Attention Rabbit Owners

There is a new strain of Rabbit Calicivirus spreading in Australia that has now been seen in the Adelaide Hills.

The virus is called Rabbit Haemorrhagic Viral Disease Type 2 (RHDV2). It can affect rabbits of all ages. This new virus strain is distinct from RHDV1, which was released in Australia in 1996 for the control of wild rabbits.

RHDV2 was first reported in France in 2010 and has been found in several other European countries. It is not known how it reached Australian shores after it was first discovered in Canberra in May 2015.

The current vaccine in Australia for rabbit calicivirus (Cylap) is not fully protective against RHDV2. An updated vaccine is being developed in Europe. In the meantime, keeping your pet rabbits’ vaccinations up to date is recommended to provide the maximum possible protection against this new strain.

All RHDV strains can spread easily by contact between infected rabbits (via faeces, urine, saliva, nasal and eye secretions and mating) and objects including hay, food, clothing, shoes, people, cages, equipment, dust, insects, wild birds and rodents.

Here is what we recommend rabbit owners do:

• Vaccinate your adult rabbit every 6 months with the vaccine currently available in Australia.
• Vaccinate kittens at 4 weeks, then at 8 weeks, and again at 12 weeks or later.
• Unvaccinated adults or overdue adults, vaccinate twice one month apart, then every 6 months.
• Prevent contact between domestic and wild rabbits.
• Avoid cutting grass and feeding it to rabbits if there is a risk of contamination from wild rabbits.
• Protect your rabbit's exposure to insects either by keeping them inside or using fly screens.

The new vaccination schedule is off label, meaning we are using the vaccination outside of the labelled recommendations. However, these new recommendations have been made by rabbit vets across Australia based on the best information we currently have.

If you have a pet rabbit and are concerned their vaccinations may not be up to date or you have any questions about this new virus please give the clinic a call.