Vaccinations?

[RipleysRatPack]

I went into my vets yesterday to ask about getting my bun vaccinated and neutered.

The vets told me they do not even keep the VHD jab in stock because it is so unnecessary in our area, and they also told me that in this part of Birmingham, there has not been a myxi breakout for over 15 years and I could have it done if I wanted to but there was really no need, especially not for a house rabbit.

What should I do?

 

[loopylop]

Just because I am so paranoid.... I would.

My vet told me that as Sophie was a house bunny, she would only need the jab that is done every 6 months (I can never remember which one it is! :roll: ) yearly. I requested that I would like it done every 6 months anyway and they were really great about it and she has it every 6months no probs!

It is not worth going without it when you see what these diseases cause.
Could you ever live with yourself if one of your bunnies got VHD or Myxo, knowing that you could have prevented it?? That's how I see it anyway!

 

[donna-arc]

Insist and get them done.

 

[RipleysRatPack]

Insist and get them done.

Why would my vets lie to me though???? Surely they would prefer for me to get them done seeing as they could make more money that way??

I'd have thought that they would only advise against it if they genuinely and honestly thought it wasn't necessary??

I'm so confused!

 

[5cutebunnies]

My vets keep very little of the vaccines in stock as they say not many owners get their rabbits vaccinated :roll: when I take my 5 they order them in.

 

[RipleysRatPack]

Just thought i'd add - the practise I go to are an RCVS accredited small animal general practise, so it's not like they're the sort of vets that only ever see dogs and cats and don't know much about small animals..

I'm honestly at a loss as to what to do?

Can anyone explain why I need to insist to get them done when my vet has told me they are not necessary?

 

[donna-arc]

Funnily enough, our vets said the same thing to us when we first requested that every one was vaccinated.
They said they'd never had an outbreak of either. Not long after I homed a rabbit and she died shortly afterwards of VHD. We then started to vaccinate anyway, then last summer there was a myxi outbreak locally.

I really don't know why they tried to put us off having them done, maybe they truly believed it unnecessary - I only know that Daphne would probably still be alive if she had been done and we would have lost a lot to myxi last year. x

 

[Tamsin]

The trouble is that with VHD is the bun dies within 24hours often without really obvious symptoms. Most pet owners would just assume natural causes or just bury it after finding it dead in the hutch. Vets rarely see cases of it because of this so its difficult ot see if it is in the area.

We were told the same with our first bunnies, that there was no myxi in the area and being in the middle of a housing estate there was no need to bother vaccinating. This is my first bun:

Maybe the vet is right, its quite possible your bun could live its entire life and never catch either. Personaly, I'd rather take all the precautions I can.

House rabbits are just as at risk as out door buns. VHD is spread by contact so you could bring it in on your clothes or shoes. Myxi is spread by fleas/biting insects nether of which respect house boundaries.

One thing you could do is phone around other vets in your area and see whether they have seen any cases of either. Also rescues as they may hear of them too.

Tam

 

[bunnytales]

Yep - can only agree with all said here already really - I'd insist on them being vaccinated or find an alternative Veternary Practice.

As Tams has quite rightly said the problem can be that the vast amount of instances of VHD never get reported back to the Vets anyway as death happens so suddenly.

Your Bunny can come into contact anywhere from VHD - even from a visit to the Vets where another bunny may have visited previously - this Virus is airborne and survive for a long period of time.

In the case of Myxi - o.k so perhaps the Vets are not aware of any outbreaks - but I personally wouldn't risk it - its just not worth it.

Mine are both House Bunnies - My bunny savy Vet is in Solihull and she definately recommends vaccination.

Hope this helps.

 

[Katie]

a vet (i dont know which one! otherwise i would report it!) told my friend that they coul only get either of the diseases if they came into contact with wild rabbits!! we tried to tell them that humans can carry VHD and fleas have myxi on them but as they heard it from a vet they didnt listen

 

[Lorraine]

My vets encourage all rabbits to have both vaccinations and have posters around the surgery so that people can read it.
We are in a high risk mxyi area, but they also said that VHD can be brought into the house on your clothing, so house bunnies are also at risk.

 

[Joob-joobs]

My vet also said that it wasn't necessary as there was no VHD or Myxi in the area. I got it done anyway as I could never live with myself if they caught something which could have been avoided. I recently took my new bunny to get her VHD jab when the vet told me that there was an outbreak of Myxi in my area now! Even though your vet is not aware of an outbreak now you never know what might happen in a few months time. I'd get it done now, you are better safe than sorry.

 

[bluebunny]

I cannot stress enough how important it is to vaccinate your bunnies
I lost one of my house rabbits to myxi last year (he was un vaccinted as id only had him a short while ) i will never forgive myself that he wasnt vaccinated my vets also said to begin with it wasnt nesscary to have house rabbits done i went against what they said with the others and im glad i did

 

[Jazzy B Bunny]

Im so worried about my Jazzy that even though I live in a low risk area (or so they say) im still getting him his jabs, infact hes going on monday evening to get his myxi one then im waiting a few weeks then hes getting his VHD i says its better to be safe then sorry

 

[mini lop1]

The trouble is that with VHD is the bun dies within 24hours often without really obvious symptoms. Most pet owners would just assume natural causes or just bury it after finding it dead in the hutch. Vets rarely see cases of it because of this so its difficult ot see if it is in the area.

this is so true my vet advised the myxi vaccination to be more important i put this point about vhd accross to him and he agreed

why dont you ask another vet in your area see what there views on vaccinations are

you could suddenly become high risk from low risk with myxi like our area has recently become

lisa

 

[rngpwelfare]

I agree I'd have all my rabbits vaccinated.

Also another point to bear in mind is that most boarding places won't except animals that aren't vaccinated.
I also won't have any un-vaccinated rabbit on my compound for bonding, this is to protect both the visiting rabbit and my own.

 

[RipleysRatPack]

Thanks for all the info! Looks like i'll have to find an alternative veterinary practise!

I am so horribly disappointed with my vets... I honestly thought I could trust them.

They have been fantastic with the rats and the dogs, I don't know how they could be so irresponsible to actually tell me not to vaccinate my rabbit when there is every possibility he could catch something nasty.

Is there anywhere I can report them to for lying to me? Surely they shoudn't be able to get away with this? Imagine how many people go in there with their rabbits and are told not to vaccinate them!!

 

[bluebunny]

I would just speak to them,ask them did they not realise one of your dogs could go out in the fields could come back with fleas and your rabbits could get myxi?
thats what happened to me i bought mildred home as a pup she had fleas and william caught myxi
Or that vhd is transmitted from clothes, shoes,i think there very wrong to tell people otherwise

 

[janice]

Sometimes with situations like this it is not that they are being dishonest with you and giving you information that they know is wrong, it is that either their knowledge base is not up to date or they themselves have been misinformed.

As Donna has previoulsy said on this topic, the vets we use would not have previoulsy recommended that we vaccinate our animals until there was an outbreak in our area where she personally had to PTS rabbits who were affected by myxi. Since then she has certainly encouraged people to do so and now will ring us if there is myxi in the area.

Janice