Am I being stupid?

[jcottonl02]

I am really confused about things....and I'm wondering if I am being totally wrong with my views....and judging other people with theirs..

I believe that if you have a rabbit you have a duty to vaccinate it against myxi and VHD. I believe that when you buy or rescue a rabbit you are making a silent promise to look after it to the best you can, give it the best life possible and make him or her part of your family, and in doing so you should vaccinate them.

I've said this to people- I have said how I don't think it is the owners privelidge to decide whether they protect their animal from almost certain death diseases; I believe it is the animal's right to go to a home (which they did not choose) and be protected from them. After all....a rabbit does not have the choice where it goes, and whether it goes to a person who will vaccinate it or not.

People have looked at me strangely and said 'but it is the owner's priveledge to decide what they do with their own rabbit'. Two people in the last month have said that to me......one was a veterinary nurse................

Am I being silly? Please tell me if I am, or whether you agree? Vaccinating rabbits should be made compulsory unless the rabbit has a condition etc. where it is better off not being vaccinated?

I am willing to hear all views- after all.....I may be wrong. I believe in it so strongly, and I really need to hear your guys views cos that might make me see whether mine are right or wrong.

 

[Flashy]

It is the owner's choice.

Yes, ideally they should be vaccinated, but that's not always feasible.

VHD is the most important to vaccinate against, in my opinion, for lots of reasons.
-it's catching, rabbit, to rabbit. You can't take many precautions against it like you can with myxi.
-the vaccine is 100% effective (currently), myxi is not.
-it spreads like wildfire and can kill very quickly.

And more, I'm sure, but I just woke up.

What happens if a rabbit lives with an owner under great conditions, etc, but then something financial happens so the owner can't afford the vaccines. £30+ is a lot to someone who is struggling to pay rent, or buy food. The rabbit can have a perfectly excellent life without being vaccinated.

Also, difference vaccinations are more necessary in different areas, like some areas are so high with myxi that you are supposed to vaccinate twice a year, some once a year. How could that be regulated when it's always changing?

Also, something like the myxi vaccine, myxi is so resilient and keeps mutating. I think it was something like only 20% (rough estimate, I can't remember the exact number)of the myxi was protected against with the vaccine, the other 80% hadn't changed. There raises the point that is it worth vaccinating for that when you have to still take measures to protect against the 80%. In a way it's easier to take measures to protect the rabbits from the fleas and flies.

What about if you had a previous rabbit who had an awful reaction to an injection? Then what? Does that person have a right to potentially play with the life of their pet, on the off chance that it might get ill? Only the owner can make that choice, not the government.

Think about a parent who decides not to vaccinate their child with the MMR vaccine, or something, for some reason. That is their choice, and their choice only. Provided they have all the facts, then they have to make the choice. If you force everyone to vaccinate their rabbits, then you have to force every rabbit owner to give any animal ALL the appropriate vaccinations, and probably all parents and people too.

 

[jcottonl02]

Yeah I do hear what you're saying.....maybe I am wrong?

I did say that if the rabbit has a condition or something then it would be better off not being vaccinated then it shouldn't be...cos I do agree with that.

Where I live rabbits should be vaccinated every six months for myxi, cos it is quite high in my area. Maybe that's why I am so intent on vaccinating.

Obviously I am not talking about if a rabbit has a fab life and then the owner has a financial crisis and can't afford the vaccinations.

So I am being silly with my views about vaccinations?

I can't sleep at night if I'm a few days late in vaccinating mine.

There are so many pictures in vets and stuff around here with rabbits that have myxi etc. and it scares me to death. They are all on the walls, and they have rabbits in with myxi....I think it was something like 3 or 4 in the last couple of months, which is when they changed it to six monthly (or advised this..not changed).

 

[Flashy]

It's not a case of being wrong or even right. It's an opinion and everyone is entitled to their own, provided you don't force your opinion on people, or make them feel belittled, or stupid, or ignorant or something, then there's no problem. Your opinion is your own which means you can't be wrong, nor right, it's just what you believe.

I'm personally not very hot with my myxi vaccines, I'm more so with my VHD. We live in a high myxi area, and for the past few years all the rabbit owners I know have been struck down with it in their rabbits, to some extent. But we never have, did we get lucky? Or did the precautions work.

Some people only vaccinate some animals too, like their favourite, or whatever.

I personally think that vaccinations are of less importance in relation to having enough money, guts, etcto put the animal out of misery if the need arises. Euthanisation is more important on my priority list because then you are easing and stopping pain when it's necessary (whixh the myxi vaccine doesn't do, in terms of protecting them).

Everyone has things they are hotter on than others, there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone looks after their animals differently, provided the animal is ok, there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[polly]

I know what you mean but Flashy raises a valid point. For me having as many rabbits as i do itt costs me £400 + for the 2 vaccinations for all of them!! I like to put other measures in place as well as vaccination like using muslin over the windows of my shed and having fly catchers I am also going to spray my rabbits bedding with Listerine this year (supposedly flies and stuff don't like it)

If one of the resilient strains of myxi got into my shed it would be devastating!!!

 

[jcottonl02]

I totally agree with that last bit. I have known people that say they don't believe in euthenisation (oh god the spelling), which, as you said, is their opinion, but I totally believe that if the animal is suffering, and will continue to do so for the remainder of it's life you should think about it.

And the first thing you said too; I agree. I just mentioned my view and someone said 'it is really the owner's priveledge to do what they want with their pet', and I just said 'oh...hmm..' and then came on here to ask you guys, cos you know what you are talking about.

I've been sort of brought up my whole life believing vaccination is just what you should do. Every time a vet reminder comes through the door I pick up the phone and book an appointment straight away.

