A deadly viral disease such as myxomatosis develops rapidly in rabbits and often leads to the death of animals. Its carriers are mainly mosquitoes, from which it is impossible to protect yourself. It is customary to vaccinate young animals at the age of 30-45 days. True, sometimes the virus comes back. Sick rabbits are destroyed, and the mild nodular form of the disease is treated with cauterization.
General description of the disease
Myxomatosis is a very dangerous viral disease of rabbits, which is completely untreatable and can lead to the death of the entire breeding stock. Rabbit breeders try to prevent infection and vaccinate young animals against this disease at the age of 30-45 days.
The causative agent of myxomatosis is considered to be a DNA-containing virus of the genus Leporipoxvirus, belonging to the family Poxviridae. In sick rabbits, serous-purulent conjunctivitis from the nose is observed, reddish nodules and spots form on the ears and eyes. There may be solid subcutaneous tumors on different parts of the body, including the anus and external genitalia. A sick animal has difficulty breathing, wheezes, coughs, and has fluid running from its nose. Redness in the form of spots near the eyes, small pimples on the ears are visible already on the 3-5th day of infection.
Rabbits at any age can get myxomatosis, most often not vaccinated, and sometimes even those who have received a vaccine. The incubation period lasts from 2 to 20 days. The disease can have an acute and subacute course. Any of them is dangerous for animal life.
Myxomatosis can occur in two clinical forms:
- edematous (gelatinous swelling on the body);
- nodular (limited nodules on the head and other parts).
Important! If you do not vaccinate, the animal may die. The edematous form always leads to the death of rabbits. Nodular disease only ends in recovery in 10-30 percent of cases.
How does infection occur?
The virus can be found in water, soil, contaminated grain, hay, or grass. It is spread by blood-sucking insects, in whose bodies it persists for up to seven months, as well as by rodents. Most often, outbreaks of myxomatosis are observed in spring and summer, with the beginning of the activity of mosquitoes and flies. The peak of the disease occurs in August. In winter, animals suffer from myxomatosis less often.
It is almost impossible to protect the rabbit population from the virus. It can be found in commercial feed and contaminated grain. Animals become infected with the virus through food, drink, and insect bites.
Symptoms of the disease
There are two forms of myxomatosis: edematous and nodular. Each of them has its own characteristics and characteristics of its course. Initially, any form begins with reddish spots in the eyelids and small bumps on the ears.
Edema form
The classic form is characterized by an acute course of the disease. Duration - 5-6 days. Rabbits' heads and ears swell. Then the eyelids swell and turn red, conjunctivitis appears, and pus is released from the eyes and nose. Sick rabbits have difficulty breathing. The temperature rises to 40 degrees, then drops sharply.
Externally, the symptoms are as follows: tearfulness, runny nose, difficulty breathing, cough, wheezing. Sometimes subcutaneous gelatinous infiltrates appear, that is, dense lumps on the neck or other parts of the body. Mortality rate is 100 percent.
Nodular form
The nodular form of the disease is easier than the edematous one. Papules and nodules of various sizes appear on the ears, near the eyes, all over the head and other parts of the body of rabbits (from a millet grain to a pigeon egg). After two weeks, foci of necrosis form at the site of nodular growths. The disease lasts 30-40 days. Body temperature is kept within normal limits. Mortality rate is 70-90 percent.
Diagnostic methods
The diagnosis can only be made by a veterinarian. It is impossible to determine the disease on your own. The fact is that the symptoms of myxomatosis are very similar to smallpox, staphylococcosis, and wandering pyaemia. Only a specialist will be able to identify the virus based on the clinical picture, pathological changes and laboratory results.Diagnosis must be carried out in a clinic. The rabbits are examined, biological samples are taken from them, and a histological analysis of the pathological material is performed.
How to cure myxomatosis in rabbits
Healing animals from this disease is not so easy. No drugs have been developed to treat myxomatosis. Mortality rate is 70-100 percent.
Use of antibiotics
From theory it is known that antibiotics treat only bacteria, but not viruses. The fact is that bacteria are full-fledged living cells. Viruses are non-cellular life forms. Antibiotics are unable to recognize and kill the virus or the cell infected by it. A veterinarian, having diagnosed myxomatosis, advises not to carry out treatment at home, but simply cull and destroy sick rabbits. Healthy animals that do not have symptoms of infection need to be quarantined immediately.
However, with the nodular form of myxomatosis, about 10-30 percent of rabbits can recover after 30-40 days and become immune to this disease. True, weakened animals can suffer from runny nose and pneumonia. It is in this case that an antibiotic (4 percent Gentamicin) will help them.
At the same time, it is recommended to cauterize the nodules on the skin with an antiseptic (“ASD-3”). If myxomatosis occurs in vaccinated rabbits several months after vaccination, then they immediately need to be given Gentamicin injections (3 times a day, 5 days in a row), cauterize the nodules with an antiseptic, and inject the vitamin preparation Gamavit.
Important! It is prohibited to treat rabbits with antibiotics of the penicillin group. These medications cause digestive problems.
Folk remedies
It is also not recommended to treat myxomatosis with traditional methods. There is information on the Internet that this virus can be killed by marigolds and antiseptics (“Iodinol”). In fact, these treatments are ineffective. It is better to get rid of even a mildly ill rabbit. In an outwardly healthy but infected animal, a number of internal changes occur; the meat becomes disgusting in appearance (red, speckled with infiltrates). Only timely vaccination can save rabbits from the virus.
Preventive actions
To prevent myxomatosis, a number of sanitary measures and vaccination of rabbits are carried out. Particular attention is paid to keeping animals. The cells are regularly cleaned and disinfected. Rabbits are given only clean water and uncontaminated food. In spring and summer, animals are protected from mosquitoes, and fleas are removed once a quarter.
Vaccination of rabbits against myxomatosis is carried out on the 30-45th day of life. The weight of the animal must be more than 500 grams. Vaccinated pets receive immunity for 6-12 months. Animals are usually given an associated vaccination against myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease. The vaccine can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy (Miksoren, Pestorin, Lapimun). Only healthy rabbits are vaccinated. The vaccine will no longer help patients. Before the injection, animals are given anthelmintic drugs.
Quarantine measures
Usually rabbit breeders themselves determine whether a rabbit is healthy or not. Attention is paid to the behavior of the animal. If the animal is active and eats well, then there is no reason to worry.If a rabbit huddles in a far corner, refuses food, and lowers its ears, then it is immediately isolated from its relatives.
The sick animal is transplanted into a separate cage. The isolator must be located in another room. Quarantine lasts about 30-40 days. During this period, the animals are fed hay, carrots, grain, given clean water, and given Gamavit injections. The cage is cleaned 2 times a day. During the quarantine period, the condition of the animal is closely monitored. Early diagnosis allows you to quickly begin treatment or at least prevent infection of the entire livestock.
If symptoms similar to myxomatosis are detected, it is recommended to show the rabbit to a veterinarian or call a specialist to the farm. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the farm is quarantined, and all infected animals are required to be destroyed. Only timely vaccination will help save livestock from disposal.
