Myxomatosis in rabbits: is it possible to eat the meat of a sick animal?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today, quite a lot of people living in a private house are engaged in animal husbandry. I would like to note that this is not an easy task, since serious care is required for livestock. Keeping rabbits is a rather difficult and painstaking task. The main problem is that rabbits are prone to a large number of diseases, of which myxomatosis is the most common. It can be transmitted both through plants eaten by rabbits, and through insects and other animals. In addition, the usual draft can also become the cause of the development of myxomatosis in animals. Does this disease pose a threat to humans and is it possible to eat rabbit meat with myxomatosis? Let's try to dispel the existing myths and answer this question.

General information

Currently, there are various diseases of rabbits. Myxomatosis (is it possible to eat meat in this case, will be discussed later) is one of the most dangerous ailments. If the sick animal is not isolated in time, thenit will infect the entire population. Myxomatosis is a viral disease that can be transmitted not only from animal to animal through contact, but also through food and insects.

The disease proceeds quickly and in an acute form, as a result of which the animal loses its appetite, blisters appear on its head, the rabbit constantly lies and moves little. The first signs of the disease appear a few weeks after infection. It all depends on the strain of the virus. There are two varieties of this disease - nodular and edematous. Each of them flows and manifests in its own way.

Myxomatosis symptoms

Regardless of the form of the disease and the strain of the virus, myxomatosis in rabbits is accompanied by the following general symptoms:

• inflammation and purulent discharge from the eyes, as well as conjunctivitis;
• the rabbit moves very little, and most of the time prefers to just lie down;
• significant increase in body temperature;
• hair loss;
• swelling of the eyelids and lips, lowering of the ears;
• formation of fibromyomas in the ears, nose and limbs;
• rapid and heavy breathing accompanied by wheezing.

As mentioned earlier, nodular and edematous forms of the disease manifest themselves in different ways, so let's take a closer look at each of them.

Edematous myxomatosis

Can I eat a rabbit with edematous myxomatosis? The answer is clear: no! This form of the disease is the most severe and transient. If the rabbit is sickedematous myxomatosis, then he will die, since this form is not treatable. Clinical manifestations of this disease are bumps all over the body filled with fluid, wheezing, swelling and purulent discharge from the nose. The animal completely stops eating, as a result of which it dies after about a week and a half due to complete exhaustion. Eating the meat of an infected animal is strictly prohibited, and its corpse must be burned. To prevent infection of the entire livestock, rabbits are quarantined and vaccinated with special antiviral vaccines.

Nodular myxomatosis

This form is less transient and treatable. As statistics show, about half of the diseased rabbits survive. Is it possible to eat rabbit meat that has been ill with nodular myxomatosis? It is possible, since people are not susceptible to getting this viral disease.

You can determine the presence of this form of the disease in rabbits by the characteristic nodules that form throughout the body of the animal. They are especially pronounced on the ears and in the eye area. The next manifestation, appearing after the nodules, are characteristic discharge from the nose, which may contain impurities of pus, and conjunctivitis.

In later stages, myxomatosis in rabbits is accompanied by partial or complete loss of appetite, runny nose and characteristic wheezing. If untreated, the animal dies after about a month and a half. It is important to understand here that the sooner measures are taken to combat the disease, the more likely it is to overcome it. After recovery on the body of a rabbitnodules disappear, but scars may remain after them.

The average incubation period is 11 days, after which the first manifestations of the disease appear. At the same time, the sick animal stops eating and drinking, and also does not react in any way to everything that happens around him. The percentage of survival depends on how developed the protective functions of the body are in the rabbit. With proper care and therapy, the animal recovers completely, and the manifestations of the disease disappear.

Eating

Can I eat rabbit meat with myxomatosis? This question is of interest to all people involved in livestock. To date, disputes on this topic still do not subside among many farmers. The thing is that this virus is not perceived by humans, therefore it does not pose any danger. It only affects rabbits. Therefore, eating the meat of rabbits that have recovered from myxomatosis is allowed if it is properly cooked. Meat should be thoroughly washed before cooking.

But there is another side of the coin. There is an opinion among the people that the meat of sick animals, even those that have been cured, is forbidden to eat. Rather, it can be eaten from a theoretical point of view, but in practice it turns out to be not entirely aesthetic and hygienic. The thing is that even if myxomatosis is cured in rabbits (is it possible to eat meat from ill animals - later in the article), then they lose their attractiveness and their appearancescare away.

According to the third common opinion, it is not recommended to eat the meat of any animal that has been ill with any disease. Most experienced rabbit breeders advise burning the bodies of dead rabbits, as well as treating the barn with special disinfectants.

