# Myximatosis



## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

I was very wary about posting this here as I know I will probably get slated for not having my bunnies vaccinated - but nothing anyone could say can make me feel any worst than I already do. 

I thought that myxi was spread through bird droppings and where my bunnies live - in a fenced off bit between my house and my neighbour's house which is partly under cover - there have never been any droppings. The cats sit on the fence watching the bunnies - so I've never seen a bird out there either.

I've got five bunnies and one of them, Dylan, had a really sore nose. His nails needed clipping so I thought he had scratched it but took him to the vet anyway so she could show me how to do his nails (they are on concrete so never usually need them doing). As soon as she saw Dylan she said he had myxi. Apparently it is carried by mosquitos which I never knew. 

To cut a very long story short - three of my five bunnies have caught myxi - and my vet is thinking of charging me rent I am there so much! 

One of those who is now poorly is Daisy. Daisy has already been through so much. She is a rescue bun and I don't know how old she is but she isn't young. She had to have an eye removed years ago and has her teeth ground down every couple of months. Earlier this year she had two lumps removed which may have been cancer, although she seemed fine afterwards.

I took her to the vet on Monday and Tuesday as she was breathing heavily. She also had a temperature and had two injections last night. This morning she is still struggling to breathe, although her temperature seems normal. I gave her her antibiotics. Her nose is bunged up but she won't let me bathe it - she really struggles and she is a big rabbit. She will usually let me do anything with her - I bathe her rear end regularly as she can't clean it because of her teeth problem.

I have made another vet appointment for this evening and think I will have her PTS. I wanted to see how she was over the day but maybe that is cruel of me. The vet said last night that she didn't think her breathing was worst and that because I am feeling so guilty it is adding to my anxiety.

It is so awful watching her wheezing - but I have asthma and I know I am over-empathising. If I had been PTS every time I was liike that I'd have died when I was five! She is still bouncing around her hutch but isn't keen to come out - but then she doesn't anyway when it is raining.

So, if anyone hasn't had their bunnies vaccinated against Myxi - please go and see your vet. Ideally it is done every six months but my vet said Myxi is more prevalent Sept - Nov.

I can't have mine done until they have all been free of the disease for two weeks.

Dylan and Molly (the two who had myxi) now seem much better and Pumpkin and Munchkin are fine. It is just poor Daisy who is so ill. I try not to cry when I stroke her as I don't want her getting upset but it is awful seeing her so poorly


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

You have learnt through a hard lession and im sure are feeling pretty bad . I would try and get to your vets as soon as you can with your rabbit things dont sound very good for her. People dont realise how lethal mixi is and have no concept of how distressing it is for the rabbits. I hope she does pull through and sorry to hear of the lose of your other rabbits. Are your going to be jabbed for VHD as well as this is a awful way for a rabbit to go. [ Viral hemmerage disease] or Some thing similar to that.


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

I have an appointment shortly for Daisy. She is still eating but her breathing is awful. I can't bear to watch her struggle to breathe - but I worry I am having her PTS because seeing her is so distressing, not because it is what is best for her. She has a tendency to be chesty and has had chest infections three or four times before.

I'll get the others vaccinated against whatever bunnies need when the vet says it is OK to have them done. She won't do them yet - I've asked her twice as I was worried the one that has now recovered will end up getting it again from one of the others. She says they have some immunity after having had the disease and I have to wait until they have all been clear of the disease for two weeks before she will vaccinate them.

I'm going to have Daisy cremated privately so I can put her ashes in a pot and can then take whatever I plant on it with me when I move.

I just hope the vet lets me stay with her - I've changed my vet recently and have never had an animal PTS with this vet.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

If she has PTS its your choice if you stay with her most vets will ask if in ask your self i think some times that they feel its a bit distressing. When my rabbit had to be PTS he was only 1 but was ill from the off set. They did his jab in the chest be prepaired as they normally dont shut there eyes just fade away. Hope this isnt to much but am trying to prepair you a bit. Fingers crossed


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

I did have Daisy PTS and was allowed to stay with her and cuddle her. I've posted in Rainbow Bridge.


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

Sorry to hear that its best shes not suffering in any way. Good night Daisyxxxx


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## emskie (Oct 25, 2008)

I had both my bunnies vaccinated when i got them 5 months ago but right now I'm sat listening to one of them wheezing away after being dyagnosed with myxi on Thursday :sad::sad:

So some of your survived??

