15.02.2025

Myxomatosis in rabbits: symptoms and treatment at home

Myxomatosis is a serious inflammatory disease, its distribution is a virus.

The disease can infect all rabbits, whether wild or domestic. Is accompanied by disease complicated form of conjunctivitis with purulent secretions and the appearance of formations in the form of cones.

The incubation period and symptoms of myxomatosis in rabbits

Before the emergence of initial symptoms of the disease (the incubation period) can take several days. Typically, the minimum time is one week. After 2 weeks the symptoms of the disease become quite pronounced. In the initial stages of its development myxomatosis of rabbits shows almost imperceptible symptoms. Only during a careful examination of the animal can be noted red spots that appeared on the cover of the skin.

Over time, increases body temperature: it can rise up to 40 degrees and then drops to normal. The subsequent course of the disease is expressed by conjunctivitis. The animals ‘ eyes begin to tear, inflamed mucous membranes, eyes popping clots of pus. Another symptom is the appearance of tumors. First, this is only a small inconspicuous tubercles. But after a time their sizes increase. Sometimes the size of tumors may not be as large as a grain of millet, and in some cases really huge, reaching the size of quail eggs.

Gelatinous swellings are formed in different areas of the head of the rabbit. It is the eyelids, ears, nose. Swelling also appear on the genitals, in some cases, the anus. The skin of the head is swollen, large folds similar to the lion’s head, ears “wither”. The animal to breathe, as inflamed the entire cavity of the mouth, which stands out purulent mucus. Sometimes the animals are breathing with heavy wheezing.

Most often, the symptoms last no longer than 11 days. After the animal becomes indifferent to water, food, does not react to touch, sounds, voice. When the pet doesn’t show good immunity, he dies. When the animal is quite strong, with proper treatment it begins to go better. After complete recovery, no symptoms of severe disease were observed.

Myxomatosis of rabbits is in two forms:

  • In nodular.
  • In swollen.

The last form is a dynamic disease, which fails almost all the time death of the animal. It is believed that the swollen form of myxomatosis can not be treated.

The disease is expressed in an inflammatory process the mucous membrane of the eyes developing into conjunctivitis. Moreover, it is possible to observe the appearance of crusts. Also it swells the nasal cavity, rabbit barely breathing from the throat out of purulent clots and break the wheezing. Tumors begin to cover the whole body of the animal. They are filled with fluid. Directly rabbit feels very badly – ears droop, doesn’t touch the food, sadly watching. After about 10 days the animal dies.

When the disease becomes known, the pet should immediately away away from other individuals, to those not infected.

The nodular form of the disease is not so dangerous for the infected animals, as described above. During the nodular myxomatosis most Pets survive (as the statistics shows, about half of the total number of population). The disease in this form is treatable.

Symptoms of the following: nodules (small bumps) appear in one or in another location on the body of the animal generally on the head. Nodules tend to disappear, and after a time re-appear. Most of the knobs appears around the ears and around the eyes.

The second stage of the disease is expressed conjunctivitis with formation of pus, the eyelids of the rabbit closed and the animal is unable to open them, as a result of this pet some time he saw nothing. Noted cold. The animal breathes with anguish.

Very often on the background of myxomatosis there are other disease. It is possible, for example, stomatitis. In certain cases, the passage of the disease is much harder. The rabbits often suffer of such diseases as coccidiosis.

Why rabbits are infected and is there a danger to get infected person?

The myxomatosis to get sick quite simple. Typically, animals with this disease are infected by insects that are carriers. Infect rabbit as lice and fleas, often located in the fur of pet, various gnats, of which is constantly large number in place of the rabbits, flies and mosquitoes that bite the animal.

It is also likely the infection through the claws of predators. The spikes also can be dangerous virus myxomatosis. Sometimes it happens that one animal infect another through sexual contact. And though these cases are very rare, yet their occurrence need to be afraid.

People this disease is not spreading. The disease are exposed to is that rats and mice, but only certain types.

Myxomatosis in rabbits: diseases

If the infected animal is not promptly provide required aid and doesn’t cure it, the disease can lead to death. When the treatment was made, but not to the extent necessary, the rabbit can get sick again. Disease aktiviziruyutsya in a relatively short time, often leading to death of the animal within a few days. Often even professional veterinarians do not want to take treatment of infected rabbits, believing that the treatment will not give any sense.

When the animal decided to to recovery, you must follow certain rules:

  • To keep rabbit you need in a warm and comfortable conditions, only in this case it is possible to stop the progression of myxomatosis. In case of refusal of animal food, the doctor enlists the help of special medications, the impact of which is directed for delivery into the body of the animal of nutrients.
  • The most effective treatment is one that is performed in the early stages of the disease. In this case, animal rescue of strong antibiotics and immunomodulators. Are sores on the skin moistened with an alcoholic solution of iodine. When the disease is conquered, and the pet is on the mend or completely recovered, you need for 3 months to support him in quarantine conditions, it will give the opportunity to prevent the likely recurrence and will after a serious illness to get stronger rabbit.
  • One of the methods of treatment which are only experienced by veterinarians, is the administration of vaccines under the skin of rabbits. In these cases, a “Gamavit” (2 milliliters). When there is dehydration of the animal, “Gamavit” introduced simultaneously with the “Ringer” (in the form of a solution). Thus, the pet treat until then, until it finally healed.
  • For milliliter per day is a sufficient dosage means “Fosprenil”, which also is introduced by injection.

