Deadly rabbit virus in Caithness, says Lyth pet owner
A deadly rabbit virus is “circulating throughout Caithness”, according to a Lyth-based animal activist who wants to warn local pet owners.
Natalie Oag, runs a horse stable and is the Highland rep for PETA, says that she lost her rescue rabbit called Teddy-bun to Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD).
“We would like to make the county aware that this deadly rabbit virus is circulating throughout Caithness,” said Natalie.
She says that RVHD is a highly infectious and often fatal condition that largely affects wild rabbits, but can also be spread to domestic rabbits.
“Sadly we lost our beloved Teddy-bun, an SSPCA rescue bunny who was full of life and a jolly little soul to be around. He tragically lost his life to this horrific virus the morning after my neighbour informed me her rabbit passed away the night before.”
A few hours after that, Natalie also lost another rabbit called Omar to RVHD, adding to more deaths in the local area.
“We hope Teddy-bun my beloved little boy did not die in vain and would like to think some bunnies’ lives can be saved if this virus is made aware to the public.”
Since losing her rabbits to the disease, she has discovered cases throughout the Highlands and now urges rabbit owners to think about getting their pets vaccinated.
There are two types of RHD virus, RHD1 and 2. RHD1 causes very sudden illness and is nearly always fatal within two days of catching it. RHD2 often develops a bit more slowly and is often fatal within 1-2 weeks. Rabbits with RHD2 are much more likely to spread the disease because they live for longer with symptoms.
The RHD2 virus has an incubation period (the time between your rabbit getting infected and showing symptoms) of nine days, which means it can spread rapidly through:
• direct contact between rabbits
• your rabbit's environment or hay
• bringing it home on your clothes or hands
• being blown through the wind
• insects, birds or wild rabbits
Natalie adds: “If one of your rabbits has RHD2, there's not much that can be done to prevent it from spreading to your other rabbit if they're not vaccinated. Always take your companion rabbit to the vet if your other rabbit suddenly passes away, especially if they are unvaccinated.”
She advises pet owners that if their rabbits catch RHD2, they should speak to a vet about how to thoroughly disinfect their enclosure before moving any other rabbits into the space. “RHD2 can survive in an environment for a long time, so it's important to take steps to stop the virus from spreading further.
“Sadly, there is no cure for the virus. In most cases, it causes sudden death in unvaccinated rabbits before there are any signs of illness. You may not realise that your rabbit has caught RHD2 without post-mortem testing.”
If your unvaccinated rabbit is unwell with RHD2, your vet may recommend putting them to sleep to prevent further suffering.
