Nodular Myxomatosis :(

Hello Everyone, I am hoping for some friendly advice on buns with Nodular Myxomatosis..... I apologise for the length of my message but want to give you as much info as poss x

So Friday morning I noticed one of my 2 girls nose looked bruised and slightly swollen (she's albino so could really see bruising) I whisked her straight off to the vets who thought she had probably just banged her face as no other signs or symptoms of anything else. As a precaution as I live in a semi rural location the vet gave me 10 days of ABs just to be on the safe side. When I got home hopeful it wasn't the dreaded Myxi, I went out to see my other bun (a Rex) and noticed her nose was starting to look very slightly swollen. I called vets straight away and he said to start them both on the ABs and to go in for Metacam and more ABs so both could have course for 10 days.

My girls live outside normally but they've been moved inside on Friday, they looked rather sorry for themselves on Saturday morning but have been eating and drinking as normal, they're totally unimpressed with me at the moment as I'm giving them their meds. 

My albino French (she's huge 3kg) has not shown any other signs of Myxi other than the nose but has looked the most 'down'. My Rex Saunders has gone on to have swollen eyes but no discharge and one of her ears looks a bit sore.

Today is day 3 of ABs and Metacam and they have not gotten any worse and in fact French nose is definitely much better and Saunders eyes are definitely less puffy.

There has been an outbreak of myxomatosis in the wild bun population in my area and others per rabbits haven't been so lucky.

I am praying my girls make it through although I know it's still early days but they are both fully vaccinated so I'm keeping everything crossed.

Is there anything else I should be / can do to help recovery?

Also does anyone know if they will develop immunity from nodular myxomatosis if they (hopefully) pull through this?

Thanks for all help xx




T

Sorry I can't answer your questions but I think you did the right thing bringing them inside on the Friday. I really hope your 2 bunnies will fight this, it must be heartbreaking for you. xx

Thank you for your kind words x It's horrible to think they are unwell with this evil virus I am closely monitoring whilst not being too invasive in their space, I am hoping they pull through but everything I've read tells me it's 50/50 chance...... Hopefully they got treatment fast enough to help them through x

Really sorry your bunnies have this horrible illness, sounds like you caught it early though, well done for that. Sending lots of healing vibes to them, and big hug for you

As both Rabbits are fully vaccinated they have an excellent chance of making a full recovery. As they continue to fight the virus aswell as the medication optimum nutrition is important. So keep a close eye on their input and output and weigh then every other day. Any reducution of input/output could progress to GI tract problems, so should you notice any reduction in eating/pooing I'd contact the Vet again for advice.

Some people use Echinacea as a complimentary treatment to help boost the immune system. An alcohol free Echinacea liquid can be bought online.

If either Rabbit's eyes become more puffy and/or if they develop a discharge from their eyes a topical antibiotic eye treatment would be needed.
I hope that both Bunnies are soon back to full health xx

Thank you x I have noticed Saunders eye is looking a little red and a small lump on her upper eye lid has appeared in the last couple of hours.

Can I bathe it with cooled black tea?

Vet said to go back if no improvement after 10 days but if Saunders eye doesn't improve or get worse I will take her back sooner.

Thanks for the echinacea tip, I will order some today!

They are only 2y.o and it breaks my heart they've contracted this disease, I thought as they were vaccinated they would be safe

X

Babbitty said:

Thank you x I have noticed Saunders eye is looking a little red and a small lump on her upper eye lid has appeared in the last couple of hours.

Can I bathe it with cooled black tea?

Vet said to go back if no improvement after 10 days but if Saunders eye doesn't improve or get worse I will take her back sooner.

Thanks for the echinacea tip, I will order some today!

They are only 2y.o and it breaks my heart they've contracted this disease, I thought as they were vaccinated they would be safe

X

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Was it the new combined vaccine and when did they have it ?

I would get the Vet to take a look at Saunder's eye as sometimes the myxo nodule can cause corneal damage should it keep rubbing over the surface of the eyeball.

I wouldn't bathe the eye with anything but cooled boiled water xx

Hi, yes it was the combined vaccine they have.

I will get Saunders back to the vet, her ear looks quite sore and scabby

I feel so helpless, I'm doing everything I can for them but it is one of those wait and see times.....

They're both eating and drinking, although understandably not as energetic as they usually are.

Thank you for the help x

Myxi

I had a french lop that had nodular myxi a couple of years ago. He was also vaccinated fully when he started showing signs on his nose, eyes and ears. He never lost his appetite luckily so I fed him with lots of veg and herbs. I brought him indoors and think it helped having everyone and the dogs around him. I think as Jane said its important to give plenty of good food as well as meds and lots of t l c. He recovered fully and had no lasting affects from the disease apart from a couple of small scars where the scabs were on his ears. Good luck with your buns. X

Sorry that you're going through this - we went through it with two of our buns a few years ago.

