another rabbit with signs of myxi

Shop deals on ebay
Love your rabbit
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Sabine

Sabine

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
2,915
Reaction score
11
Location
Cork, Ireland
A few weeks ago I posted a thread about some of my rabbits showing skin lesions that my vet diagnosed as signs of myxomatosis. All rabbits are up to date with their vaccinations and until yesterday only three of the eight developed a sore on their face or ear that scabbed over rather quickly.
My youngest rabbit Smokey (4-5 months) was neutered a week ago. He has always had a deformed eye but after the op it seemed to get worse although the vet flushed the tear ducts. He also had a bite in his manly parts that needed stitching. The stitches have all come out but it looks rather swollen now and there is a bit of puss coming from it. We did bring him to the vet a few days after the neuter as I wasn't happy with the swelling but at the time my vet thought it will heal eventually.
It is only now that his other healthy eye shows signs of conjunctivitis that I looked up the classic signs of myxi and he seems to have them all.
He is in really good form but I worry that he may not get through it as easily as the others. I am planning to take him to the vet tomorrow but is there anything I should do. How do I nurse a myxi rabbit that isn't actually behaving as if he's ill?
 
Most myxi bunnies have good and bad times, often going through times where they do not appear to be ill (often, despite looking horrific).

If he does have myxi he will need to be moved inside because there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the recovery rate is higher inside than out.

He will need an antibiotic, some eye cream (fake tears if his eyes get too bad, possible some eye antibiotics too) and also daily Metacam to help with the swelling.

It is possible it is NOT myxi though, so don't rule out a serious of separate issues, for example, when rabbits go under a general anaesthetic they have a 'something' (I don't know what) put in their eyes during the time they are anaesthetised to keep the eyes protected and moist, and it is possible he has had a reaction to that, equally, his wound may be infected. Generally myxi buns don't have puss in their swellings, that often comes with the nodules.

When was he vaccinated? Does he have any nodules on his head, ears, around his nose, or anywhere else on his body?

Have you flea-ed all the rabbits since your first myxi issue?
 
He was vaccinated about 2 months ago. I haven't de-flead the others as I wasn't sure they had any fleas. He has no modules like the other three. I think the first module occured on Magic's ear a few weeks ago, than Coco's nose and the last one (I thought) was Asha with her nose erupting.
 
Flashy wrote:
Most myxi bunnies have good and bad times, often going through times where they do not appear to be ill (often, despite looking horrific).

If he does have myxi he will need to be moved inside because there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the recovery rate is higher inside than out.

He will need an antibiotic, some eye cream (fake tears if his eyes get too bad, possible some eye antibiotics too) and also daily Metacam to help with the swelling.

It is possible it is NOT myxi though, so don't rule out a serious of separate issues, for example, when rabbits go under a general anaesthetic they have a 'something' (I don't know what) put in their eyes during the time they are anaesthetised to keep the eyes protected and moist, and it is possible he has had a reaction to that, equally, his wound may be infected. Generally myxi buns don't have puss in their swellings, that often comes with the nodules.

When was he vaccinated? Does he have any nodules on his head, ears, around his nose, or anywhere else on his body?

Have you flea-ed all the rabbits since your first myxi issue?
Click to expand...
Tracy always has the best advice to give on myxi .................

soI will divert off the seriousness of the problem momentarily to sayHi to Tracy who has been sorely missed.





:wave::D:jumpforjoy::jumpforjoy::party::happyrabbit::hugsquish::welcome2:welcome2:welcome2:welcome2:welcome2:welcome2:yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::yahoo::yahoo:
 
Agreed! The thing she's talking about in the eyes is like glycerin or something. Maybe the myxi infection has affected Smokey more because he also had a neuter to heal from and that taxed his body.

I think a lot of the care given to rabbits with myxi is supportive, and to aleviate symptoms, so just keep him warm, dry, well-fed and watered. The saline eye drops sound good, and I think the vet should take a look at the other eye too, which will need antibiotics. It may be good to get him on an oral antibiotic because of the swelling and pus from his neuter stitches.
 
I've read the other thread.

So far it sounds like you have gotten off incredibly lightly. A vaccinated rabbit can still get the virus, and even though it is recommended that they are vaccinated every 6 months, those that have been vaccinated 4-6 months previously seem to get it more severely thaqn those that have been vaccinated within the past 4 months (so you're in the right time frame with that, which is great).

I'm wondering if he has been inclubating the disease and the lowering of the immune system with the neuter and the stitches, etc, has brought it out whereas before he was battling it without showing symptoms.

Myxi is contracted and passed on with flies and fleas, and generally, when myxi is indicated on a premises it is generally common practice to flea all your buns, and also treat their environment to prevent them coming back. The flies should be starting to die down now, but obviously just stay with good cleanliness (which I'm sure you do anyway) and if you have flies around, take measure to draw them away from the rabbits and cages.

I was thinking I might be reading about nebulising and the other common things that have to be done with myxi bunnies, so was really glad to read your first thread and see how mildly it had occured. On the UK based forum I belong to we have had a few severe cases of myxi over the past couple of months. They make harrowing reading but it does make it clear that, as tonyshuman said, the care is supportive and can be really hard, but also the different options available and the different treatments that people have used.

