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Reaction to combi vaccine

lauraandmike

lauraandmike

Warren Scout
Hi there. I have searched past posts and come across others. With similar problems.
It will soon be time for mine to be vaccinated again. But the last two times polly has become very lethargic with one sore and lumpy eye and swolen genital area.
I have told the vet, he said its either that or she dies if she gets the real thing, obviously.
She is getting on and im dreading her going through this again. Any clues as to how ill she must feel when this happens?
I dont feel like i have an option here but it just seems so cruel!
Thanks, laura
 
lauraandmike said:
Hi there. I have searched past posts and come across others. With similar problems.
It will soon be time for mine to be vaccinated again. But the last two times polly has become very lethargic with one sore and lumpy eye and swolen genital area.
I have told the vet, he said its either that or she dies if she gets the real thing, obviously.
She is getting on and im dreading her going through this again. Any clues as to how ill she must feel when this happens?
I dont feel like i have an option here but it just seems so cruel!
Thanks, laura
Click to expand...

How old is Polly and is she in general good health?

You do have an option. The vaccine should only be given to healthy rabbits, who can mount a good immune response. I choose not to vaccinate ill and infirm rabbits as the risks to their immune system are too great. My vet concurs with this.

What does your vet think apart from telling you the obvious?
 
lauraandmike said:
Hi there. I have searched past posts and come across others. With similar problems.
It will soon be time for mine to be vaccinated again. But the last two times polly has become very lethargic with one sore and lumpy eye and swolen genital area.
I have told the vet, he said its either that or she dies if she gets the real thing, obviously.
She is getting on and im dreading her going through this again. Any clues as to how ill she must feel when this happens?
I dont feel like i have an option here but it just seems so cruel!
Thanks, laura
Click to expand...

When you say that she's 'getting on' how old is she ?

You do have the right to choose not to vaccinate her, regardless of what any Vet may say. But you would have to decide if a few days of feeling a bit 'off' is better than the risks of contracting Myxo/RHD. No vaccine can guarantee 100% protection, but a vaccinated Rabbit who goes on to contract Myxo has a good chance of recovery.

You could ask the Vet if Polly could have some Metacam for a few days post vaccination (if you decide to go ahead with it) Metacam would reduce the amount of inflammatory response she may have and Metacam also has antipyretic properties. Some Rabbits can run a slight temperature for a day or so after vaccination and that can make them feel lethargic.
 
Thank you mighty max and jacks jane. She is coming up for 8 , which isnt that old i suppose, and is in really good health. She has always been really sensitive to all drugs as well bless her.
I have metacam in the house and was thinking this may help her.
Its really nice to get some support on here. It helps with the decision making. Will also talk to the vet again, i do trust him.
Im afraid the symptoms have lasted a week or two in the past, not a few days.
The other problem is im not covered by insurance if not vaccinated.
I currently have left polly and joe who is also 8ish.
They are living separately, bonding sessions with a very experienced rescue lady have not worked. Wrong section to talk about this issue though!! Im very stressed about this x
 
lauraandmike said:
Thank you mighty max and jacks jane. She is coming up for 8 , which isnt that old i suppose, and is in really good health. She has always been really sensitive to all drugs as well bless her.
I have metacam in the house and was thinking this may help her.
Its really nice to get some support on here. It helps with the decision making. Will also talk to the vet again, i do trust him.
Im afraid the symptoms have lasted a week or two in the past, not a few days.
The other problem is im not covered by insurance if not vaccinated.
I currently have left polly and joe who is also 8ish.
They are living separately, bonding sessions with a very experienced rescue lady have not worked. Wrong section to talk about this issue though!! Im very stressed about this x
Click to expand...


Sorry that your two aren't bonded. I find that very unusual for a male/female pairing. I've bonded literally hundreds of rabbits and never had one fail!

That apart - yes I don't regard 8 as old and if in really good health, one wonders why the reaction to the vaccine....

I guess that using metacam, and so long as the symptoms *do* eventually clear up, you could steel yourself to the vaccinations. If - and only if - it felt right for both you and the vet. I'm glad you trust him :D
 
MightyMax said:
Sorry that your two aren't bonded. I find that very unusual for a male/female pairing. I've bonded literally hundreds of rabbits and never had one fail!

That apart - yes I don't regard 8 as old and if in really good health, one wonders why the reaction to the vaccine....