One thing you should bear in mind is that it can take quite a long time to fully recover: from first lump to all clear for our buns was 3 months. Java still has a manly scar, which you might be able to just make out in my signature. Bubby unfortunately went to the bridge from a bad stasis bout a year later. Being on antibiotics for so long was not good: the vets gave us a probiotic powder to put in their water, which did not work: it smelled awful and they hated it. So they got very small quantities of strawberry yoghurt, which they loved. Definitely not a healthy dietary choice, but the top priority was keeping them alive and out of pain at that point, and stasis would not have been helpful.

Inside was definitely a good call, and normal keeping them eating hay and fibre, water levels etc, just like any sick rabbit.

Eye drops for the eye may be a good idea if it doesn't clear up - to reduce irritation if nothing else. Bubby had a big lump on one of her eyelids and lost at least some of the sight afterwards: I'm not sure how much because it didn't seem to bother her, but you could see that some of the lens was damaged.

It got into Bubby's nasal passages - we thought we were going to lose her at one point - the only point where she lost interest in food and movement - but a pot of vapo-rub dissolved in water, like you would for a human with a cold, next to her cage for a little while loosened her breathing up and she picked up within 12 hours.

When the scabs actually started to heal and come off they found gentle bathing of the scabby areas in warm water (no soap or anything) to be a relief, I think: they would stretch out relaxed afterwards, which they didn't often do during that time. I know the normal rule is don't bathe rabbits, so kept them comfortably warm and dried them very thoroughly (and gently).

Thank you for your kind and encouraging words and advice. It's a constant worry and my Rex Saunders seems worse affected. French seems unaffected apart from a bruised nose, even the swelling has reduce massively.

They're only 2 y.o seems so unfair being so young...... I've spoken to neighbours and a local petting farm who have all lost buns to Myxomatosis recently and in the past. Apparently it's very common in this area, I had no idea, we've only lived here couple if years.

Do you know if they pull through this if they will be immune in future? Breaks my heart to think they could catch this again......

I will definitely use the vapour for Saunders to help her breath easier, she seems a little snuffly but no mucas clogging her nose.

I will bathe her eye in the morning too when she has her meds, she's stressing out when being handled so trying to keep it to a minimum to avoid unnecessary stress x

Thanks again everyone x really appreciate it! Prepared for a long slog but hope they both pull through safely xx

We also live near wild rabbits who have myxi, and one of mine has also recently come down with nodular myxi, although I was very lucky and she only had one lump http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?428525-Beatrice-s-myxo-nodule

It took about 3 weeks for the lump to turn necrotic and fall off but I know it can take longer especially if there are multiple lumps. Antibiotic cover against secondary infection, and anti-inflammatory/pain relief are a must, and keeping them at a warm, stable temperature is also supposed to help. My vet said that since the new vaccine, although she has seen some nodular myxi, she hasn't had to pts due to it, which she had previously done with the old one. Her view is that it provides better cover and fewer serious cases.

As far as I know, catching myxi does not generate lifelong immunity, I remember some time ago reading about why that is, but I can't remember now. (Edit - just asked google, there seems to be mixed views on this, so the rwaf view is to err on the side of caution and vaccinate as normal). Beatrice was due for hers a couple of weeks back but we obviously didn't want to give it to her at the time, so she is booked in for this coming Friday. Presumably there is some residual immunity for a while after they have been challenged with the real virus.

I hope your little ones don't develop any new symptoms and are both ok xx

Than you x my vet suggested getting then vaccinated in March/April time as they were done right at end of January......

Well my albino French is looking really well, her nose swelling has practically gone and she has no other symptoms of Myxi.

My Rex Saunders is not getting worse, her eyes look less puffy and only one small lump, no others have developed.

Unfortunately she now has ear mites too!! I have put in a few drops of oil to help suffocate mites and soothe the skin. Emergency vet wasn't keen on me taking her in for ear mites so will call normal vet tomorrow........ Did look at Beaphor but it says not to used on sick or convalescing animals so erred on the side of caution. I noticed French has started to scratch her ear now too so will speak to vet about them both in the morning...... My buns do get free range time in the garden and as I understand it mites are quite common?

We have a dog too so will get him treated as well! What a nightmare, just when I think my poor Buns have had all the bad luck they can get then they get ear mites!

Hi did your bunnies recover from myxi? Xxx