I would definitely get him started on some anti-biotics (to reduce the chances of secondary infection- Baytril is fine unless something obvious needs treatment) and the Metacam (to help with the inflammation) ASAP.

Not sure I'm allowed to post those threads here. Mods? Is that ok?
 
I've made an appointment with the vets for this afternoon. Smokey doesn't appear any worse than yesterday but the bad eye didn't look good. i cleaned it out with a herbal infusion. The other eye just shows a slight swelling but no discharge.
His testicles are actually healing away fine. The bit that looks rather large is where Lint bit him and he needed stitches. I forgot what the part of the genitals are called and David is no help;)
It is ironic though that the one rabbit who was vaccinated in Spring rather than Autumn like the rest of them shows absolutely no signs although he is bonded with the ones that contracted it first.:?
I suspect they way have caught the insect bites from the rather waterlogged run at the top of the garden which also has a compost bin in it. (I know):(
Having said that Coco and Magic are always attracted to compost bins and even in the other garden, where they ere free range they used to gravitate to it.
How are fleas treated anyhow? Is it the same stuff as for dogs and cats or do they need ivermectin injections?
 
Sabine wrote:
It is ironic though that the one rabbit who was vaccinated in Spring rather than Autumn like the rest of them shows absolutely no signs although he is bonded with the ones that contracted it first.:?
Click to expand...
Shh! don't jinx it! I would, however, look at getting his jabs uptodate.

I'm glad most of Smokey's wounds are healing well. there is still the possibility this is not actually myxi, but a series of coincidental signs and problems, so don't rule that out.

Flea wise, I used Advantage (the kitten one, it says for rabbits under 4kg) to treat all mine recently and then sprayed all the cages with a flea killer that you use in houses (you should be able to buy this from the vets, and the buns will need to be out of the area for a fair while). Don't use frontline! Ivermectin is not useful for preventing fleas in rabbits. Revolution, I believe, is another option. Don't touch anything with permethrin in such as Xenex because that has shown to have a lot of reactions in rabbits, despite being licensed.

You are probably right about the standing water because that is a high risk area and one of the reasons that myxi has been so bad recently (the warm, dapm weather). I would keep them well away from that area to be on the safe side.
 
I had discussed with the vet about re-vaccinating Oskar (the one done in spring) but as the vaccine is a live one and there is a chance he could already be incubating the disease she didn't think it was wise. His last jab was about 7 months ago. So he still should have some protection. I wonder does it also depend on the breed of rabbit, I wonder are some more susceptible than others. Do some have genetic immunity like some wild rabbits have?
 
That's fair enough, has your vet said when he is ok to be vaccinated?
 
They will only be relevant in Smokey gets more ill than he is right now, so there is no urgency. :)
 
Just back from the vet's. She confirmed that it is myxomatosis indeed. Just before I left for the vet's I also noticed loads of little bumps all over his body. I can only feel them but not see them. I hope they are not going to erupt like the ones the other rabbits had.
My vet gave Smokey an injection of baytril and metacam and I'll have to go back again tomorrow morning. He seems to feel really fine though. Eating/drinking/pooping/peeing as normal.
I discussed the flea treatment and she suggested Advantage but didn't really advice routine treatment. I am a bit nervous too treating for fleas if there is no evidence they have any. I assume it is some sort of insecticide and it would get into their system if they lick it?
How often should it be done? I guess once after an outbreak may be not too harmful?
 
I'm sorry it wasn't better news. It sounds like Smokey has it more severely if you are feeling bumps all over his body. I would suggest that you get Baytril to bring home so he can have it indefinitely. I would suspect these will start to form proper lumps and nodules, unfortunately. Have you got Metacam for him?

I would keep him in strict quarantine (there has been some evidence-but not anything formal) that the mucous membranes can pass on myxi.

I would also suggest quarantining Oskar too (with his girls if he is fully bonded with them), to give him every chance of not developing it, because he is probably the most vulnerable right now.

I will go and find those threads for you in a bit because they may become relevant.

Advantage wise, the evidence you MAY have a flea problem would be the myxi, and given this is a problem that has occured a bit recently, it is worth trying to eradicate all the potential areas of weakness that may be the way your buns are getting myxi.

A month or so ago I saw a flea fall from a leaf onto one of my buns. I got it, and crushed it, however, that was enough, and I treated every single rabbit here because myxi is so rife at this time of year, so it was mainly preventative. I have previously used Xenex and that killed one of my buns, however I used Advantage on all mine, with no problems (including a little baby, and also a rabbit with ongoing liver problems). I also know of a lady who runs a sanctuary for very sick and old rabbits and she uses Advantage on her buns with no problems to date, and hers will be the illest of the ill. I would suggest treating your well buns if you can.
 
I didn't get any medicine to take home. I expect this is because I'll see her again tomorrow and I have another appointment for saturday anyhow for the guinea pig.
Oscar and the girls are seperate anyhow. They never get in touch with the others.
 
Advantage and Revolution are meant to get into the body to keep fleas/other bugs from biting for a month or so. Taking these drugs makes them taste bad to the fleas, I think, so it's ok if it gets in their system--that's the goal. I would consider getting Advantage or Revolution and applying it to all the rabbits monthly for a little while, at least until you're sure the fleas are under control. You could also use the same med for all the fall months, if that's when Myxi is most common.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top