (viral hemorrhagic disease, sometimes known as RHD or rabbit hemorrhagic disease) this is a highly infectious and lethal disease, there are no symptoms and no treatments but it causes the rabbit massive internal bleeding and must be a truly horrendous way to die. Often all the owner will know is that their bun is dead. The vaccine protects completely against VHD (as much as any vaccine can be 100%)

In my honest opinion simply the VHD side of the vaccine alone makes it more than worth any of the minuscule risks attached to vaccinations.

I will add that the only time I would not vaccinate is if the bun was already unwell, obviously a vaccine works by stimulating an immune response, a poorly bunny would not be helped by that so it is recommended that you don't vaccinate. But a good vet would be able to give you the advice you need in that situation.

There is no proof - most just a little circumstantial evidence that the combo jab could cause myxi in a rabbit. The incubation period for myxi is about a week so any rabbit showing symptoms within a few days post vaccination had to have already been infected before vaccination happened. I know it seems bad if a rabbit is vaccinated and has myxi symptoms the next day but that doesn't mean the jab gave them myxi.

It is possible for a rabbit to get myxi months after having the jab, if for some reason their immune system was compromised at the time they were jabbed so immunity didn't develop. That's no the jab giving it to them, just not protecting them. That's very very rare though, there have only been a few cases with a vaccinated rabbit getting full blown myxi. More common is for a vaccinated rabbit to get nodular myxi - this is a less deadly form and has a high survival rate. It other words, even though in those cases the jab didn't give 100% protection is still helped give the rabbit a much bigger chance of survival.

What you are reading is the times someone encounters a problem, not the thousands of times rabbits have the jab and there is nothing to write about because they never get myxi.

Hi :wave:

I have some experience in this as my rabbit got MYXI 7 days after vaccination.......there is now evidence to suggest this can happen to SOME rabbits,but a small amount.

He developed MYXI nodules but NOT full blown MYXI virus, this is what tends to happen (if it's going to happen) it's just a reaction, not the actual full blown evil MYXI.
I'm lucky that the vets I use have some of the best exotic vets in the country! He was put on metacam and was a bit under the weather for 2 days, his scabs fell off over the next 3 weeks. All in all, it wasn't bad........phew although at the the time I thought my world was ending

BUT.......would I get him vaccinated again??? In a heartbeat :wave: the full blown MYXI is a nasty virus and compared to a reaction.....it's a no brainier. :thumb:

Knowing what I know now and reading quite a lot about it, I gather it's unlike this would happen with his next vaccination next year. Also I've had my other rabbits vaccinated and they were fine, it's a very small number of rabbits that react.

It's your choice of course, but I personally think it's a tiny risk worth taking:wave:

Just keep an eye on your bunnies for any MYXI scabs for a week or two after .......good luck keep us updated on your decision xxxxx

All my buns are vaccinated and only 1 had a reaction. Sorrell came out in small nodules on his nose, ears and around his eyes about 7-10 days after vaccination. He didn't become unwell at all (but did have metacam in case he was sore) and the nodules scabbed over, fell off and were completely gone after a month.

The reaction was reported to the vaccination company, who told my vet that there had been reports BUT it was very rare.

Sorrell is due in a couple of months and he will be vaccinated seeing the tiny nodules was bad enough, I dread to think what i'd do if I saw a proper case of Myxi

Thank you all for the replies.

I have taken all of what you have said into consideration and have decided to go ahead with it as im sure the benefits outweigh the risks.

Still very worried seeing as my Blossom has never been immune to it in the whole 4 1/2 years of his life, but as you all say its a very small chance you have to take.