02/08/2024
Let’s talk about vaccines!
One of the first things people often ask me is “is the rabbit vaccinated?” The answer is usually no. There are only two vaccines that are available for rabbits at this time. One is BunnyVac, a vaccine for pasturella, and we do vaccinate our bunnies for that but usually wait until 12 weeks to do so. So, if you are getting a rabbit from us that is under 12 weeks, they have most likely not been vaccinated for that yet. The main reason for this is that the vaccine is administered twice, the first time and then a booster a month later (and then annually after that). I wouldn’t want to give a rabbit the 1st shot if the new owner decides they don’t want to vaccinate them or can’t get a vet appointment for the booster in time and then it was a waste of the first vaccine as well as unnecessary stress on a young rabbit’s sensitive immune system. The other reason is that a lot of rabbits will develop an abscess at the injection site and I wouldn’t want to be sending bunnies off to new owners with an abscess that needs to be drained or is still in the process of healing.
The other vaccine that you can get for your rabbit is for RHDV2. This disease is extremely worrisome for the rabbit population, however it isn’t prevalent in this area of the country yet. There was one isolated case in WI over a year ago, but nothing since then. For this reason we do not vaccinate our rabbits for this. If more cases start popping up nearby, it is something we will vaccinate for. If you are concerned, by all means talk to your veterinarian about getting your rabbit vaccinated for RHDV2.
So to sum it up, it is totally up to you if you’d like to vaccinate your rabbit. I would personally recommend the one for pasturella, as this respiratory disease is fairly common and if you can prevent it I think it’s worth it to do so. Just call to make sure your vet carries that vaccine before setting up an appointment, because a lot of vets don’t (even ones that say they will see rabbits, which is a whole other topic for a different day 😉)
