Protect Your Pet: Understanding Deadly Rabbit Myxomatosis

Myxomatosis is a highly virulent and almost universally fatal pox virus affecting domestic rabbits, transmitted primarily by insect vectors like fleas, mosquitoes, fur mites, and black flies, as well as through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated objects. Humans are not susceptible to the virus. Symptoms manifest rapidly, often within three days of infection, beginning with severe swelling and a pink tinge around the eyes, lips, face, and genitals. As the disease progresses, rabbits experience lethargy, high fever, difficulty breathing, blindness, and seizures, typically succumbing to the illness within eight to fifteen days. There is currently no known treatment or vaccine, with a survival rate of only about one percent.

In the U.S., myxomatosis is prevalent along a coastal strip from Oregon to California and south into Baja California, Mexico, where the wild brush rabbit acts as a disease reservoir without being affected itself. Globally, the virus was first identified in Uruguay in 1896 and has since spread to parts of Chile, Europe, and Australia. Historically, myxomatosis was intentionally introduced in Australia in the 1950s to control burgeoning wild rabbit populations, drastically reducing them from 600 million to approximately 100 million within a year. Similar efforts in Belgium and Britain in 1953 also decimated wild rabbit populations. Scientists note the U.S. West Coast strain appears particularly virulent.

Given the disease's deadly nature, prevention is paramount. Veterinarians strongly advise keeping pet rabbits indoors to minimize exposure. For rabbits that must spend time outdoors, secure pens with tops, bottoms, and sides are crucial, as is mosquito netting over play areas. Pet owners like Paisley Frost have experienced the devastating loss of their rabbits, Princess Peach and Zuko, to myxomatosis, highlighting the swift and severe impact of the virus. Indoor rabbits generally have a much higher chance of survival, not only from myxomatosis but also from other outdoor threats like predators, harsh weather, and toxic substances.

(Source: https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2016-10-27-nl-myxomatosis/)