How well do myxomatosis vaccines work - risk of moving into a prevalent area

[katbun]

Bit of a complicated question really, but in case anyone here really knows about strains and disease transmission, how worried should I be moving into an area with a lot of myxo? I'm moving house, and have found the PERFECT cottage, but the landlord doesn't want to rent to us, not because he thinks rabbits are destructive but because he sees the die off every year in wild rabbits and knows there's loads of myxo in the area. I hadn't even considered this?? He also says the vaccines aren't effective because there are so many strains popping up.

Does anyone know anything about this? Piper is indoor only, she's been known to enjoy hopping around a garden for a few minutes supervised, but we could not do that here. And obviously she's fully vaccinated and always has been. Now I may have to rule out that whole area, and basically living in the country due to transport route issues, and stay in the city. But I just don't feel I can take this risk with her health if this is a real issue?

I have to get back to them by 5 and am looking into studies on my own side, but any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[Shimmer]

I would ask your vet for advice.

 

[Shimmer]

I woukd also skim through this, and see if there's a similar thread on myxo:

New Variant RVHD- Known as 'RVHD2' please ‘Watch’ thread for any updates and see new posts

I've just read the email, I wonder if it's worth trying to order the new vaccine at work and getting Jake and fern done, and sending a notification to our admittedly very small rabbit clientele

forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk

 

[Zoobec]

I would ask your vet for advice.

Agreed. I was once advised to vaccinate 6 monthly for myxi in my area, although that was 15 years or so ago.

 

[katbun]

Hi both, thanks for the advice, we've decided not to move their purely based on this factor - I have too much rabbit health anxiety to risk that. It's also opened my eyes to the risks that all the rabbits in the area could pose, especially with new variants of RVHD2 not protected against by vaccines. Our next vaccination is coming up so I'm going to ask the vet then about more frequent doses and this yurvac thing.

I'm also thinking of rigging up a shoe disinfectant matt in the front yard, like they have for some nature reserves. Anyone gone this mad for rabbit hygiene? (I will be bringing this up at therapy also). The outside of the place we both work at is FULL of rabbits, and we often walk in the area I've now discovered is full of disease...

 

[SarahP]

It's a shame not to have been able to move there, but if it's going to cause you a lot of anxiety, it probably wouldn't be worth it.

Can you not just have a routine where you have some shoes that you only wear for walks and you don't walk in your garden in them? It doesn't help with the biting insects transmission risk, but it would mean you don't need to concern yourself at all with where you've walked. I can't help but think that there is a danger (to our own mental health) with going too far with rabbit disease prevention.

 

[Omi]

It's a shame not to have been able to move there, but if it's going to cause you a lot of anxiety, it probably wouldn't be worth it.

Can you not just have a routine where you have some shoes that you only wear for walks and you don't walk in your garden in them? It doesn't help with the biting insects transmission risk, but it would mean you don't need to concern yourself at all with where you've walked. I can't help but think that there is a danger (to our own mental health) with going too far with rabbit disease prevention.

I agree with all of this. With any disease for rabbits or indeed for us humans, you can only go so far in trying to prevent any of the diseases. There is also a question with vaccinations, about whether more frequent doses could actually lead to health issues themselves.

If you are very concerned about this, then try to do as much as you can to keep your rabbits safe. And then try to tell yourself that there is nothing more that you can do and try to relax about it. Rabbits are such fragile creatures and are likely to suffer from very many different issues, eg stasis, dental problems apart from these diseases and as rabbit carers we can only do as much as we can.

If you are coming into contact with the ground where diseased rabbits are running about, then I would think it sensible to have different shoes, as Sarah suggests. That in my view would be more secure than using a shoe disinfectant. And re Myxomatosis, the best and easiest thing to do is to make the biting insect risk lower by ensuring that there is no standing water outside your property. This will prevent them having a place to breed.

 

[katbun]

Thanks guys, different shoes is a really good idea. I do have a bit of a problem worrying about Piper's health, she's 9 now and been through a lot, and Joey's death was quite traumatic. But I'm working on it with someone at the moment. It's nice to have a community to turn to on here