Please could you tell me what the signs of myxamtosis as i believe one of my rabbits has contracted it. He has lost wieght and the cartlige by the eye is covering part of the eye and isnt retracking. Also lossing fur.

Hi, Cazzbarrow,

The signs of myxomatosis in a rabbit are extreme lassitude and soft swellings over the body, especially round the eyes and eyelids.
That does not fit with the signs which you describe.

W

ok thank you do you no of the signs being related to anything else.

There are several diseases which could produce the signs you mention, and it would nee a full'work-up', at considerable expense, to reach a precise diagnosis.

One of my rabbits died last week, she was suffering from runny eyes, and stopped eating. The vet diagnosed hayfever! But she got worse. The vet then booked her in for her teeth doing, but sadly she died during the procedure.
My other rabbit has now started suffering with the same symptoms, his eyes are swollen, and his head above the eyes is swollen too. Also he is not eating except for a bit of grass.
The vet has prescribed Baytril, twice a day, but he seems to be getting worse. His eyes are now nearly completly closed.
Please could you tell me if this sounds like Myxomatosis?

Thank you.

Hi, Lynette,

The signs you describe leads me to think that your rabbits have contracted myxomatosis, and I think it highly unlikely that your remaining one will survive.
If you replace them be sure to thoroughly clean their accommodation - the virus is spread by fleas, and any fleas remaining behind could infect any replacements.
I would also advise getting any new ones vaccinated. There is a good myxomatosis vaccine which your vet can get for you.

W

Thank you very much for your quick response to my message.

I took my rabbit to the vets that day, and sadly they too thought it was Myxomatosis.

I had to make the horrible decision to have him put to sleep, as it was unlikely he would survive, but I could not see him suffer anymore.

Thank you again for your prompt reply.

sadly i have just had my pet rabbit put to sleep as she had myxamtosis. I'm now worried about my other rabbit summer who shared the same hutch and run as bella.
What are the very first signs to look for?

Hi, Terri,

If one of your rabbits had myxomatosis, and it shared a hutch, the second is almost certainly going to get infected if they were not vaccinated.
The signs are soft swellings on the head, especially round the eyes, not eating and extreme dullness.

W

my rabbit has been vaccinated against mxymatosis yet has contracted the disease and pneomonia (she's going to the vets each day). She is still eating and seems quite like herself, but i was wondering how much larger her chance of survival is due to having had the vaccination?

Hi,Laura,

The chances of recovery are much improved if she has been vaccinated.

W

thank you for your very quick reply. I'm feeling quite hopeful about my rabbit now as she's still eating, and is it a good sign that her eyes still look very clear and clean after having this for 4 days? -as I hear they usually look very nasty. Thanks

Sounds good. I hope she continues to improve.

Hi, my rabbit has swelling ears but the vet couldn't find anything else, he seems fine, no fever, no swelling eyes, or difficult breathing, just swelling ears, quite "sad" (If you know what I mean) and he doesn't eat much. What could it be? The vet said to wait few days but I am worried, I feel like I can't wait.
The other rabbit is fine, she is just eating less (maybe compassion). Both are vaccinated regularly!
Thank you

Hi,

here are soft swellings all over the body, but most noticeable around the eys and eyelids. Extreme dullness and innapetance.

W

Sorry to be a pain, are those signs of myxomatosis? Because my rabbits hasn't got those but just swellings ears (like full of fluid as the vet said), dullness and low appetite. Since this morning there was no swellings eyes or eyelids, of course I will keep checking. Could it be something else?

Thank you

Hi,

I have a 6month old lionhead male who has not had his mixi vacc as the vet said it was not needed if he is a house rabbit.

On thursday/Friday his eyelids became puffed up and red but no discharge. Saturday they became worse and I notice his fur is maulting. By Sunday he had a snuffle and his fur is really starting to fall out, by the evening his ears are bald. He is eating and being his usual cheeky self.

I took him to my vet today and she said it is poss mixi but ulikely due to him being an indoor rabbit, we don't keep any other pets and we have not noticed any fleas in the house. She siad it could possibly be syphilis?? he has two medicines and eye drops (at a huge expense)

He was castrated about 3 weeks ago and this is the only time he has been out of the house. The mixi would not seem to explain the fur loss?

Any other advice or opinion would be very much appreciated

Hi,

I cannot suggest anything else, but it does not, as yert, sound like Mixy.
Take your vet's advice, and wait for a few days. There is nothing you can do, anyway.