I guess that using metacam, and so long as the symptoms *do* eventually clear up, you could steel yourself to the vaccinations. If - and only if - it felt right for both you and the vet. I'm glad you trust him :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply 😃 yes my vet is an exotics and bunny specialist, so that helps. I think from advice here i will get her vaccinated again. And hope the reaction is no worse than last time. With metacam ...
So where are you mighty max? I need an expert bonder! Thing is Jill at honeybunnies is someone i trust completely and it hasnt worked. With a lot of effort. He behaves like an entire male even though neutered many years ago. Tried with a few females over the years. Polly is desparate for a new partner, sad and depressed 😭 i cant get another bun due to now renting and money issues. ****! X
 
lauraandmike said:
Thanks for your reply 😃 yes my vet is an exotics and bunny specialist, so that helps. I think from advice here i will get her vaccinated again. And hope the reaction is no worse than last time. With metacam ...
So where are you mighty max? I need an expert bonder! Thing is Jill at honeybunnies is someone i trust completely and it hasnt worked. With a lot of effort. He behaves like an entire male even though neutered many years ago. Tried with a few females over the years. Polly is desparate for a new partner, sad and depressed 😭 i cant get another bun due to now renting and money issues. ****! X
Click to expand...


I think given everything you've said, and on balance, I probably would also get her vaccinated again :D

I am in London, and so too far away. But ... can you take him back to Honeybunnies and get another male to bond her with? I don't know your circumstances and what the Rescue's policies are, but I know I have had that assurance when adopting another bunny :)
 
lauraandmike said:
Thanks for your reply �� yes my vet is an exotics and bunny specialist, so that helps. I think from advice here i will get her vaccinated again. And hope the reaction is no worse than last time. With metacam ...
So where are you mighty max? I need an expert bonder! Thing is Jill at honeybunnies is someone i trust completely and it hasnt worked. With a lot of effort. He behaves like an entire male even though neutered many years ago. Tried with a few females over the years. Polly is desparate for a new partner, sad and depressed �� i cant get another bun due to now renting and money issues. ****! X
Click to expand...

I think if Jill was unable to bond them then it is unlikely that they could be bonded. Jill has vast experience with bonding and has run her Rescue for many years.
Maybe you could contact Jill for some advice about what may be in the best interests of both of your Rabbits. I am sure that she will give you good advice.

Your Vet sounds to be very Rabbit Savvy and I doubt that he/she would say that Polly should be vaccinated if it were inappropriate to do so. I'd do as I suggested in my previous post and ask the Vet if you can administer some Metacam for a few days after the vaccination is given.

Good luck xx
 
Just had another thought, you say that your Buck 'behaves like an entire male' despite being neutered several years ago. Sometimes this can be due to a problem with the Adrenal Gland. This can cause hypertestostronism (high testosterone levels) in a neutered Buck

http://www.exoticpetmedicine.com/article/S1557-5063(05)00105-9/abstract

In such cases one option is to use a hormone implant, Suprelorin

http://www.virbacferretsusa.com/about-suprelorinf-implant

I have had two Rabbits who were treated with this and it was successful. They were both then able to be bonded/reunited with a companion Rabbit x
 
Thanks both of you.

I am going to get Polly vaccinated, thank you for your advice in helping me make this decision.

And yes Jill is very experienced! She knows what she is doing. My vet said that because Joe has behaved like this his for his whole life it is very unlikely that its the renal gland. He did say this could be removed (one of them) but I don't want to put him through this, he had an ear ablation not that long ago!

I will have a look at those links later thanks Jacks Jane. Im at work at the mo. The implants sound interesting!
 
lauraandmike said:
Thanks both of you.

I am going to get Polly vaccinated, thank you for your advice in helping me make this decision.

And yes Jill is very experienced! She knows what she is doing. My vet said that because Joe has behaved like this his for his whole life it is very unlikely that its the renal gland. He did say this could be removed (one of them) but I don't want to put him through this, he had an ear ablation not that long ago!

I will have a look at those links later thanks Jacks Jane. Im at work at the mo. The implants sound interesting!
Click to expand...

Ouch, poor lad. Has it been successful thus far ?
 
Yes, it was a truly horrible op but he is fine now. Luckily the other ear is ok, it often only occurs in one ear apparently.

So how did you find the implants affected your bunnies? Are they only for the treatment of the adrenal gland or as an overall hormone calmer? Any nasty side effects? Did fighting occur when the implant was nearly all gone?

Joey really is a bag of hormones! He buzzes all the time and chases me. The vet suggested a blood test and removal of gland, he did mention the implants. Perhaps blood test and implant only? x
 
lauraandmike said:
Thanks both of you.

I am going to get Polly vaccinated, thank you for your advice in helping me make this decision.

And yes Jill is very experienced! She knows what she is doing. My vet said that because Joe has behaved like this his for his whole life it is very unlikely that its the renal gland. He did say this could be removed (one of them) but I don't want to put him through this, he had an ear ablation not that long ago!

