Joey’s Community Notice Board – Important Information for Bunny Owners

By Scott Lackenby | Dated February 15, 2017

Hi everyone. A super important post this week, so excuse me for jumping straight into it. We have been advised by the Department of Primary Industries that they will be undertaking a wild rabbit eradication program using RHDV K5, Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus, in the first week of March 2017. Baited carrots will be used at selected spots around the nation. While RHDV K5 poses no risk to native wildlife, farm animals or domesticated animals like cats and dogs, it is potentially fatal to unvaccinated domestic rabbits.

So, what are the signs of RHDV, or Calicivirus? It has an incubation period of between 1-3days with fever and lethargy being the early and often the only symptoms. Sudden death usually occurs between 48-72 hours after infection. Calicivirus is fatal to 70-90% of susceptible rabbits.

What can you do to prevent it? Vaccinate your Bunny! The Australian Veterinary Association recently updated the vaccination protocol for rabbits. Based on these changes, we now recommend the following vaccination regime: kittens should have a vaccination at 4, 8 & 12 weeks with 6monthly boosters for life. Unvaccinated adult rabbits should have two vaccinations a month apart and then have 6monthly boosters. It is important to note that this regime is off-label, meaning that the vaccine is not registered for use every 6 months. However, with the threat of this eradication program on top of another strain of RHDV being reported, this has been deemed the best coverage for domesticated rabbits. Aside from vaccinating, there are some things you can do at home to help to prevent your bunnies from contracting Calicivirus:

• Insect proof their hutch. RHDV can be spread by insects including mosquitos. This will also help to prevent your bunny being infected with myxomatosis, for which there is no vaccination to prevent.
• Prevent direct contact with your bunny with wild rabbits. Bunny proof your yard using chicken wire around your fence line. Don’t feed your bunny grass that may have come into contact with wild rabbits. Calicivirus is also spread from direct contact with bodily fluids from infected rabbits.
• Ensure you are washing your hands thoroughly between handling rabbits if you have a mulit-rabbit household.
• Isolate infected rabbits. Dispose of deceased rabbits in a way that will minimise environmental contamination. The DPI suggest either deep burial or incineration.
• If you have an infected rabbit, hutches and all equipment will need to be thoroughly sterilised. We sell a veterinary grade disinfectant which will do this. It is also important to note that RHDV can survive in the environment for months.

If you think your Bunny may have Calicivirus, please call us for advise. If you find an unwell wild rabbit, as always, please bring them in to us. Just be sure to take extra precautions if you have domesticated bunnies at home. And if your bunny isn’t vaccinated, please call us to make an appointment.

Sorry this wasn’t a happier post. But you all know how much I love Bunnies. I just want to spread the word so we can protect as many lovely domesticated bunnies as possible. And I promise to take extra good care of the bunnies that come in for a vaccination. I still haven’t given up on my dream of having my very own clinic bunny one day…. Meows for now, love Joey xoxo