There Seems to be A Lot of Myxomatosis About :-(

It would appear that even Rabbits who have been relatively recently vaccinated (within the last 4 months) are still succumbing to Myxo
Just read of an outbreak in Lincolnshire where a person lost 27 Rabbits to Myxo a couple of days ago. Not sure if they were vaccinated though. The vaccinated ones were in Kent, Surrey and Wigan.

Anyone else feeling very anxious about the apparent increase in virulence of Myxo, or is it just because I am as I am, so-to-speak ? As if dealing with the RHD2 threat were not enough

There definitely does, doesn't there, it's a worry. Some vaccinated rabbits including one of mine seem to be developing much more severe symptoms than would be normal for atypical myxi. We took a swab sample from her conjunctiva so I'll be interested to see if it isolates a particular strain...no idea what we are going to get back from that or when though!

I wonder why...is there a particularly virulent strain doing the rounds? Is it the weather causing an explosion of mozzies? I would definitely advise fly/mozzie screens/repellents where possible to try and minimise risks, even for vaccinated bunnies.

It's so rife here. You can see the sick wildies on roundabouts and grass verges when you're driving around I'm really worried too, before I joined this forum I had no idea they could still die from it (though I knew they could get a milder version) once they'd been vaccinated. We live a few hundred yards from a wood as well.

I've been lucky in only seeing one wildie with it this last month. And he/she was still eating at the side of the road even though it's eyes had fully swollen shut

I think it does sometimes have a boom - just like canine distemper etc. Sudden increase in particular weather etc can cause it.

I do wonder if the strain is changing which is why the vaccines seem to be less affective?

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Not sure of the statistics, but I think we've had a pretty wet summer so far. Although, that isn't unusual for the UK, is it?

I was once told by a farmer that different strains were released into the wild periodically. Whether true I don't know. It's so very sad.

daphnephoebe said:

I've been lucky in only seeing one wildie with it this last month. And he/she was still eating at the side of the road even though it's eyes had fully swollen shut

I think it does sometimes have a boom - just like canine distemper etc. Sudden increase in particular weather etc can cause it.

I do wonder if the strain is changing which is why the vaccines seem to be less affective?

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This is what I've wondered too

I guess as Myxo is a virus it'll mutate and perhaps it can now over-ride the Vaccine in some cases.

Bloody viruses :evil:

Jack's-Jane said:

I guess as Myxo is a virus it'll mutate and perhaps it can now over-ride the Vaccine in some cases.

Bloody viruses :evil:

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^This. Unfortunately. Viral mutation is the worst. I feel for you all, we don't really have anything like that here with the exception of the northwest portion of America (probably some where I'm headed ) but it's supposed to be the milder form. I have no idea if my bunnies will need the vac or not, but if it's available I'm taking no chances, they are all getting it. Plus anything I can do to prevent flystrike since they will be living outdoors for the first time in their lives. (It's an enclosed porch type of setting, but definitely capable of there being insects coming in.)

Really hoping it's hitting it's peak as we reach the cooler parts of the summer (we are here at any rate) and that it will begin to ebb soon. xxxx

ETA: Oh god...I just googled this...there is no vaccine for the US!
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1803&aid=3422

I think it's at it's peak at this time of the year, even though we see mozzies over a much longer period. We're also learning how to manage the mozzies better here. We live in a rural area, with marshland closeby and so probably see more mozzies generally than in some areas. Where we have any standing water they breed and so the OH regularly inspects the water butts etc and swishes a net around to catch the larvae and feeds them to the chickens.

On still damp evenings the rabbits get shut away in their shed earlier (after inspecting the shed) and get left out longer on windy evenings.

Thankfully we haven't had any infected wildies in the garden this year so far.

OH and my son go fishing around Essex (more the south of the county ) and they see plenty of wild rabbits but haven't seen any sick/dead ones fortunately.

However I saw on a Facebook group yesterday that 2 wild rabbits had been seen with myxi in Stock which is a little too close for comfort.