Myxomatosis ?

[lainiej]

I have been looking after a friends three rabbits. One of them has developed a small bald patch (around 1/2 inch) on the side of her face. Next day there was another on her nose but this was swollen. I took her to the vet and was told it may be myxomatosis. She has tiny pimple-like growths on her eye lids and lumps under her skin. The vet did no blood tests or further investigation just sent me off with some liquid vitamins to give her! My friend has been back to the same vet and the same diagnosis repeated. However the rabbit is lively and eating well. Her eyes are sore looking but not weeping or crusty. Any advice please as I'm not convinced about this diagnosis. Many thanks Elaine

[wildwood]

Sorry, I find it hard to believe that a Vet would diagnose Myxomatosis (twice) and send her home with vitamins. It is a terribly painfull disease and mostly fatal.

[wolf63]

My friend's rabbit caught myxomatosis and the vet advised her to have him put to sleep right away. It was over 30 years ago and the details are fuzzy but it all took only a couple of days.

Can you not see another vet at the same surgery to double check the diagnosis?

[lainiej]

thats just what I thought about getting another opinion but it transpires that the owner has also taken the rabbit to a different vet in the same surgery.

[seadogg]

Seems odd and inadequate treatment. Just wondering if some strains of myxomatosis have lost their virulence or rabbits may have greater tolerance?
In the old days people just put the poor animals out of their misery asap.

[lainiej]

as I say Smurphy is acting normally and would hate to think that she gets put to sleep because a vet 'thinks' its myxi. I think I'll suggest my friend takes her to another vet clinic altogether

[Andyvon]

My wife and I found a wild rabbit with myxomatosis a couple of years ago. It was wandering about in the road with cars avoiding it. We stopped and took it to Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital which is nearby. They said there was no treatment for the disease as such but they would treat the symptoms and feed the rabbit a good diet to help it fight the disease itself. Apparently, enough do recover for the species and disease to survive. They said most rabbits die quickly but just a few recover. This one died the next day apparently.

As I understand it Iainej, there's no cure for myxomatosis. I think the vets know the disease when they see it so they must be fairly sure about your friend's pet, otherwise they would have tested for other conditions. It's just a matter of keeping the rabbit as healthy and comfortable as possible and hoping it is one of the few that does recover.

[RATTER15]

If it definitely Mixi, have it put to sleep now, I have dealt with thousands of these poor rabbits, it really is a dreadful disease and they suffer horrendous effects.

[boxtops]

It says here that 50% of rabbits survive these days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomatosis

[RATTER15]

Thats as maybe Boxi but is it really worth all that suffering and many of the survivors will probably be blind and still carry a lot of pain.

Put it down now, do the right thing for the rabbit.

[RATTER15]

Dont let your rabbit get like this:

http://www.google.co....UoAQ&biw=1680&bih=887

[ladybirder]

So have the other two rabbits been vaccinated against it because if not they will get it as well? I'm shocked that number one rabbit has been allowed home to mix with the other two. I too used to see these poor creatures suffering dreadfully when I lived in the Yorks Dales as it is rife there; awful awful disease.

[lainiej]

i think all 3 rabbits had been vacinated but hadnt been given booster so had lapsed. 2 of them share a hutch and the other lives indoors.

[lainiej]

it certainly is a nasty disease. i came across a wild bunny with it being attacked by magpies. took it to the vets and it was put to sleep :(