Bunny owners warned about deadly disease

Monday 08 July 2019

A local veterinary hospital has urged bunny owners to get their furry friends vaccinated following the outbreak of a deadly and highly contagious disease.

New Era Veterinary Hospital has had two confirmed cases of Rabbit Viral Hemorrhagic Disease (VHD), a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that affects only wild and domesticated rabbits as well as hares.

There are two different strains of the disease (VHD1 and VHD2), which is highly contagious. New Era explained that it can be spread through the air, from rabbit to rabbit, or via contaminated objects such as human clothing, shoes, bedding or rabbit feces.

Humans can also spread the virus to their rabbits if they have been in contact with infected rabbits.

Symptoms can include loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, spasms and in the most serious cases, sudden death. Some bleeding from the nose, mouth and rectum can sometimes be seen in some cases. Some rabbits may die without showing any symptoms at all. "Any sudden rabbit death is suspicious," New Era wrote.

Both forms of the disease kill rapidly, although VHD 2 tends to be a little slower. The incubation period of this disease is very short, and rabbits may die within 48 hours of exposure to the virus.

The death rate of rabbits exposed to this virus is very high, between 85 and 100% and there is no known cure against VHD.

Pictured: Bunny owners are being urged to vaccine their pet against both strains of the disease.

Rabbits who survive this disease will still carry the virus and shed it for 42 days, sometimes longer. The vets warned that it is "a very hardy virus" which remains stable for 105 days at room temperature and resists freezing. 

Vaccinations exist against both strains of the virus. The yearly vaccination that includes myxomatosis also covers your rabbit for VHD1 and there is a separate vaccination to protect against VHD2, which can be given two weeks after the yearly vaccine.

New Era said they are currently awaiting results to confirm the strain of VHD that has affected local rabbits. In the meantime, they are strongly advising rabbit owners to vaccinate against both strains.