Asking for a friend-Can rabbits contract distemper?

[Fireclaws bunnbutts]

Ok, so. I'm asking this for a friend who's pretty much spazzing out at the moment. :x .

Long story short, she's got two rabbits out in her garage whom she'd had for about 5 and 6 years respectfully, loves those rabbits, brings them inside and let's them run around the house (one at a time because ones male and the other is female lol). They play with her dog, her cats etc . Anyway about two weeks ago, she took in a stray cat and since she has existing cats in the house, she kept it in her garage with the rabbits. Cat looked healthy for about 3 days, then stopped eating, got real skinny, then started "aimless shambling" all in the course of about a week. She went out and checked the cat two days ago and said it was literally a breathing skeleton with skin draped over. So she took it to the vet and left it there to be PTS, obviously not being attached, she didn't stay and because she handed it over as a stray, she wasn't charged. Anyhow, the vet called her yesterday and I guess the cat tested positive for Distemper. So now she's spazzing out over her dog and her own cats, because apparently cats and dogs can interchange the same form of distemper between each other, even though her dog and cats have all their shots. She's also worried about her rabbits, which were in the same space as the cat, getting sick.

 

[MaggieJ]

There is a lot of info online, some of it conflicting, but it seems that rabbits (prey animals) are not likely to contract distemper from dogs or cats (predators).

If I were your friend, I would do some research online and also (if he/she trusts the vet) ask about the risks.

 

[akane]

Some sources do refer to one or more of the potential respiratory infections of a rabbit as distemper but this is misleading because it is a bacteria rabbits are susceptible to and may pass to other small animals like guinea pigs. Not at all the same as cat distemper. Cat and dog should not be able to exchange distemper either. They are 2 different virus.

DNR (deparment of natural resources has a chart of what animals are affected but I can't get it on the computer. What they have to say about distemper:

Canine and feline distemper are diseases affecting many wild and domestic carnivores. Although both these diseases can cause acute illness and death, canine and feline distemper should not be confused, as they are caused by two distinctly different viral agents.

The following chart indicates the animals which are susceptible to infection by canine and feline distemper.

Their chart says
Canidae
wolf, coyote, fox, domestic dog
can get canine but not feline distemper

Felidae
bobcat, lynx, domestic cat
can get feline but not canine distemper

Procyonidae
raccoon
and
Mustelidae
ferret, mink, weasel, marten, fisher, otter, badger, skunk, wolverine
can contract both feline and canine distemper

 

[Deer Heart]

Akane is right, feline distemper is indeed a different virus from canine distemper. I can also attest that raccoons do in fact get canine distemper. People mistake it for rabies often so they are tested frequently. Canine distemper is also a death sentence to ferrets. There isn't a distemper that rabbits can contract that I'm aware of, but most certainly not feline or canine distemper. I suggest your friend be very watchful of their cats and clean everything that cat might have come into contact with. Even vaccinated, I wouldn't take the risk with my cat.

 

[Preitler]

Tell your friend that she should clean and sanitize everything the cat had contact to as good as possible, including clothing and shoes, according to wikipedia it can be quite easily spread.