Advice to avoid Myxi

[polly]

British weather wreaks havoc for pet rabbits

The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) issued warnings to pet rabbit owners today about the danger of the killer disease, Myxomatosis, which has seen a steady rise with the warm, damp conditions of recent months.

Judith Brown, RWAF Veterinary Executive explains “The humid weather that we’ve been experiencing of late creates an ideal breeding ground for the fleas and mosquitoes that carry the disease. Unvaccinated rabbits who are infected generally die a slow and painful death”.

Rabbits owners are being urged to have their pets vaccinated against Myxomatosis as soon as possible. The advice from the RWAF backed by patron, Ingrid Tarrant, comes after the helpline received a massive increase in reports of pet rabbits, country-wide dying from this disease over the past few weeks.

Rachel Todd, RWAF Education Executive said: "Vaccination is the only way to protect your rabbit against the disease. Sadly, not all pet rabbits are protected by vaccination, largely because rabbit owners are unaware that a vaccine is available. Myxomatosis vaccine can be given from as young as six weeks old protecting the rabbit for six months in the face of an outbreak."

House rabbit owners are warned that their pets aren’t safe either. According to RWAF Committee member and long-time houserabbit owner, Lizzie Smith “Myxomatosis is contracted via biting insects such as fleas or mosquitoes – as these are free living, they can be indirectly carried into your home and then infect pet rabbits”.

In addition to vaccination, rabbit owners can taken preventative steps against Myxomatosis by fitting fly screens to outdoor hutches; eliminating standing water, such as ponds (where mosquitoes might breed) from gardens; preventing wild rabbits from getting into gardens; and making sure that there’s nothing to attract vermin and wild birds to hutches and runs.


Rabbit owners can find more information on Myxomatosis and other important rabbit health topics on the RWAF web site www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk, from their local veterinary practice, or from the RWAF National Helpline 01403 267658.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Great advice.That is so strange that Judith Brown wrote that though - she is the vet that Ruby just saw yesterday!

 

[polly]

I think she has taken up the new post as the exec vet for the RWA, im a member so i get all the emails through, i just thought i would pass it on

You are in good hands if thats your vet then

 

[rabb1tmad]

Good post. This was in our local paper and apparently it has been a news item on gmtv too;

A killer virus triggered by the recent poor weather has struck down rabbits across the Black Country.

Vets in and around Wolverhampton have reported a flare-up in the number of cases of myxomatosis which can kill both pet and wild rabbits.

If left untreated it can cause the animals to suffer agonising deaths as their eyes become puffy and they struggle to breathe. There has also been reports of a rise in the number of incidents of fly strike where flies lay their eggs on rabbits, which then hatch into maggots and effectively eat the animals alive.

Experts say the rise of cases in both diseases is down to the wet and humid conditions which have plagued the summer months and have provided ideal conditions for the spread of insects and mosquitoes which cause the infections.














Richard Smith, from Richard Smith Veterinary in Codsall warned: “It is a terrible disease and we have definitely seen an increase in cases recently. When you have got children bringing in their rabbits thinking they are just a little bit poorly only for them to go home with an empty basket, it is just heart-breaking.

“Just recently we had a poor lad in and we had to put both his rabbits to sleep. We would urge owners to get their rabbits vaccinated against the disease.”

Tina Hibell, the practice manager from the Cornerstone Veterinary Centre in Bushbury, warned walkers to be on the look out for wild animals who may be showing some of the symptoms of the disease.

She said: “We had one baby wild rabbit brought in with end stage symptoms.”

And Ian Ross from the Connaught House Veterinary Hospital in the city added: “We have not seen cases of myxomatosis yet but we have seen an increase in the numbers of incidents of fly strike.

“We would urge everyone who has a rabbit to make sure they check it twice a day for any signs of the disease.”

The Rabbit Welfare Association is receiving scores of reports from across the country each day about outbreaks of myxomatosis.

Anne Mitchell from the group repeated pleas for rabbits to be immunised.

 

[polly]

Wow its not a good year

Just to let everyone know this is now a pin on this subject. so it will stay at the top of the posts

Big thanks to the admins for doing that for me:biggrin2:Anyone who hears of a myxi outbreak in the uk can you add it please, then we have a up to date list of where myxi and VHD is showing up so please add to it if you see or hear anything about it

Thanks:biggrin2:

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

There has been an outbreak of myxi in Wolves.