Other drugs during myxomatosis of rabbits:

  • The drops in the nasal cavity.
  • “Baytril” that you need to give a Bunny for weeks at a dosage of 1 milliliter per 10 pounds of weight animal several times daily.

Regardless of, whether versed breeder in methods of treatment of rabbits or not, during the appearance of the first symptoms of myxomatosis it is necessary to immediately consult the vet.

It always can help the vaccine?

Vaccination during myxomatosis of rabbits not all the time has a positive effect. In some cases, the reason for this is the fact that the owner of the pet does not support the immune system his animals at a high level. Another factor that affects the development of the disease is late vaccination in the prevention: that is, when the vaccine was introduced after the onset of infection for the rabbit.

When the farmer decided to keep furry animals, then it is imperative to care properly for the animals and to make timely preventive measures, otherwise the rabbit can get sick, and injections are no longer needed. There is a perception that young rabbits not to vaccinate, but this is absolutely not true. Actually rabbits are not only possible, but will certainly need to put prevention, because at a young age their immune system to cope with the disease even better than adult animals.

The injection may not help the infected rabbit and in the case when it was bought in an underground firm or owner, from unknown people. To buy drugs need only reputable pharmacies. It is here that medicines are stored in compliance with all required rules and regulations. At home the purchased vehicle must be kept only in the refrigerator – it cannot be stored at room temperature.

When the preparation is opened, and also in cases, when over the shelf life, it is imperative to get rid of this tool. The vaccine may not give expected results when it was used without prior prophylaxis rabbit from coccidia and worms. On the package of any medication is the information that tells how to vaccinate an animal: this instruction must be strictly followed, otherwise, not only the suffering of the animal is not to facilitate, but also to destroy the rabbit.

Prevention of the disease

The most important thing that you must perform in order to prevent animals from becoming infected with myxomatosis every year to produce the routine vaccination of all rabbits. In addition, you must follow certain rules, which are aimed at maintaining the hygiene of your Pets. We need to protect animals from contact with strangers, as people, like the above insects, also may carry the infection and infect the animal.

Cagewhere the animals should be thoroughly cleaned and washed to prevent contamination. The whole plot about the premises, as well as the territory in which walking rabbits, must also be sanitized. To feed and water rabbits need only clean water and fresh food checked regularly to replace the old sawdust with the new one. Animals must be periodically treated to prevent infection by parasites, to fulfill that need even for those Pets that do not go beyond the yard or cells.

Quite popular among veterinarians and people who are engaged in the keeping of rabbits, the vaccine, which is called In-82. It is a living, natural health medication, having the ability to strengthen the immune system, making it resistant exactly to the described disease. This tool ensures that after its administration to animals, rabbits are not infected with myxomatosis for at least 8 months.

The drug is administered 2 times in the amount of one milliliter. Preventive treatment is approximately 30-50 days. After three months running the break, and then the course resumed. A week after the drug administration In-82 the body of the animal becomes stronger and able to resist disease. This procedure is best done every year in March.

How dangerous is it to eat meat of rabbits infected with myxomatosis?

To date, no one can accurately answer the question: is it possible to eat meat of rabbits infected with myxomatosis. If we consider the medical point of view, then this product will not bring any harm to the human body, as people cannot be infected with this disease. Naturally, when the decision to eat meat of infected animals, for slaughter they must go before their death, and then must be very carefully washed and cooked meat. Animals that died from the diagnosis of myxomatosis and spent several days in the food consume definitely not.

But there are other opinions about this, as, for example, the opinion of some breeders that the meat of an infected animal not worth eating in any case, otherwise you can be poisoned or catch a terrible infection. These people usually get rid of the carcasses of the dead rabbits, burning them, and then disinfect the cage where the pet was located, and the area around it.

There is a compromise option: the meat of an infected rabbit you can eat, but not everyone will dare at it. Just infected rabbit looks pretty uncomfortable – his eyes swim, he literally acquires fully tumors. The usual feeling of disgust some people do not allows you to enjoy even a small piece of meat of a sick animal.

Considering all arguments, we can conclude that well-cooked meat of the rabbit who died of myxomatosis, may not infect human because theoretically allowed to consume it in food, but this may interfere with the disgust and aversion to appearance exhausted by disease of the rabbit.

One thought on “Myxomatosis in rabbits: symptoms and treatment at home

  1. Gelatinous swellings are formed in different areas of the head of the rabbit. It is the eyelids, ears, nose. Swelling also appear on the genitals, in some cases, the anus. The skin of the head is swollen, large folds similar to the lion’s head, ears “wither”. The animal to breathe, as inflamed the entire cavity of the mouth, which stands out purulent mucus. Sometimes the animals are breathing with heavy wheezing.

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