Myxomatosis - Recovery?

[OnOff]

In the garden we have wild but tbh semi tame rabbits. As in you can walk past the a few feet away and they stay put. We don't bother them etc.

We have one "favourite" the kids have even named "Lumpy". A while back he had a tennis ball sized "growth" on the side of it's neck for ages as in months but it didn't seem to affect him. 

Our neighbour would regularly throw out a slice of bread to the point he would be waiting for it. Feeling sorry for the thing he covered the bread in antibiotic cream over a few days (prescribed for his wife's eye condition) and the lump gradually went. Coincidence? The lump now gone means we're not now 100% sure the main tame one is Lumpy!

Anyway, every now and then the local population gets hit by myxomatosis. Last week there's a rabbit who we think is Lumpy sitting on the lawn eyes all puffy and closed with what looks like blood round it's head. The oddity is that assuming it's the same one he's actually getting BETTER! More alert day by day with his eyes gradually opening. Could it be the antibiotic course has done something or just natural resistance?

I thought once they got this it was curtains? Will try and take a photo.

 

[Apache]

The survival rate in domestic bunnies is quite good. Wild rabbits tend to starve and become dehydrated. They are at very high risk of predation by cats, foxes, badgers, dogs, cars etc.

There is the ethical question as to whether it is 'right' to keep the bunny alive.

It's a virus so the antibiotic will not kill the myxi, but secondary bacterial infections are common and the antibiotic may help.

Resistance to the virus is increasing in wild rabbits.

Not sure if that answers your question, or is more a factsheet on the disease!