 

[ellissian]

New myxi outbreak in Greatham (Teesside), which is around 5 miles from my house!:shock: This is not a domesticated case but effecting the wild rabbit population.

I'm soooo scared for my bunnies right now, I NEED to bring Harvey indoorsNOW but I won't be able to get the materials to build his cage until Monday.:cry2

 

[Phinnsmommy]

ellisian, do you have them vaccinated??

 

[rabb1tmad]

Indoor buns are at risk as well as outdoor buns. The best thing you can do is vaccinate and use natural and safe repellent products. I have a Citronella candle to help stop mosquitos and little flies from coming into the house. A mosquito net is also a good investment for hutches and cages.

 

[ellissian]

I do have them both vaccinated, but with many vaccinated bunnies dying this year.....I'm still stressed out!!!

Harvey is indoors now since his great escape earlier this week.

Many more wild rabbits with myxihave been sighted today, I wish someone could help and put the poor babies out of their misery!:tears2:

 

[LuvaBun]

A girl I know has just lost 3 of her 4 rabbits to myxi this past week . She lives only about 10 miles from me. The council have been spraying (not sure what they're spraying) to try and curb the infection. It is really bad here - I see lots of wild rabbits with it . Even though Pernod and Shadow are vaccinated and are house rabbits, I am paranoid about checking them every day!

Jan

 

[polly]

Just had this through from the RWA it doesn't sound good

We have received more messages from members advising us of myxi
outbreaks in various regions. Reporting individual areas no longer
seems appropriate, as it seems that there is a high risk everywhere.

 

[ellissian]

Polly thats awful I am scared to death about losing my two buns, the myxi is so bad here I've even banned my dog from his walks for the risk of bringing rabbit fleas back. I maybe sound like Im going overboard but I just want to protect Hope and Harvey so much. I'm starting to think that Harveys escape last week was meant to be so he could live indoors, I know he is still at risk but at least he is a little safer being inside.

 

[polly]

Thats so true Ellissian, maybe it was meant to be its not foolproof but its better than being outside. If it s that bad down there take a trip to your nearest fabric store and get some muslin enough to completely cover the cage and then when you are not there he is totally protected as flies can't get through it as its so closely woven

 

[LuvaBun]

Yes, I got the message too . It's really worrying that it is so widespread - the wild rabbit population is suffering really badly

Jan

 

[ellissian]

I will do that Polly thanks I havent had any mosquitos in my house for months and months, I'm always checking for them. Someone else was talking about citronella oil today saying she takes it on holiday with her..... I thought of my buns straight away, she must of thought I was mad!

It's the wild bunnies I keep hearing about, its so sad I wish someone could do something for them.

 

[rabb1tmad]

The mosquitos are horrendous here at the moment. Just the other night I left the patio door open to cool the lounge down and within 10 minutes we have over 60 mosquitos in the house, yes 60!!!!! As the rabbits are in the lounge me and my boyfriend spent ages killing them all.

Citronella is good as a repellent - I have a Citronella candle in the lounge. You can also buy natural plug in repellents which are safe for pets. I'm off to by some muslin for the rabbits cage - good idea Polly.

 

[Daffy]

Unfortunately we lost Daffy, Roxy and pebbles to Myxi last month. We were in a low risk, once a year vacination area and I still can't believe this has happened. We will be vacinating our remaining rabbits twice yearly from now on but the scary thing is that rabbits that should be covered by the vacination are dying. Our local RSPCA say they have not had a year like it.

Daffy was schumi's partner and he is not himself without her. He just looks so low. We adopted a female bun from a local rescue at the weekend and have started to bond them so hopefully they will like one another.

I had heard that myxi was a horrible disease but had never seen it up close before. I hope its an experience I will never have to go through again. If Iever lose a twice vacinated rabbit to this disease I think I'll give up keeping rabbits. I just feel that I can't protect them

 

[LuvaBun]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear about this. I know vaccinated rabbits can still catch myxi, but tend to have a better chance of recovery. Hopefully, having them done every 6 months will help (I started getting twice yearly vaccinations last year after a big outbreak here).

I hope Schumi falls for the new girl, and that everything works out OK.

Jan

 

[mouse_chalk]

Oh god, this is so scary! Mouse and Chalk have been vaccinated, but Barney and Snowy haven't. I've not heard of any cases round here in Bristolspecifically but they're not going outside until it's been done now. I'm not taking any risks with them...

Our vet said when we got Mouse and Chalk vaccinated that they would be ok with only having it done once a year- should we be getting it done twice a year? :?