So, is it possible to eat the meat of a rabbit with myxomatosis? It is inappropriate to give any advice on this matter, since each person must make such decisions himself. Here, everything depends to a greater extent on the disgust of a person.

Fight disease

If myxomatosis was found in rabbits (is it possible to eat meat in this case, we have already figured out), then it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible. If no action is taken in time, then the animal can not only die, but also infect the entire livestock. In addition, if the treatment was not carried out in full or started too late, the likelihood of a recurrence of the disease increases. In this case, the death of the animal can occur just a few days after the relapse. Sometimes even qualified veterinarians with extensive experience refuse to treat rabbits for myxomatosis if the farmer turns to them too late and the chance of curing the animal is very low. Therefore, the chances of overcoming the disease on your own at home are extremely small.

How is the treatment going?

If you suspect that myxomatosis is developing in rabbits (is it possible to eat meat with this ailment - debatablequestion), then you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian. The doctor will examine the animal, determine the stage of the course of the disease and draw up a treatment program. An infected rabbit should be placed in a separate room, isolated from other rabbits, in which sanitation and warm comfortable conditions should be maintained. This will slow down the course of the disease a little.

If a rabbit has no appetite and practically does not eat, then special injections are made that supply the body of a sick animal with all the substances necessary for life.

The most effective treatment will be in the early stages, when the disease has not yet begun to progress strongly.

In this case, the treatment is carried out with the following drugs:

• strong antibiotics;
• immunomodulators.

If wounds began to appear on the body of the animal, then they must be treated with alcohol-based iodine. Similar procedures should be performed until the wounds disappear completely.

What drugs are used to treat myxomatosis

To combat myxomatosis, veterinarians use various subcutaneous injections. In most cases, Gamavit is used, and if the rabbit has not eaten or drunk for a long time, then it is used in conjunction with Ringer, designed to combat dehydration. The introduction of drugs is carried out until the complete recovery of the sick animal. In some cases, instead of Gamavit, Fosprenil is prescribed.

Also very effective for thisinfectious disease are the following medicines:

• "Baytril" - poured into water in accordance with the recommendations specified in the instructions. The drug is given several times a day for two weeks.
• Various nasal drops - are prescribed if the animal has purulent discharge from the nose. They improve breathing and reduce wheezing.

Never give any medication to a sick rabbit without first having the animal examined by a veterinarian.

Quarantine

If it was possible to completely defeat myxomatosis in rabbits (whether it is possible to eat the meat of an infected animal, it makes sense to ask the veterinarian), then they should be quarantined for 3 months to fully ensure recovery. During this time, the weakened organism of animals will have time to get stronger and gain strength, which significantly reduces the likelihood of the disease returning.

Disease prevention activities

To reduce the likelihood of myxomatosis in rabbits, preventive vaccination of animals is necessary. To do this, it is better to contact a qualified veterinarian, since vaccination is carried out taking into account the physiological characteristics of the rabbit and its immunity. At the same time, it is important to understand that no vaccination gives a 100% guarantee that rabbits will not get this dangerous disease. In addition, myxomatosis can only be detected after an incubation period, which can range from 3 to 20days.

You can vaccinate rabbits at least 40 days old and weighing at least 500 grams. Re-vaccination is carried out three months after the first, and then every 7 months.

Folk treatments

Some experienced farmers in the treatment of myxomatosis practice traditional medicine. Wounds on the animal's body should be treated with overcooked or fresh sunflower oil.

Very effective in this disease are injections of a solution of camel thorn. To prepare it, a liter jar is filled to the top with this plant, poured with hot boiled water, covered with a lid and left for 3 hours. Then it is passed through gauze to separate the plant from the solution, and is injected into the shin area of the sick animal twice a day, 2 ml each, for two weeks. As for the answer to the question of whether it is possible to eat the meat of a rabbit with myxomatosis, then each person decides at his own peril and risk.

Rabbit Disinfection

To prevent infection of the entire rabbit population, it is recommended to disinfect the cages and the entire rabbit house.

To do this, use the following products, which can be purchased at many veterinary pharmacies:

• Glutex;
• Virkon;
• "Ecocide C";
• 5% alcohol-based iodine solution.

In addition to the above means, burnt lime, whiteness or lye will be very effective. Treat every cornersince myxomatosis is a highly contagious viral disease, it is difficult to protect rabbits from it.

Conclusion

There is no consensus on whether you can eat a rabbit with myxomatosis or not. Every farmer sees this differently. Some prefer not to take risks once again and simply burn the bodies of dead animals, while others do not disdain to eat meat after pre-treatment. It is worth noting that the myxomatosis virus dies at a temperature of about 60 degrees, so after frying or stewing the meat will be sterile and you can safely eat it without fear for your he alth. In any case, the choice is up to you!