Jacob Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hi everyone I thought I'd come on to tell you my very sad news and to warn and urge everyone to have their rabbits vacinated. Two of our lovely sivler foxs have got myxomatosis, we are devistated. It has come on so quick and is terrible to watch, my little tallulah is only 2 months old, and fluffy 6 months old. They are on antibiotics and eyedrops for a few days to see if they can fight it but I don't hold out much hope, I think I will have to have them put down tommorrow, it is cruel to let them go on any longer. I was told by a different vet they don't need to be vacinated as this disease isn't that common anymore and if they are not in contact with wild rabbits they should be fine. However, it appears this is untrue and it is mosquitos and fleas which spread this disgusting disease. So please get your bunnies done. Luckily we have one baby who seems to be ok at the moment fingers crossed I will let you know. Jacob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Oh that's awfull poor you and poor bunnies karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 It is the European Rabbit Flea that spreads myxi It has developed over the generations to have its breeding season to coincide with the rabiits so that unchecked the babies have fleas almost as soon as they are born As well as vaccinating you can use flea control measures much as you would for dogs and cats and freequent changes of nesting material is also a good idea as fleas don't live on the animal they just hop on to feed they live in the environment and bedding Sorry to hear your news fingers crossed for tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 That is so sad. Thanks for the warning - our girls are vaccinated every 6 months for myxi and VHD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 So sorry for you Jacob and your bunnies,fingers crossed and lets hope the other one is ok, it is possible for one to get it and not others. I had mine done last year but have'nt this year, like you a vet said unless you get wild rabbits in the garden its unlikely to happen, totally confusing I have anightmare getting mine into a carry box.Not sure what to do now Anyone any advise I'd be sooooo grateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hob Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 So sad to hear your news I must say that reading your post has made my very angry also. I cannot believe that any vet would even suggest that you do not vaccinate your rabbits. You cannot control what comes in to your garden so all precautions should be taken. I am totally enraged that your vet suggested otherwise. I would suggest that you make sure that your vet (although different from the one that gave you this rubbish advice) is registered to give care for small animals. If you go to http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/system/FAVSearch.asp?NodeID=89660 and enter your postcode, you will be given a list of veterinary surgeries in your area. If you then click on them, it gives you all kinds of information including the animals that they can treat competently. I also unfortunately was given rubbish advice by my last vet for my last rabbit which ultimately lead to his dimise but I have now re-registered to a vet who can give care. However, I didn't realise until I found this website that my last vet didn't have small animals listed in the animals they could treat! Why they then accepted my registration has since infruriated me. You trust these people to give the best advice but it cannot be guaranteed. We do sometimes have no choice but to live and learn. The best you can ever do is give the best care you possibly can. You have done so but you have also unfortunately been let down. Will be thinking of you tomorrow although I do hope that they get better x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Posted October 7, 2006 Author Share Posted October 7, 2006 Thankyou for all your kind replies, Unfortunately Talullah died yesturday, it was very distressing as you can imagine, my 12 year old was devistated, we planted a nice plant to remember her, unfortunately I think fluffy is going too. I feel so guilty I should have just had them vacinated, As soon as I am sure bella is clear I will be getting her vacinated for everything, I am also very angry with the first vet who gave me this stupid advice and since rung to complain needless to say they denied saying it. My children have learned a valuable lesson from this horrible situation and that is that pets are fantastic but when they get ill or die it is heartbreaking. something they have not had to deal with until now. My 12 year old said "its like her heart has been ripped apart" I was unusually lost for words when she told me this. Anyway thanks again for your kind words. jacob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickadoo's Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Im so sorry to hear it. i will be keeping my fingers crossed for all your bunnys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 So sorry to hear your news. Losing an animal is heartbreaking, but ultimately, they are worth it. Best wishes to you and your family xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I'm truly sorry about your bunny, I know how you feel my heart was broken when my bunny died, we still don't know why. Having read everything on the forum I've now booked my bunnies in to have their vaccinations tomorrow, the vet is coming to my house as I explained the trouble I have getting Buster into the carry box.A big thankyou Jacob for bringing the topic up I know its a very difficult time, but thanks to you other bunnies will be saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hob Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 So sorry to hear that you lost your bunny. You really shouldn't feel guilty as you gave the best care you could given the advice you received. I felt guilty when I first lost my bunny back in April but everyone kept reminding me how spoilt and loved he was; just that the vet let me and Hob down. I do hope that it doesn't put your 12 year old off having pets; just maybe to learn to enjoy them whilst they are with us and to not take them for granted. You have also given something good from your heartache which is a very unselfish thing to do and saved many little lives by doing so. Fingers crossed for your remaining bunnies and good luck with everything. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomax Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I currently only have the one rabbit at the moment, he is a 6 year old male Castor Rex. Since living in my current house, I have now lost 4 rabbits to mixy, my two original girls were French Dwarf Lops, sisters called Flopsy and Topsy, they died within days of each other, I then had two more sisters, Maud and Mildred and a male, Pete (only rabbit I now have). All of these rabbits caught mixy and only the one survived. All my rabbits have always been vaccinated twice a year against this disease, but it didnt stop them catching it and dying. Needless to say, while I live in my current home, I wont be having any more rabbits, although rabbits, before chickens (which we have 4) have always been my first love. I believe that the disease in my area is carried by mosquitos, as my house is surrounded by mature conifers and trees and neighbours have ponds. The main treatment given by vets for rabbits who are unfortunate to catch this disease is an antibiotic called Baytril. I have an unopened supply in the back of my fridge on permenant standby. But at the end of the day, its really down to the rabbits resistance to the disease, the vaccine is not a guarantee!! So do be warned. My castor rex is now only allowed out in the garden in the early summer in his run, and never is outside in the evenings, when the mosquitos are out. His main hutch has mosquito netting stapled over the wire mesh. So my advice is, never be too complaicent about your rabbits safety, against this disease. You need to assess your garden/environment where your rabbit is going to live, before you decide on whether its fair to expose a rabbit to the possibilities of catching this horrible disease. At my previous house, my garden backed on to open farmland with no one having ponds in the vicinity or any mature trees around and I kept rabbits happily for years. I do miss not having lots of lovely bunnies around and Pete is a very well looked after and loved boy. He still has the scars from the scabs on his face from when he had mixy, but the vet said that the way it manifested its self in him, scabs and sores, was the type that a rabbit, if it was going to survive the disease, then that was the strain that a rabbit would get over. All my other girls who died, had the mattery eyes and nose and wheezing breathing, I never want again to have to feed a rabbit with a syringe three times aday, just to try to get some nurishment inside it in the hope that it would pull through, 4 hearbreaks in two years is not good!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