W

Hey, I've had my female rabbit about 3 weeks now she had her mixi vaccine a week ago, and this weekend her eyes began to swell, she did seem her usual checky self until this morning she seemed to lack energy.i am taking her to the vets tonight but I am so worried the swelling has got worst and her left eye seems to have a lot of gunk. Do you think this could be mixi?
Thank you

Hi

My 2 rabbits have both had the mixi jab, but are due to be renewed now. Unfortuinately I noticed on thursday the girl has contracted mixi. The boy, now 4 days on is still showing no signs.
Have spoken to the vet and he said it's unlikey she will recover, but there is a chance as she has had the vaccine. Also that they don't actually die from mixi, they die from starvation because they become so poorly they stop eating. Mine is still eating well, and fairly active, not as much as normal but still washing herself etc. She really doesn't look any better, or worse from 4 days ago, so as she is still eating well i am leaving her a bit longer and hoping for signs of recovery. Any idea how long it could take for signs of the swellings to go down, if she can fight it?? And although i know there is no cue for mixi itself, is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable whilst she tries to fight it? Any pain relief she could have, as i assume the swellings are quite painful. Anything I could bathe her eyes with to make them more comfortable?

Any advice greatfully recieved, Thanks.

Hi Gemma

It does sound like you might have a real battle on your hands to help your poorly rabbit. Has your vet seen her? He may well be able to give your rabbit some pain relief and possibly some antibiotics for the secondary infection that often accompanies the Myxomatosis virus. Nursing care is vital and the chances are sadly not good but she sounds like she is trying to fight the disease. Your vet is the best person to advise you on her progress and the likely outcome.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

My rabbit is a 3year old neutered German lop . He is eating very little, appears to have some swelling underneath him around his back end .hes lethargic but wants to be held though when he sits on your knee he keeps tensing up along his back as though he's in pain and getting bouts of pain. Between the bouts of tensing up he relaxes and closes his eyes, from time to time he will nudge you as if he wants you to stroke him.
3 days ago we saw a wild rabbit with very swollen eyes sitting hunched up near his hutch and have since learnt from a local farmer that there's lots of mixy rabbits around here.
My rabbit is due a jab in April.
Do you think this may be the beginnings of mixy and is there anything I could do please?

Hi

These are worrying symptoms that just might be myxomatosis so I hope you've taken him along to your vet. Nursing care and antibiotics for secondary infections do sometimes allow a rabbit to pull through this disease. Any rabbit showing the symptoms that yours is should be taken to a vet for treatment in any case.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

My rabbit is loosing hair, he has swollen eye lids and he is not very active but he loves to eat food
Is that a sign? How can I help!

Hi

Swollen eye lids is a worry and it could be myxomatosis is the only answer I can give you. There are other eye infections that will cause swelling but if its both eyes then the virus disease is more likely. You need a vet to check this.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

Ok he's lovely cute and a cross between a giant and a Rex ,problem is firstly he has runny eyes clear fluid ,second he's gained weight due to local cats coming into the garden and sitting near his hutch so he won't come out ,I'm now lifting him out and spending a hour a day sat next to him, it was while picking him up I realised that he had the head of a rabbit and the body of a whale !! So is the eye condition due to weight gain in someway I will be calling the vets but I would like to know how to keep the fur around his eyes clean

Hi

The good thing is that you have recognised your rabbit has a weight problem! Clear fluid from runny eyes is less serious than creamy sticky discharge but still might be a sign of conjunctivitis. Do get him checked by a vet, they can treat the eyes, tell you how to clean them and...weigh him and advise a diet regime for him to lose weight. Its likely that if you feed more hay and less dry rabbit mix food to him he will become fitter by losing weight.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

Hello, my rabbit is 6 years old and has got a runny eye, it doesn't appear to be swollen its just watery, he seems fine in himself but I'm really worried! Please could someone tell me what I should do? I have been cleaning it with warm water and cotton wool pads.

Hi Abbie

At 6 years old he's doing well, as I've said previously, a clear watery eye discharge is less serious than a creamy discharge. If this continues though I would still advise you to just get him checked by your vet. Sometimes eye problems relate to the molar teeth overgrowing which is not something you can check easily for yourself. Other signs to check for are a wet, dribbly chin and any signs of him going off his food. Then you really should get him checked over.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

hi ive got a one year old rabbit ive noticed the last couple of days his eyes are watery and today he has got a little bit of white discharge coming from his nose, does this sound like it could be signs of myxamtosis?
any help would be good