Myxomatosis

[Scrambled]

Further to my 'Flippin' Rabbit' post of some weeks ago - the single rabbit became two rabbits, but unless they're working in shifts with a gang then there's definitely just the two of them.

I'm concerned now because one of them has definitely got a very swollen eye - we've noticed this over the weekend, and my husband saw the rabbit earlier today and he thinks it's probably got myxomatosis.

This is terribly sad and whilst I'm sorry for the rabbit, I'm also a bit concerned - don't know if I'm worrying unduly, but I've read that insects can carry the disease. Is this something which could affect my dog and my chickens? I'm also a bit worried about whether anything nasty could get into any of the veggies growing outside too - I've got visions of myxomatosis ridden bugs getting inside our veg and being unwittingly ingested by us

Rabbits tend to be in our front garden - but they have been known to get into the back garden, where the hens live and where the dog plays etc.

Should I look to rabbit proof the back garden, do you think? I really don't know whether I need to do anything about this, or not

[kitla]

Poor bunny, it's a horrible disease! But it only affects rabbits. People, chickens
and dogs cant get it. If you have neighbours with pet rabbits you may want to
warn them, pet rabbits can be vaccinated against myxy.

[Mo]

Just don't read that John Wyndham SF story "Consider Her Ways" (but it's only fiction)

Horrid disease. I remember it from the 50s, and saw it in Cheshire some years back.

[HazellB]

There's been a return of it in North Yorks recently. I noticed some lethargic looking rabbits over a period last autumn and this year I've seen several out during the day in and around York's ring road and one very close to me only last week while I getting my Saluki out of the van at the Livestock Centre.

As far as I remember, it's fleas that carry it rabbit to rabbit and if those fleas bite us or dogs, etc, we are fine. In some cases people have claimed to be ill, but I bet it's all in the mind (understandably) as my horribly cheap parents used to pick up myxi rabbits from the roadside and make stews of them and never ailed.

[bluebell]

Myxamatosis is an awful disease. We once had an owner who had twenty rabbits and over a short period of time owner lost them to myxi.

They say that you can eat a rabbit that has had myxamatosis but stay clear of the liver.

[Scrambled]

Ok - thanks, will stop worrying about the non-rabbit residents here - nobody around here has any pet rabbits, thankfully. I also think I won't ask the library to reserve the book you mention, Mo

Sadly, we haven't seen the bun with the swollen eye since I posted this thread - have seen the other one, though, and it has no signs (yet) of anything nasty.