rabbit with mixymatosis

[floydvera]

One of my pet rabbits has mixymatosis, even though he was vaccinated. The vet says there's a one in ten chance of recovery. He's on antibiotics and I am syringe feeding him but I don't know if it's cruel to let him suffer - even if he does recover it could be weeks of him being miserable. What I wanted to ask is - has anyone out there had a pet rabbit recovery from mixy?

[cruella]

Sorry,
I have no idea what the recovery rate from that horrible diease is, but I have to say I am so sorry to read about your rabbit.
It must be heartbreaking for you!
Why not ask the Vet to be honest in his opinion of the recovery rate.
Hope you get good news and your rabbit makes a recovery. x

[floydvera]

Thank you cruella - strange name for an animal lover !! I'll give him another couple of days but he's losing a lot of weight so might be kinder to have him put to sleep. It is a wicked disease, truly wicked.

[cruella]

Hi floydvera
I know what you are saying about my user name lol. I love all animals, got a dog, look after a freal cat at work for 18 years. We used to have wild rabbits where I work but sadly they contracted that disease and all had to be put down. It really broke my heart as I took two of them to my heart. A black one I named Jet and a honey coloured one named "Honey" of course.
Are his eyes showing signs of the disease?
God, what a shame. Think it may be kinder to put him out of his misery.
Thoughts are with you. xx

[Illyria54]

I do feel for you, This disease is awful, it's worse knowing that it is a man made disease that was deliberately introduced! It is rife at the moment on the farm where I live, if your rabbits eyes are badly affected then I know what I would do heartbreaking though it would be, in the wild the poor things starve to death!
Thinking of you and this sad time.

[Puffmeister]

Hi
One of my rabbits is showing signs of Mixy and the vet today put her on antibiotics. She is 9/10 years old.
She is still eating although her eyes are weepy. Her temperature is not high and she does not have the thick ears so fingers crossed!
We had to have one put down with Mixy last month who was much younger, he had got out into the top of our garden where we recently found a wild rabbit suffering with Mixy.
I wish you all the best Cruella, the success rate is not high so lets hope we are lucky.

[floydvera]

Thanks for your kind words and support. My rabbit died after five days, despite being on medication and me syringe feeding him pureed food and water and keeping him warm. In hindsight I wish I'd had him put to sleep immediately but when the vet said he had a one in ten chance of recovery I thought I'd give him a chance. It was just the last two days he became weak and stopped bothering to wash himself. If he hadn't been dead that morning I would have taken him to the vet's. I read reports on rabbit sites about rabbits recovering but you never hear about all the ones that didn't make it I suppose. Incidentally, it's not spread rabbit to rabbit, but by bites from fleas and midges. Truly a wicked disease for man to have deliberately introduced. Thanks again everyone.

[Puffmeister]

I am so sorry to hear that fly. I know how you must be feeling.
I hope I don't end up regretting taking this decision.
She is still eating this morning so I am still hoping we can combat this.
The children have grown up with her so there will be a lot of broken hearts if she does not make it through.

[floydvera]

My thoughts are with you puffmeister. You and your children must love your bunny so much if you've had her all those years. I'd only had Dreamboy 10 months, he was a rescue rabbit, and I miss him terribly. It is really good news that she is still eating and brilliant that you've got treatment from the vet. Some rabbits do pull through and I am REALLY hoping that your's does. xx

[Puffmeister]

Thank you floydvera.
I took the decision of having Jessie put to sleep today.
She had developed a runny nose and took a turn for the worse.
She was panting and I laid her on the floor on a duvet cover and towel with her head and shoulders propped up to help her breathe easier.
I noticed a large swelling developing and after 30 mins it was growing and hardening so I took her to the emregency vet which luckily enough was the same one that had been dealing with Jessie from the start.
He said it was trapped air due to her panting and thought she would probably die tonight or tomorrow morning.
I took the decision to release her from the suffering and any further problems and let her go with dignity.

[Puffmeister]

Thank you floydvera.
I took the decision of having Jessie put to sleep today.
She had developed a runny nose and took a turn for the worse.
She was panting and I laid her on the floor on a duvet cover and towel with her head and shoulders propped up to help her breathe easier.
I noticed a large swelling developing and after 30 mins it was growing and hardening so I took her to the emergency vet which luckily enough was the same one that had been dealing with Jessie from the start.
He said it was trapped air due to her panting and thought she would probably die tonight or tomorrow morning.
I took the decision to release her from the suffering and any further problems and let her go with dignity.

[floydvera]

I feel very sad for you puffmeister. All we can be thankful for is that our bunnies are no longer suffering and that were happy in our care before this dreadful disease struck.
If you decide to get another bunny when you have recovered from the shock and trauma may I suggest something I am going to try for my remaining rabbits - putting fly papers around (out of buns reach) to catch any midges etc. - it may reduce the chances of them being bitten and therefore given the disease. Apart from that, and having them vaccinated, there's nothing more that can be done really. I read somewhere that the bad rain/floods earlier in the year has had an effect on the virulence on the disease this year. What with looking out for mixy and fly strike it seems to me that keeping rabbits is no longer the pleasurable experience it should be. My thoughts are with you and your family. It is such a waste of a precious life.