RHD-2 PLEASE READ!!
**THERE'S A 3 IN 1 VACCINE AVAILABLE AT THE VETS, COVERS RHD1/RHD2/MYXI called NOBIVAC MYXO-RHD PLUS**
A lot of people aren't aware of the dangers of RHD-2, a varient of RHD-1 which is killing many of our much loved pets. Having your rabbit vaccinated against Myxi and RHD will not protect your rabbit against RHD-2, you need a separate vaccination called FILAVAC. Most vets now stock this. I cannot stress enough the importance of vaccinating your rabbit against this awful disease which usually has no symptoms, they are fine and hopping about happily one minute and then you go back half hour later and they are dead. You do not need to be in contact with other rabbits for your pet to catch this. It can be bought in on your shoes/clothing or hay/bedding plus many other ways. Please read below and get your bun booked in at the vets for vaccination if he/she isn't already protected.
What is RHD?
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is a viral disease that affects domestic rabbits. It is highly infectious and causes sudden death. It primarily affects the liver and causes blood clotting problems. Death can occur within a few hours of the onset of illness. RHD has a very high mortality rate so if 100 rabbits met the disease, about 90 of them would probably die. RHDV2 is a variant of RHD. It only effects rabbits – Dogs, cats
and other small mammals are not at risk.
Who is at risk, how is it spread?
This disease can effect both indoor and outdoor rabbits as they do not need direct contact with wild rabbits. Only a few virus particles are needed to infect another rabbits so infection can be transmitted by cages, carriers, food bowls or bedding that have been used by infected rabbits. This includes bringing in grass and plants from outside to indoor rabbits.
The virus can pass through the body of crows, foxes and flies and pass out in their faeces so if there is an RHDV2 outbreak in wild rabbits in your neighbourhood, your rabbit is at risk. For example, if crows and other scavenging bird fly over your garden, it is possible that their droppings could bring in infection. If you have walked in the countryside, you could bring the infection back on your footwear. There is also a risk of bringing the virus in on plants that might be contaminated. This is very difficult to eliminate because most plants (including hay and vegetables from the supermarket) are grown outside and could have been contaminated by faeces from crows, foxes, flies or even rabbits that have died in the fields that the plants have been harvested from.
What vaccines does my rabbit need to protect it?
In order to offer maximum protection against the diseases that
affect rabbits in the UK, your rabbit will need two types of vaccination
1.Against Myxomatosis. This disease is still widespread in the UK and the only vaccine that offers protection is Nobivac Myxo/RHD so your rabbit needs an annual vaccination with this vaccine
2.Against RHD and RHDV2. Although Nobivac Myxo/RHD offers
protection against RHD, it is not fully effective against RHDV2 so
your rabbit will need vaccinating with a second vaccine to protect it.
Filavac is the vaccine that is most available for pet rabbits in the
UK.
A lot of people aren't aware of the dangers of RHD-2, a varient of RHD-1 which is killing many of our much loved pets. Having your rabbit vaccinated against Myxi and RHD will not protect your rabbit against RHD-2, you need a separate vaccination called FILAVAC. Most vets now stock this. I cannot stress enough the importance of vaccinating your rabbit against this awful disease which usually has no symptoms, they are fine and hopping about happily one minute and then you go back half hour later and they are dead. You do not need to be in contact with other rabbits for your pet to catch this. It can be bought in on your shoes/clothing or hay/bedding plus many other ways. Please read below and get your bun booked in at the vets for vaccination if he/she isn't already protected.
What is RHD?
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is a viral disease that affects domestic rabbits. It is highly infectious and causes sudden death. It primarily affects the liver and causes blood clotting problems. Death can occur within a few hours of the onset of illness. RHD has a very high mortality rate so if 100 rabbits met the disease, about 90 of them would probably die. RHDV2 is a variant of RHD. It only effects rabbits – Dogs, cats
and other small mammals are not at risk.
Who is at risk, how is it spread?
This disease can effect both indoor and outdoor rabbits as they do not need direct contact with wild rabbits. Only a few virus particles are needed to infect another rabbits so infection can be transmitted by cages, carriers, food bowls or bedding that have been used by infected rabbits. This includes bringing in grass and plants from outside to indoor rabbits.
The virus can pass through the body of crows, foxes and flies and pass out in their faeces so if there is an RHDV2 outbreak in wild rabbits in your neighbourhood, your rabbit is at risk. For example, if crows and other scavenging bird fly over your garden, it is possible that their droppings could bring in infection. If you have walked in the countryside, you could bring the infection back on your footwear. There is also a risk of bringing the virus in on plants that might be contaminated. This is very difficult to eliminate because most plants (including hay and vegetables from the supermarket) are grown outside and could have been contaminated by faeces from crows, foxes, flies or even rabbits that have died in the fields that the plants have been harvested from.
What vaccines does my rabbit need to protect it?
In order to offer maximum protection against the diseases that
affect rabbits in the UK, your rabbit will need two types of vaccination
1.Against Myxomatosis. This disease is still widespread in the UK and the only vaccine that offers protection is Nobivac Myxo/RHD so your rabbit needs an annual vaccination with this vaccine
2.Against RHD and RHDV2. Although Nobivac Myxo/RHD offers
protection against RHD, it is not fully effective against RHDV2 so
your rabbit will need vaccinating with a second vaccine to protect it.
Filavac is the vaccine that is most available for pet rabbits in the
UK.