My vet says Beans has about a 10% chance of living and only because I noticed it early. I'm going to give her as long as I feel she isnt seriously suffering before pts but feel i may have to resort to this.

I've bought her inside and trying to keep her hydrated. Any other tips or advice??

Just goes to show it can affect even immunised bunnies :sad::sad:


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## sleeptalker (Apr 28, 2008)

sorry but have to ask, whats the point of vaccinating if they can catch it anyway? is it like the flu, different strains so you innoculate against the one they think is going to rear its head this year. i also didn't know that they can survive after catching it. sorry to hear about all the rabbits on this thread that have been soo sick, and my thoughts for daisy:sad:


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

emskie I am so sorry to read about your poor bun - especially as you had her vaccinated.

I had five bunnies. Dylan caught Myxo first, then Molly and then Daisy. Both Dylan and Molly have survived so far but according to the vet still have myxo and they still have their lesions. Sadly Daisy's went to her chest (she had had chest infections previously) and although I left it for a while she was getting worst and it seemed kinder to have her PTS. She was a 'mature' bunny and had other health problems.

Since then my dwarf bunny Pumpkin has caught Myxo. He is all snuffly too with a large lesion on his nose and is on antibiotics. I didn't bring any of them inside because I then worry about the difference in temperature when I put them out again but maybe I should have kept the poorly ones indoors. They get very stressed when separated though and Pumpkin is currently snuggled up with Munchkin (have just been out to check on him).

All of mine apart from Daisy had been vaccinated before I got them as they were from a rabbit rescue so maybe that is why they didn't get it as bad as Daisy. The vet did tell me that bunnies can catch it even after being vaccinated, although I am still going to get those that survive innoculated. My vet won't do it yet but says they have a natural immunity for some time after having caught the virus.

It is so hard to know at which point to let them go to Rainbow Bridge. I took my vet's advice with all of them and at the moment Pumpkin is still eating and going out in his run, although he is very snuffly. I did try and clear his nose with a cotton bud earlier but this distressed him so much I had to give up.

It is a dreadful disease and apparently goes through various stages. I believe there is no treatment for the myxo itself, only for the side effects like the lesions and the snuffles. Pumpkin is on Baytril twice a day, which is what Dylan and Molly had. Dylan did stop eating for a while and I syringe fed him with Critical Care for Herbivores. The others - even Daisy - continued to eat so I haven't had to resort to that for them.

I really hope Beans is OK.

Thinking of you xx


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## emskie (Oct 25, 2008)

I think it's always worth getting them vaccinated. My vet said that its alot harder for them to catch it if they have been and generally means their chances are slightly better. Some rabbits just develop more of an immunity than others.

I bought Beans inside mainly to seperate her from her sister (Koni) who is, at the moment, showing no signs. I'm hoping against all odds that Koni will continue to be ok. She's missing her sister but it was the better of two evils!

I just don't know what to do at the moment. I want to help her as much as possible but the vet says it's really up to how much her body fights. She's had a jab but he says really theres nothing more to do. She is only 10 months old now but everyone has told me her chances are not good :sad:


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## Laurel&Hardy (Oct 12, 2008)

So sorry to hear about everyones bunnies and myxi...I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers....sorry that Daisy didn't make it....binkie free Daisy RIP


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

Thank you for the good wishes. I really hope Daisy is running free at the Bridge. I have her ashes near me at the moment as I haven't bought the tree to plant yet - can't find the 'right' one.

I have read a lot about myxo since Dylan was diagnosed and one of the sites said that a healthy rabbit will not catch it from another one. As four out of my five have caught it - and apart from Daisy they all seemed perfectly healthy before this - I am not convinced!!

The vet said there was no point in me separating mine as they had been together for so long before I was told what was wrong with Dylan. Initially, he just had a sore nose which I thought he had scratched with his nails which needed cutting. I just put sudacrem on it. It was only when he became breathless and stopped eating that I took him to the vet. Before that he had been bouncing around and acting perfectly as usual.

It's weird how mine have all got the disease in stages - one at a time almost. I have just checked on Pumpkin again and he is still snuggled up with Munchkin (the only one who seems fine - so far!).

I hope Beans is OK and that Koni doesn't get it as well. My vet did say that some bunnies do recover - even in the wild. Yours are young and have had the vaccine so I would think that would increase their chances of survival.

Thinking of you all xx


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