Myxomatosis NEW QUESTION, post 7.

[PatS]

My husband and I just put down our beautiful mama rabbit, we are pretty sure she had myxo from her symptoms. Two folks we know have lost their buns to myxo in the last few years in this area.

We separated her as soon as we saw her "sleepy looking" eyes and lack of energy. They symptoms progressed and matched those of myxo and her appearance matched the pictures online. While I can't do anything about the errant mosquito, I can clean and sanitize the items she was in contact with. I have read that the virus is resistant to killing and found this:

This virus is very resistant to weather and physical changes (cold, dryness, heat) and disinfectants. Formol, however, is very
effective and is recommended for disinfecting equipment.

I am not sure where I can find formaldehyde in this remote area, but I'll go looking. Can anyone else who has been through this share how they took care of the situation? It is not at all practical to screen out mosquitos, so I suppose this is a situation that we might have to deal with again sometime. Is there a "safe distance" between cages that would protect bunnies from passing it between cages if only one is bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus?

Are there plants I could plant around the cages area that might deter mosquitos?

Thank you in advance for any and all information you can share. This is devastating.
Pat

 

[MaggieJ]

So sorry you had to put down your doe, PatS.

There are several plants you can grow to help deter mosquitoes. I find catnip (Nepeta cataria not the more ornamental Nepeta faassenii) to be highly effective to repel mosquitoes. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is another good choice. To be really effective, it may be necessary to crush the plants somewhat. I've hung bunches of bruised catnip in the rabbitry to get rid of mosquitoes and flies.

http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to ... es/a/42758
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/04/5-eas ... ng-plants/

 

[Bad Habit]

I didn't think we had Myxo in North America.

 

[PatS]

Thank you, Maggie.

Bad Habit, I believe you all are safe but we in California (particularly around the coast and coastal ranges) have to be concerned with it. Our brush bunnies and (I think) jack rabbits are reservoirs for the virus and we have plenty of mosquitos to act as vectors.

We don't have an approved vaccine available to use as they do in Australia and the UK.

Edited to add: Apparently, the vaccine is not in use in Australia, either.

 

[caroline]

I'm on the central California coast and I too put down a momma a week or so ago and hoped for the best for her kits. But when several died, one after the other, I put down the rest of the litter. Fortunately I had fostered a couple of her kits since she had a litter of 13. Those ones weren't in contact with the momma for at least 1 month so I hope I will be able to still have that line.

I will be trying the cat nip and lemon balm since screening is almost impossible to set up. I wonder if hanging pots around the rabbitry would work. Guess I'll get busy finding it.

 

[DogCatMom]

I'm so sorry. That's tragic.

According to this webpage from the Australian RSPCA, bleach is sufficient to disinfect equipment that's been in contact with a myxo'd rabbit. I bring this up not to prove you "wrong" or anything, but because I fear that it may be very difficult (if not impossible) to find formaldehyde-containing products in California, since the California Air Resources Board (CARB) declared in 1992 that there is "no safe level" of exposure to formaldehyde.

According to this article from peteducation.com, netting around the rabbit cages, as well as regular anti-flea meds (*sigh*), will also help prevent access to mosquitoes, fleas, and other vectors for the virus. This page also provides some guidance on how to work with surviving rabbits who may (or may not) have been exposed.

I, too, hope you can keep some rabbits going from her family line. What a huge blow.

 

[PatS]

All right, we have brought one rabbit into the house for observation -- her eyes were a little moist (my husband doesn't see it, maybe I'm paranoid). It is now butchering time for the bunnies who were the kits of the infected doe. They had been separated about a week before she showed symptoms. They seem very active and healthy. Is there any reason not to go ahead and butcher/eat them? Would it be smarter to wait to make sure they don't show symptoms and eat them after 2 weeks of no illness?

If they look perfectly healthy internally, would it be safe to eat any of the organ meats or should they be buried?

They are 11 weeks and HUGE.

Update Saturday: The one we brought in seems fine.

 

[Marinea]

So sorry, PatS.

I would like to second the plant suggestions, and add Citronella plants to the list. That's the plant a lot of the mosquito repellants are made from. They can be kept in pots outside. They add a nice smell to the rabbitry, as well.