Myxomatosis - risk to horses?

[rolsterlady]

Basically, we have lots of apple trees close by and in previous years have used the fallen ones for the horses.

This year however i have seen quite a lot of rabbits in the area that the trees are with myxomatosis...

Is there any risk of feeding the apples to the horses if the rabbits have been near them? To be honest, i probably won't anyway and will feed the ones i pick off the trees but was just wondering if there was any risk at all.

Thanks

 

[aniford]

Im pretty sure the mxyoma virus only affects rabbits! Perhaps guniea pigs?

 

[hayinamanger]

No risk whatsoever to any other species. Only rabbits, not even hares are affected.

Get your pet bunnies vaccinated.

 

[Birker2020]

We are rife with myxy virus in the rabbits at my local riding club. Interestingly there are a couple of black rabbits which we think were pet rabbits that were crossed with wild rabbits and they have not gone on to develop myxy. Horrid disease we have one that comes into our garden, we wish our dog would go and finish it off, its eyes are massive, and its totally blind and must be in an awful lot of pain. So sad. It sensed the fox the other day, it was only about 30ft from it and it stood on its back legs but it didn't see it. Sadly we scared the fox off by accident. My fella keeps saying he's going to knock it on the head but funnily enough never seems to get round to it, big softy.