Myxomatosis and VHD - UK Members

[RWAF]

Myxi and VHD

We’d like to remind you once more about keeping vaccinations up to date. It’s only a few days ago that a distraught member who has just moved to a new home in Essex asked us to let everyone know that there is a myxi outbreak there at the moment. If you know of any outbreaks please let us know or share here.

Please don’t let your rabbits miss or be late for any of their vaccinations. Until the new vaccine becomes available later this year, keep to the dates your rabbits are due, annually for VHD and six-monthly for Myxomatosis.



A few weeks back we asked our Facebook followers for FAQs on Myxi and VHD, and this threw up some questions about hay too. Over the next few days we’ll be publishing one or two of your questions daily with answers from our Vet expert advisor Richard Saunders BSc (Hons) BVSc MSB CBiol DZooMed (Mammalian) MRCVS . Thanks to everyone who took part and contributed, we hope that this is both interesting and useful:



Myxi –



Q1)How effective is the new combined vaccine against myxo. Have heard of lots of cases of pseudo myxo in last 12 months on vaccinated rabbits. Will this still happen with combined vaccine, is it a new vaccine more appropriate to recent strains?



A1) Data sheet for it is now online: http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/MSD...pension_for_injection_for_rabbits/-58449.html



In theory, this new vaccine should be better, and it has been tested against virulent strains.

Rather than overburden you with mails, we'll publish further questions and answers in the following places, where you'll be able to access them.

http://www.rwaf.org.uk/blog
http://www.rwaf.org.uk/fbrwaf
http://www.rwaf.org.uk/grwaf

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

thank you for your great insight to this travesty,-carried on by governments,-have you sent this information to australian members-i am sure they would also be interested..sincerely james waller

 

[RWAF]

I'm not sure what you mean by travesty, James, but expect it must be that Myxomatosis was introduced deliberately by governments in the UK and Australia in the 50s and 60s, and I agree, it's dreadful.

For those who don't know, while Europe has vaccination against both diseases, the Australian govt won't allow vaccination against Myxi. The US govt (and presumably Canadian) won't allow vaccination against either because (I believe) of rabbits being a non-native species and therefore the diseases also being non-native.

VHD is a naturally occuring virus, not a manufactured one (Myxi was developed artificially) and spread very quickly from Asia where it was first found. While *sometimes* some rabbits can recover (though generally far from unscathed) from Myxi, any unvaccinated rabbit that catches VHD is doomed and the symptoms are generally missed. The rabbit may be a tiny bit off colour, perhaps a bit sneezy, less energetic, and will be found dead within a around 48 hrs. The only signs of haemorrhage will be internally, found at necropsy There are those of course that haemorrhage visibly from nose, ears, eyes, anus, etc and that is simply horrific, but they are very much in the minority.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

RWAF wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean by travesty, James, but expect it must be that Myxomatosis was introduced deliberately by governments in the UK and Australia in the 50s and 60s, and I agree, it's dreadful.

For those who don't know, while Europe has vaccination against both diseases, the Australian govt won't allow vaccination against Myxi. The US govt (and presumably Canadian) won't allow vaccination against either because (I believe) of rabbits being a non-native species and therefore the diseases also being non-native.

VHD is a naturally occuring virus, not a manufactured one (Myxi was developed artificially) and spread very quickly from Asia where it was first found. While *sometimes* some rabbits can recover (though generally far from unscathed) from Myxi, any unvaccinated rabbit that catches VHD is doomed and the symptoms are generally missed. The rabbit may be a tiny bit off colour, perhaps a bit sneezy, less energetic, and will be found dead within a around 48 hrs. The only signs of haemorrhage will be internally, found at necropsy There are those of course that haemorrhage visibly from nose, ears, eyes, anus, etc and that is simply horrific, but they are very much in the minority.

yes-myxi-a viral-lagamorph- disease was not found to be deadly enough so it was enhanced to be more effective by mentioned governments,,-and in the u.s.a we don,t have a need for such vaccines--yet,,..the rabbit online library has a more in depth study for myxi--people in affected areas,countries need to become aware of this deadly disease-outbreak-even if deliberate- soas to avoid it -thanks again for the awareness,it is a major concern--sincerely james waller--member rabbits united