How to prevent an epidemic: myxomatosis in rabbits - home treatment

Tell me, what are the signs of a disease such as myxomatosis in rabbits, treatment at home is possible? Our veterinarian is in the hospital, and there is no other, I don't even know what to do. We decided to update our animals and bought a male from friends. But the husband did not look and he "walked" with one of our females. So we have kids for the winter. At first everything was fine, but a month passed, and I noticed that the rabbits began to eat poorly. And just a couple of days ago, the eyes began to swell and stick together. It seems that everything points to myxomatosis, what can be drunk with or maybe eyes dripped in?

Despite the fact that rabbit meat is considered dietary, not all of them are bred, since these animals are often sick. One of the most common diseases is viral. The most unpredictable and dangerous virus is myxomatosis in rabbits, the treatment at home of which is complicated by the latent course of the disease in the initial stage. Most often, the disease is noticed already when external signs appear, a couple of weeks after infection. At this stage, treatment is already much more difficult and not always possible at all. In addition, all this time, a sick animal is a source of infection for others, leading to a massive epidemic. And even after successful treatment, individuals still pose a danger to their relatives for some time.

Symptoms of myxomatosis

The cause of an infectious disease is a smallpox virus. Myxomatosis is characterized by a latent onset, but an acute and prolonged course of the disease. The virus is not sensitive to low temperatures, environmental factors, and even to some disinfectants (formalin, alkalis). It dies only at high temperatures (more than 50 ° C heat).

Most often, animals get sick in the spring and summer, since the carriers of the infection are mainly bloodsucking insects. They can also become infected from sick individuals, infected food, water or equipment with the virus. Rabbits and weakened animals are at risk.

The first 5-14 days, the infection is asymptomatic, which is especially risky and leads to an epidemic. Myxomatosis can proceed in the classical form, with edema, or in the nodular form, with the formation of nodules-thickenings.

It is possible to determine that rabbits are sick with myxomatosis by the following symptoms:

• conjunctivitis;
• swelling and pallor of the mucous membranes;
• tough, tousled coat that has lost its luster;
• temperature up to 42 ° C;
• difficult breathing;
• discharge from the nose, eyes;
• lack of appetite;
• red spots, bumps or nodules on the face and body.

Myxomatosis in rabbits - home treatment

Therapy should be started immediately as soon as the first signs are found. Otherwise, the rabbits fall into a coma and die. And the virus quickly spreads throughout the livestock and leads to mass death.

The classic edematous form today is the most dangerous and cannot be treated. There are no effective remedies yet, so it is more expedient to immediately destroy the infected individual in order to prevent an epidemic. In addition, it is necessary to burn the bedding, feeders, and the cage should be well disinfected.

With the nodular form of myxomatosis, the mortality rate is about 50%, so it makes sense to fight for pets. They are immediately separated and comprehensive treatment is carried out:

• 7-day course of antibiotic therapy (Baytril);
• immunomodulators (Gamavit) - until complete recovery;
• treatment of the affected areas with iodine or Fukortsin;
• instillation of eyes (Ofloxacin drops);
• nose drops from rhinitis (Aquamaris).

Even if it is possible to defeat the virus, rabbits carry it for at least 2 weeks. Therefore, they are kept separately. The best solution to the problem is its prevention - vaccination of the eared, starting from 1.5 months. Vaccination will not provide complete protection, but it will increase the chances of successful treatment of myxomatosis.

Symptoms and treatment of myxomatosis in rabbits