myxomatosis vaccine

[gina]

   I am interested in why UK and EU have this Nobivac Myxo-RHD Vaccine for Rabbits but we (USA) do not. This horrible deadly virus is a problem here in the coastal areas of California. I want to form a group to lobby for it. Anything anyone knows on this subject would be appreciated.

[Q8bunny]

Canada refuses to get it too. They put rabbit owners through months of hell if we want to bring a bun into the country, but are then too cheap to get the vaccines for the two hideous bunny diseases they think they can keep out with pure bureaucracy. Apparently our countries haven’t heard of imported furs, birds, insects, or smugglers.

[Bam]

Basically I think demand is too low. The vaccines are not FDA-approved, it costs a lot of money to get a drug (or vaccine) FDA-approved. Unless enough people are willing to pay for the drug or vaccine, its bad business to try and have it approved for marketing in the USA.

[PandaRabbit]

Here in Ireland the vaccine is available, I was able to get it at my vets. But demand is VERY low. My vet was saying most rabbit owners simply don’t know about it and it isn’t really common knowledge over here yet. I believe there would be a higher demand over in the USA and Canada we have.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yup, as Q8 said not available in Canada either, except for in BC during the outbreak earlier in the year.

[gina]

Yes, You are right, there has been a perception that there is no market demand here, but that is changing for us poor folks in pacific coastal states. I was told by two different folks at USDA that it is market driven. So, I am going to start an online petition to show there is a market here. I will share it with the USDA and Merk, the company that owns Intervet that distributes the “Nobivac myxo” vaccine. I hope people from S. Cal to Seattle will sign it if I do. But in the meantime I am considering going to BC to try and get some. My grief at loosing my three beloveds is that great.

[jerseygirl]

Oh Gina, I am so sorry. Its been a fear of mine to lose them like that. I can’t imagine the sorrow this has brought you. Binky Free, Darlings. 

In Australia, it’s our government throwing road blocks into allowing vaccines. The diseases affect our feral population which is regarded as a pest, so the diseases were introduced as a biological control. Because myxo vaccines are live vaccines, they claim the immunity would pass from vaccinated domestic pets to the feral population. The feral population has proven to gain some immunity themselves anyway!
We have had petitions to the government to allow pet owners the vaccines but to date, it has not been successful.

However, since the US doesn’t have the species of wild/feral rabbit, a petition does sound like the right approach to demonstate there is a demand.
You could add Oregon to the list for signatures. I believe Myxo has been present there for a few years.

Regarding BC, I think Q8 and LittlePuffyTail may have been referring to RHDV2? This required a different vaccine – Filavac (France) or Eravac (Spain). There has been cases of this strain in US. There is a topic about it in the Lounge if you haven’t yet seen that.

[gina]

  Thank you for your response. Yes it has been such a heartbreaking experience. I am trying to channel my grief into something productive. Non bunny folk don’t get it. thanks for listening. I will press on with the petition project. 

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