Myxomatosis is one of the worst ailments that could affect your rabbit, only 15 to 20% of rabbits survive an infection with this wretched virus, and then only if you take very good care of the animal, it can take months for your rabbit to return completely the old one.
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a virus belonging to the pox viruses. Myxomatosis is spread by stinging insects such as fleas, mosquitoes and flies, or by contact with an infected animal or materials with which an infected animal has come into contact.
Precautionary measures
- Because prevention is always better than cure, it is important that you vaccinate your rabbit twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn.
- Try to keep insects out of the cage by hanging mesh or installing insect screens
- Thoroughly clean the rabbit’s cage at least once a week, preferably with a lemon-scented agent to prevent insects from liking that smell.
- Fight fleas !! A good means for this is advantage. Prevent your rabbit from coming into contact with cats, dogs and hedgehogs, as they can transmit fleas.
Symtones
Should your rabbit nevertheless become infected with myxomatosis, the symtones will be noticeable within a few days to two weeks.
- Swelling of the eyelids, mouth and anus
- Lumps in the skin, mainly on the back, around the mouth and around the ears.
Within a few days, the animal will contract pneumonia and die from it.
Therapy
Once your rabbit has myxomatosis, there is really not much more you can do for him than take very good care of him, keep him warm and keep eating, through force feeding if necessary. It is also important that you give the animal a good pain reliever, as a rabbit in great pain will lose the will to live and stop eating. The bacterial infections that occur with myxomatosis can be treated with antibiotics and eye ointment.
Keep in mind that a rabbit with myxomatosis has only a 15 to 20% chance of surviving this disease and that it takes months to recover. So it is really important that you vaccinate your rabbit against this nasty virus. Some veterinarians hold a consultation hour in the spring and autumn, which saves considerably on costs. However, if you think your rabbit already has myxomatosis, do not vaccinate it anymore, as this will weaken the animal and it will only get sicker.