Myxomatosis
In early June, two of our male rabbits, situated in
one of the caged areas in the wood, suddenly became very ill. Their
noses became scabby and their eyes puffed up. Initially we thought
that they might be suffering from the equivalent of conjunctivitis, as we
have treated the rabbits for this condition before, by putting eye drops
into their eyes, where upon they become well again within a few days. However,
this was different as their condition worsen.
We also suddenly noticed that the three male rabbits in the other cage also started to display the same symptoms a few days later. They were housed about twenty yards away, behind a thick screen of hedging, so it seemed unlikely that they had picked up the same illness because of nearby contact. We took one of the rabbits to the vet and after a couple of days of antibiotics and eye drops, the illness was identified as myxomatosis. Myxomatosis was first identified in Ireland exactly fifty years ago but hadn't been seen by the vet for many years. It is spread by mosquitos, gnats, flies and horse flies, who bite into an infected rabbit and then spread it by biting into other rabbits. Luckily it doesn't cross species.
We immediately got the six female rabbits innoculated with a vaccine. However, ten days later three of the female rabbits also displayed myxomatosis systems (they had probably got bitten before the vaccine had been injected into them). The vaccine needs about fouteen days in the body before it can prevent the disease. The three female rabbits held on for between seven to ten days, like the males, before they died. Five weeks later, the three remaining female rabbits: Fifi, Snowflake and Patch seem to be in good health and hopefully the vaccine is working well.
We also suddenly noticed that the three male rabbits in the other cage also started to display the same symptoms a few days later. They were housed about twenty yards away, behind a thick screen of hedging, so it seemed unlikely that they had picked up the same illness because of nearby contact. We took one of the rabbits to the vet and after a couple of days of antibiotics and eye drops, the illness was identified as myxomatosis. Myxomatosis was first identified in Ireland exactly fifty years ago but hadn't been seen by the vet for many years. It is spread by mosquitos, gnats, flies and horse flies, who bite into an infected rabbit and then spread it by biting into other rabbits. Luckily it doesn't cross species.
We immediately got the six female rabbits innoculated with a vaccine. However, ten days later three of the female rabbits also displayed myxomatosis systems (they had probably got bitten before the vaccine had been injected into them). The vaccine needs about fouteen days in the body before it can prevent the disease. The three female rabbits held on for between seven to ten days, like the males, before they died. Five weeks later, the three remaining female rabbits: Fifi, Snowflake and Patch seem to be in good health and hopefully the vaccine is working well.
