Myxomatosis

[Sabine]

As i have mentioned in an earlier thread (http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=51989&forum_id=16&jump_to=703389#p703389) there seems to be an outbreak of Myxomatosis among my rabbits although they are all immunised. Appart from lesions they are doing really well and don't show any signs of sickness.
My vet suggested that since I appear to have moved to a high risk area to vaccinate twice a year rtather than just annually which i think may be a good idea.
All except one of my rabbits got their booster shots in September so they should be fine. One of them had his last shot as far back as April. He should still have enough protection but I wonder should he get a booster now as he is exposed to Myxo.
He may even be incubating it now. The vet told me that the vaccine was life and she wasn't sure if it was safe to give it at the onset of the disease in case it would do more damage than harm. She is going to check it out and get back to me tomorrow.
I was just wondering if anyone had experience with a situation like that.
I was also wondering if the exposure to the virus will give them some sort of added immunity?
Thanks, sabine

 

[Maureen Las]

I found this article which may be helpful ..I don't think that an already sick animal should be vaccinated
Wish I knew specifics myself but we are so lucky that we do not have to deal with this dreadful disease in most of the US

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/understanding_myxo_feb06.htm

 

[tonyshuman]

With people, you cannot give a vaccine to someone that may already be sick with the disease. It can make the outbreak much much worse in that person--overactivating the immune system and causing a much more serious disease than in an unvaccinated animal. A vaccine is meant to get you just a little sick so that your body can recognize the pathogen later--if you already have the pathogen in you, adding more of it (especially if it's a live vaccine) won't give you the mild/unnoticable case that you should get with a vaccine--it will make you have a big, scary case. I don't know if this applies to rabbits, but we share a lot of common features of the immune system, so I would think that it would apply.

 

[Sabine]

It's jsut hard to know if Oskar is incubating the disease or if he would benifit from the vaccine. He is showing no signs.

 

[Luken Messy]

Can they do a test on him? I'm so sorry to hear this is going on! :-(