Myxomatosis across the UK and VHD CONFIRMED in Staffordshire

It is not often that we receive reports of VHD outbreaks.

Vet nurse Laura Slinger who is a veterinary nurse in Burton On Trent, has seen a case of VHD at her practice. Also a case of myxi. Reports in the last few days have come in of deaths from myxi in Leybourne Kent and sightings of wild rabbits in East Yorkshire, West Sussex, Gloucestershire and South Wales.

Also today, we have received reports of cases of myxomatosis in wild rabbits across a huge number of areas of the UK. Pet rabbits are equally at risk from this most distressing disease, so please ensure yours are vaccinated. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU NEED TO VACCINATE FOR MYXOMATOSIS EVERY 6 MONTHS and that 10% of the vaccine needs to be given intradermally.

VHD vaccinations are equally as important and need to be given every year.

Oh dear, my litle boy is up to date with his jabs.



Jo

Both mine are up to date with vhd and mixi

Mine are due their Myxi later in the month but had their VHD last week. Unfortunately they both had the dreaded Cylap limp so I am going to remind others to ask for the alternatives.

do house bunnies even need myxi jabs? ive been wondering about that, because we ive on the 2nd floor in a block of flats and there is nowhere for my bunny to go outside, is he still at risk?

Yes, they are in danger too. It can be airborne, it can be carried on our clothes, shoes and skin and it is believed to be spread mostly by biting insects and skin parasites, so even if mosquitoes never get into your house, you need to remember that hay can carry skin mites and they might have come from infected wild rabbits.

ALL rabbits are in danger from this disease, and from VHD which is spread in similar ways, and for both, vaccination is the only defence we have. VHD jabs once per year, Myxi every 6 months.

ok, i shall find out when i can do that then. how much on average do the jabs usually cost? and is it better to get the jabs separate, as i heard about those combined ones, but some people seemed funny about those.

Also what is the Cylap limp? what are the alternatives to ask for then so my bunny doesnt get this?

There should always be two weeks between the myxi and VHD jabs. They have not been clinically trialed together and all manufacturers warn that giving them together might lessen the effects of one or the other jab. Furthermore it would cause a lot of stress on your rabbit's immune system to be exposed to two viruses at the same time. Ask your vet which one to have done first, depending on what is more prevalent in your area. Each takes about 10 to 14 days to become fully effective.

There are now 3 products on the market for vaccinating against VHD. The oldest is Cylap, the newer one is Lapinject which has been around for I think about 5 years and the latest is Anivac which just gained its licence a few months ago.

Both Cylap and Lapinject are carried in mineral oil. Anivac isn't and is in individual phials with a single dose in each phial so whilst it may cost a vet more initially to buy Anivac, the saving in not having to throw out unused vaccine (very short shelf life,,,just a few hrs after opening), in the long run, it should be more economical.

There have been reports of lumps, sores and limps from VHD vaccination. If it happens to any rabbit, the manufacturer wants to know, and both the vet and the owner can contact them. The vet ought to have forms supplied with the vaccine for their report.

Lizzi, I live in a flat too, but I still have my bun fully vaccinated....Each jab is between £17/20... a small price to pay really. AFIK, you need to leave 2 weeks between vaccinations, both together is not advised...but I am still a bit of a novice, so feel free to correct me anyone

ah ok thank you for that info, ive been trying to research them and uming and aring over whether to do it but haven't understood what ive been reading and i really don't trust anything my vets say as they just seem to care about money rather than my bunny! The vets told me the Myxi jab was £40!!!! thats why i haven't done it!!! maybe i need to find a new vet!!!

Sounds like it - I have seen a sticky list here somewhere that advises on questions to ask the vets to check whether they know what they are doing. I have found that if you can't find a rabbit specialist go for one with good knowledge of horses. Sounds daft I know but rabbits and horses are very similar in behaviour and digestive system to rabbits. I have found that equine vets are far more likely to be talked into doing the right thing for rabbits than dog and cat vets.

All the vets I have used in NE Scotland have only ever recommended getting the myxi jab annually.

Any ideas why this would be?

On the VHD, it was anivac Thumper had most recently and it went absolutely fine

I think the regularity depends on the risk factor maybe...Im pretty sure Blanket is vaccinated yearly, rather than 6 monthly...although saying that I am now gonna run off and check his certificate just to be sure! My practice also uses anivac
Also here is a thread from a while back which gives a bit of an insight into the effects of cylap... Not a happy bunny

I think you are maybe on to something with the risk factor theory. Thumper shared our back garden with a wildey one summer and she was totally fine even though only vaccinated annually.

Thanks

Ros, I am assuming it was Ros, posted on behalf of the RWAF on their facebook page: 'Most definitely every 6 months. The virus mutated some years ago and at that time it was found that annual vaccination wasn't giving sufficiently strong immunity. VHD is still annual'

lizzi_blackwell3 wrote:do house bunnies even need myxi jabs? ive been wondering about that, because we ive on the 2nd floor in a block of flats and there is nowhere for my bunny to go outside, is he still at risk?

Yes they do - the virus is carried on insects and so no-where is safe from it. They are both truly horrific diseases too.

Here is some more information.

https://happyhoppers.forumotion.co.uk/t33-myxomatosis-the-importance-of-vaccination

Vaccinations for VHD and Myxi must be done two weeks apart. They normally cost between 15 and 25 each.

They are so very important. There is NO cure from either and the buns that contract these die horribly and painfully.

I was told by Daisy's specialist that the Myxi should be done every 6 months.

thanks everyone!! i had no idea there were hen different types of each jab, and that that cylap one sounds hurendous!! i will definatly make sure Buttons doesnt get given that one!!! i obviously know what Myxi is, but what is VHD? or is it another one that will make me feel ill thinking about it? if so just tell me i dont want to know!!!

https://happyhoppers.forumotion.co.uk/t34-viral-haemorrhagic-disease-vhd-vaccination

Here is some info on VHD.

Yea - Cyclap is horrible. Ask for Anivac or Lapinject if you can. x

£40???? I think perhaps you do!

Yodaphine wrote:Lizzi, I live in a flat too, but I still have my bun fully vaccinated....Each jab is between £17/20... a small price to pay really. AFIK, you need to leave 2 weeks between vaccinations, both together is not advised...but I am still a bit of a novice, so feel free to correct me anyone

Perfect

ok ive changed vets and im having his myxi jab tomorrow, for £18, much better price!!! sadly they only do that Cylap VHD jab but i will talk to the vet about that when i take him tomorrow! aparrently this vets do the myxi jab every 6month now too, theve apparently been advised to do it twice a year now due to so many outbreaks! i guess better safe than sorry!!!

Ask if they will order in Anivac for you. My vets regularly use Cylap, but I always ask for Anivac and they get it in for me. Anivac comes in a pack with 10 individually sealed doses so they can sell the rest to other customers no problem and it doesn't cost any more than Cylap. It is fast becoming the vaccine of choice of VHD. However, vets who have supplies of Cylap would probably like to use them up.

I suggest you print off the notification for Cylap (link below) which shows that 50% of rabbits have palpable signs of injection and take this to show your vet as the reason why you don't want your pet vaccinated with it. Any decent vet will order in medication for you if you give them time. I am in the North east of Scotland and my vet took three days to get it for me and then charged me the same as Cylap, so it can be done. You just need to be assertive. After all, you are the customer.

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Pfizer_Limited/Cylap/-44936.html

Thanks for the heads up Ros, i did think it had been quiet on the Myxo front this year, but it des seem to be August that it gets bad.

John C said that Anivac is the cheapest of the three vaccines