So some people don't vaccinate their rabbits? I was under the impression that maybe half of these rabbits would die.........I'm completely wrong aren't I? Soz if u don't know lol...but how many do you reckon out of.....20 would die if they were not vaccinated at all? I just assumed it was lots.........

And I also thought myxi was the worst??!! What is the difference?

Thanks

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks Polly

Flashy does raise valid points that I wasn't even aware of before.

I know....vaccinations are expensive....especially when I can only work one day a week :X, but I don't think I will ever stop both vaccines...unles, like flashy says, one has a reaction or something to it.

You have fly nets up? And listerine? What is that? That might be something I want to try- any extra precautions would be fab- as you said...myxi in my buns would be one of the worst things that could happen in my life.

thanks

 

[Flashy]

We didn't vaccinate anyone for 11 years and we never lost one to myxi nor VHD. Some of the people that I know did lose rabbits, lost them and they were vaccinated.

Maybe go to the health bit in the library ind read up on myxi and VHD.

I had to face the possibility of VHD recently, so researched a lot. It's virtually impossible to iradicate from your herd, they die within 48 hours or soof exposure, the virus stays around for about 8 months or so, in the environment, you don't get any signs of it, very few rabbits have ever recovered.

Myxi is not catching rabbit to rabbit, just fleas and flies to rabbits, so if you get one in your herd, then you won't necessarily lose them all, some strains, if vaccinated against, will provide a milder form of myxi. I had to do myxi research too, but I can't remember it.

Best bet is to do your own. And also ask your vet about numbers too.

As the rabbit's owner you need to think for yourself. I'm not saying, not in anyway, don't vaccinate, but I don't think you should just walk brainwashed and follow it. Parents don't get their children vaccinated against MMR because they think it might relate to autism, that's a huge decision, but they have done what they think is best in terms of their child, they didn't just do what they felt was expected. That's all anyone can do, just do what you believe, at the time, to be the best thing. Provided you are armed with knowledge, then it is the right decision.

 

[polly]

Yep I put them up for the summer fly nets and one of those UV blue lights and teh fly papers (sticky ones you can get them off ebay)

and listerine as in mouthwash!!!! You can spray it over the rabbits bedding or you can wipe it over your bun.

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks Flashy.

I thought there was a "right" thing that you should do...and some people didn't know what "right" was (maybe it was me). But now I am thinking otherwise.

11 years? Omg......I never thought....well...I have been terrified for the last year that, even though I have always vaccinated my buns on time every time, that *taps wood* something might get in.....but if you didn't vaccinate them and they lived for 11 years??? Wow. I am not going to be quite so worried.

I am still going to vaccinate them sixth monthly for both, for the rest of their livesI think. Even though they might be fine, I have the money (I only have myself and them to spend it on) and its no difference to me except I know that I've done everything I can.

VHD spreads rabbit to rabbit? God.....that is worse than myxi. I would have done my own research but there are always so many pics that just make me go cold and depressed for hours. I'll try and find a site without pics......

Thanks a lot.

 

[jcottonl02]

Omg I thought the listerine was mouthwash but if it wasn't and I said it was I would have looked so blonde!!! Which I am, but there's no need for you all to know about it

And it's okay to use on them? Wow I might try all of that when it gets hot. What a good idea. Thanks!!

 

[Flashy]

I would still say do your own research, there are not always grisly pics, I didn't come across any.

What I meant was, from 1994 to 2005 we didn't vaccinate (VHD wasn't around in those early days), any rabbits we had in that time were not vaccinated, which was an awful lot of rabbits. Some died from other causes, but none from myxi nor VHD.

VHD is an annual vaccination, it's only given one a year, so don't go getting it twice because it will overdose them.

 

[Flashy]

On a different note, I found that my smallest bunnies react badly to the VHD so they get a half dose, which covers them because they are smaller, so it's not as cut and dried as you maybe think it is.

 

[jcottonl02]

Oops yes I meant yearly lol. Don't worry- I was told by a student nurse I spoke to that VHD was 6 monthly too and made me feel terrible becuase it had been just under 12 months! She said 'Take ur rabbit now!!!!'. Soi did. And the vet told me he needed it in two months time, and it was actually yearly......

Oh the shame lol!

KKI will do my research. Thanks

That's neat......a smaller dose for the smaller ones who might react badly. One of my puppies is very very small, and when we vaccinated her for something she got a smaller dose.

 

[Bunny Mum]

Having lost rabbits recently to myxo i thought id add my bit to this post.

Before my rabbits caught myxo i knew very little of the virus or about the calici virus which is also prevalent here. Our vet who knew we housed our rabbits mainly indoor had never mentioned to us about the dangers of myxo or perhaps thinking about vaccinating for the calici. He would have realised our rabbits were high priority as we had spent many hundreds of dollars on desexing and discussed over the times our elaborate housing system and the joy our buns gave our family.

So lets say we were pretty uneducated, mosquito netting on the outside cages but we would let them run through the vege patch(lots of insects!??!)

I guess the moral to this from my point of view is that with what i know now vaccination if available would be top priority BUT before hand i would have weighed up cost, convenience and risk and probably got round to it.

Its almost like every tragedy in your life we wish we got a warning, so I guess this is your warning. These type of viruses are out there and do kill our buns, the choice is yours you could end up being unlucky like us.:apollo:

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks bunny mum. I totally agree with everything you just said. Sorry about ur buns...

I guess the moral to this from my point of view is that with what i know now vaccination if available would be top priority BUT before hand i would have weighed up cost, convenience and risk and probably got round to it.

That is exactly how I feel. Couldn't have summed it up better myself (as we have already seen lol!)