I will have a look at those links later thanks Jacks Jane. Im at work at the mo. The implants sound interesting!
Click to expand...

I think you're wise to get Polly vaccinated :D

Poor Joe having had an ear ablation - a very big op for a little bunny!

I guess if Joe has behaved like this his whole life, he's not been able to bond with another female at all then? Poor lad!
 
lauraandmike said:
Yes, it was a truly horrible op but he is fine now. Luckily the other ear is ok, it often only occurs in one ear apparently.

So how did you find the implants affected your bunnies? Are they only for the treatment of the adrenal gland or as an overall hormone calmer? Any nasty side effects? Did fighting occur when the implant was nearly all gone?

Joey really is a bag of hormones! He buzzes all the time and chases me. The vet suggested a blood test and removal of gland, he did mention the implants. Perhaps blood test and implant only? x
Click to expand...

The implant calmed down all the hormonal behaviour. Which with my two Bucks involved non stop humping of their partner. Mostly the partner tolerated it, but it got to the point where-by it was seriously effecting both Rabbits quality of life and that of their respective partners. I opted for the implants as opposed to surgery as both Rabbits were not youngsters and I did not want to subject them to a big operation. One of the Rabbits also had other health problems, so a GA would have been a huge risk in itself, let alone surgery. The use of implants was suggested to me by Mark Rowland, an Exotics Specialist Vet. They worked well, lasting for 5-6 months. I could tell when they were 'wearing off' as both Bucks started to spray me again !

I believe that the implants gave both Rabbits and extended period of good quality life and faced with a similar situation again I would opt to use them x
 
ooh! Im getting excited about this. Yes joe humps non stop. Whilst bonding he only stops to breath or eat. I really am not in the position to get another bunny so I desperately want these two to go together (happily). Do you think I need to get a blood test first or is this unnecessary? Thanks for all the info its great. I have been feeling quite isolated with this problem x
 
lauraandmike said:
ooh! Im getting excited about this. Yes joe humps non stop. Whilst bonding he only stops to breath or eat. I really am not in the position to get another bunny so I desperately want these two to go together (happily). Do you think I need to get a blood test first or is this unnecessary? Thanks for all the info its great. I have been feeling quite isolated with this problem x
Click to expand...


Would it be a good idea to run all this past your vet when Polly has her vaccine?

I am glad you sound optimistic and you only want the best for them after all :D
 
lauraandmike said:
ooh! Im getting excited about this. Yes joe humps non stop. Whilst bonding he only stops to breath or eat. I really am not in the position to get another bunny so I desperately want these two to go together (happily). Do you think I need to get a blood test first or is this unnecessary? Thanks for all the info its great. I have been feeling quite isolated with this problem x
Click to expand...

Your Vet may be prepared to treat symptomatically ie without confirmation from a blood test. But some Vets may not agree to do so as the use of the implant would be 'off licence' for use in Rabbits. As are so many drugs/treatments !!
 
I am optimistic now! Best not get my hopes up too much though, I did that before. They will both be vaccinated when my vet is back off hols, so perhaps he will be able to do the inplant at the same time. I do worry that his large personality will be lost, ive got used to this behaviour after 8 years. He lives with me indoors. Ive never known another animal (or human) so happy to see me everyday! Can the implant be removed if the bonding didn't work?
 
lauraandmike said:
I am optimistic now! Best not get my hopes up too much though, I did that before. They will both be vaccinated when my vet is back off hols, so perhaps he will be able to do the inplant at the same time. I do worry that his large personality will be lost, ive got used to this behaviour after 8 years. He lives with me indoors. Ive never known another animal (or human) so happy to see me everyday! Can the implant be removed if the bonding didn't work?
Click to expand...

It does not need removing

''The biocompatible implant does not require removal. However, should it be necessary to end
treatment, implants may be surgically removed by a veterinarian. Implants may be located using
ultrasound.''

Full details here

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB...Information/veterinary/000109/WC500068835.pdf

Personally I would not want the implant put in at the same time as having a vaccination. But that is just an unqualified opinion.
 
Last edited:
lauraandmike said:
I am optimistic now! Best not get my hopes up too much though, I did that before. They will both be vaccinated when my vet is back off hols, so perhaps he will be able to do the inplant at the same time. I do worry that his large personality will be lost, ive got used to this behaviour after 8 years. He lives with me indoors. Ive never known another animal (or human) so happy to see me everyday! Can the implant be removed if the bonding didn't work?
Click to expand...


You're getting me excited too now :lol:
 
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