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myxomatosis

Please help! I have two bunnies and one has developed what the vets think to be myxomatosis. She was vaccinated against the virus on the 23/11/2006. Does any one know any success stories and what you do to help them survive!
Hannah
 
:( Awww how sad for you and your bunnies. I know they stand some chance of survival if they've been vaccinated, so long as you give them a lot of nursing care - she will need to be indoors and kept warm, given medication etc. The sores will make a mess of her, but it's not the sores that kill, it's pneumonia, so you need to concentrate on keeping her chest clear and free of infection - How does your vet feel about her chances?
 
Hi :wave:

I'm so sorry to hear about your rabbit :cry: I don't have any personal experience of this but it seems that the outlook can be better if your bunny is vaccinated than if she isn't.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rwf/articles/understanding_myxo.htm

Extracts from the article -

If a vaccinated rabbit develops myxomatosis, the disease is usually much less severe. The exact pattern of disease seen in vaccinated animals is very variable, and impossible to predict: it depends upon how much immunity the rabbit has. Some rabbits develop just a few odd skin lesions and remain otherwise well; others become quite poorly and suffer from swellings and conjunctivitis more like classical myxomatosis. The difference is that vaccination turns a fatal illness into one that is treatable.


Can rabbits with myxomatosis be treated?

If an unvaccinated rabbit catches myxomatosis and develops the full-blown classic form of the disease, survival is very unusual, even with intensive nursing and treatment with antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection. Most affected pets in this situation are put to sleep as soon as the diagnosis is made, to prevent futile suffering.

If a vaccinated rabbit is unlucky enough to catch myxomatosis, the situation is much less gloomy. How severely any one vaccinated rabbit will be affected is impossible to predict. It depends on how much immunity they developed after their vaccination. Some rabbits simply develop a single skin lump and remain perfectly well. A few become really poorly. Others fall somewhere in between, such as being a bit "off colour" with a few skin lesions.

Treatment is usually successful in the vaccinated rabbit with a good vet, nursing care and a bit of luck. But it if the rabbit is unlucky enough to be badly affected, intensive and prolonged veterinary and nursing care (weeks rather than days) is occasionally required.

Rabbits being treated for myxomatosis need:

• Careful nursing care in a warm environment (21-22 degrees centigrade)
• Regular bathing of sticky eyes and genitalia
• Fluid therapy - subcutaneous, intra-peritoneal or intravenous fluids may be used
• Tempting food and syringe or tube feeding if necessary
• Antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection

I hope this helps a little. Hopefully someone with more direct experience will be able to give more advice. Good luck x
 
Sorry to hear about your rabbit. There have been a few people on here who have nursed their rabbits through this dreadful disease with success, so don't give up hope. I'm sure they'll be along soon to help
 
Please help! I have two bunnies and one has developed what the vets think to be myxomatosis. She was vaccinated against the virus on the 23/11/2006. Does any one know any success stories and what you do to help them survive!
Hannah

I am really sorry to read that you Bun may have Myxomatosis :cry: Unfortunately the Vaccine only gives about 6 months full protection and the degree of efficacy is dependant on the individual Bun's Immune System.
I do hope your Vet has started your Bun on antibiotic therapy to try to protect her against secondary bacterial infection. Anti-inflammatory pain relief should be given too.
Medication needs to be given for several weeks. Some vaccinated Buns can recover but it is often a long process. I really hope your Bun will be able to fight the evil virus

Janex
 
Update

Hello

Thank you so much for your help! She is on baytril 2.5% (antibiotics) and fucithalmic (eye drops) The vet suggested putting her down Saturday but I want to give her a chance. She is still eating and grooming herself and still enjoying a cuddle! Her mate is left outside missing her ive just got every thing crossed he does not catch it! The articles I have read said there is a chance of surviving! We have the vets again tomorrow! Ill keep you informed. Thank you again.
Hannah Snowy and Beech
x
 
Hello

Thank you so much for your help! She is on baytril 2.5% (antibiotics) and fucithalmic (eye drops) The vet suggested putting her down Saturday but I want to give her a chance. She is still eating and grooming herself and still enjoying a cuddle! Her mate is left outside missing her ive just got every thing crossed he does not catch it! The articles I have read said there is a chance of surviving! We have the vets again tomorrow! Ill keep you informed. Thank you again.
Hannah Snowy and Beech
x


Keeping eveything crossed for her. Please let us know how she gets on at the Vets tomorrow

Janex
 
Is it full blown myxi or the nodular one? It's just that your bun seems to be on the same regime as Floss was when she contracted nodular myxi. She was on Baytril and eyedrops and another antibiotic that I can't remember.
 
up date

Hello

She is still with us! The vet was pleased with her and said to continue with the treatment. All the time she is eating and drinking we have a chance! Im getting my other rabbit revaccinated Thursday so hopefully that will boost his chances! I think she has the nodular form as she has lots of lumps all other her. The vets are treating another rabbit with the same condition and he is still going after 2 weeks of treatment. I just hope and pray we will get thought this.

Thanks again

Hannah
 
Sending loads and loads of healing vibes for your poor bunny.:cry: :cry: I hope SO much that she will be okay. Please keep us updated. XXX
 
Update on Snowy

Hello

Snowy is still with us! Its hard work with all the treatment and she is getting harder to catch as she knows what medicine is coming!! I take this as a good sign as when she was very ill she did not resist at all. She is still eating and running around. The scares have turn red and purple. If she does survive do the scares ever heal? I cant really think of a future for her yet as she has this horrible disease I don’t want to get my hopes up. Beech her boyfriend has been re vaccinated and she has the vets again on Wednesday so ill keep you all posted!

Many Thanks

Hannah
 
I think the lesions do heal but may leave some scaring.
Well done for nursing her so well and getting her this far :) The fact that she is being feisty is a good sign I am sure. Please let us know how the Vets appointment goes

Janex
 
hello

we are still going! she is now on eye drops only twice a day and her bunny boyfriend has moved into the house as well as the vets said if they are kept apart to long they will forget each other and fight! we have to keep them apart with chicken wire but they are much happier now they are together again! the vets have said keep her inside untill the lumps heal as she cant be vaccinated untill they have all gone! This could take another few weeks!

I hope this helps other people going through this. We live in the medway area and the vets have had 15 rabbits brought in, in the past few weeks!

Thanks again for all your support!

Hannah
 
sorry that you are having to go through this. sounds like shes doing well though- fingers crossed. you say medway- wheres that? what county? (im having a jade goody moment:oops: )
 
hello

Medway towns are in kent in the south east of England. We live close to wild rabbits and a river hence the high risk of myxi! We did not know this when we moved in.

Thanks

Hannah
 
Hi Hannah :D

Well done for getting your Bun this far. I really hope she will make a full recovery. You are obviously doing a brilliant job nursing her

Janex
 
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