22/10/2024
Best information, keep those bunnies safe ❤️❤️
So most of you read my previous post, a reminder to revaccinate your rabbits, however what this showed is many people still don’t know there is a vaccine available and even more so, need an update on Calicivirus facts and protocol.
I will be publishing the Calicivirus tracker for WA and pinning it to the top of our page - this is updated quicker than feral scan so check back here for CONFIRMED and possible cases. We’ve been relatively lucky and had a couple quiet years, but like I’ve previously said, the weather patterns have made WA the perfect breeding ground for RHDV2 to take hold again.
✅But first, let’s go back over some RHDV2 facts.
- RHDV2 incubation period is 1-3 days
- Australia has RHDV1, K5 & most common RHDV2 calici viruses, Filavac is the only vaccine available for all strains
- within 6 - 12 hours of noticing subtle changes in your rabbit, death usually occurs, it is that quick
- Warning signs are lethargy, off food, change in temp, seizures, not wanting to move, grinding teeth etc
- RHDV2 is EXTREMELY contagious
- You might get one death or multiple, test anyway if it’s unexpected
- Most rabbits do not infact bleed from the nose and mouth, however it can happen
- “Pain Pose” is common with most deaths (this also happens with any painful death not just Calicivirus)
- 120 day quarantine period from the last rabbit death is recommended before bringing a new bunny home
- RHDV2 tends to have a second reappearance after the initial outbreak so it’s important not to be complacent, clean clean clean
- F10 and Virkon are great disinfectants if the correct method is followed
- Fabrics, wood, soil, toys, castles etc should be destroyed in an outbreak as the virus is hard to remove from these items
- Calicivirus can be carried on shoes, clothes, pets, food, cars, insects etc, it can blow in with the wind and even be bought home by you.
💙 How can I protect my rabbit from Calicivirus?
Unfortunately you can’t 100% protect them, you can however do you best to minimise the chance of contracting Calicivirus by following the below points.
* VACCINATE WITH FILAVAC - every 12 months, a small overlap is recommended if Calicivirus conditions are endemic in your area
* eliminate insects, insects are one of the main spreaders of rabbit viruses including myxomatosis, fly wire pens, use pest control, plant insect repelling plants.
* Keep on top of flea control for your rabbit and other pets in the home - advocate, advantage, revolution etc
* dusk and dawn rule, keep your rabbits indoors during the “prime insect time”
* spray your yard with coopex, this helps to eliminate flies and insects
* keep your rabbit indoors or flyscreen cages
* remove shoes before entering your home
* keep a bottle of f10 at your door for a quick spray before coming inside
* wash your floors with an F10 solution
* wash bedding with F10 solution
* store hay for a minimum of 3 months
* wash vegetables and fruit especially if bought from markets or picked from your garden
* minimise contact with other rabbits, if you do come in contact, remove and wash your clothes before interacting with your own rabbits
* keep your rabbits area clean, this reduces pests and dust particles
* quarantine - if you are bringing a new bun home, quarantine it for a minimum of 7 days before introducing to your current rabbits
* if you park your car in the garage or on lawn your bunny or children play on remember that your car potentially travelled through infected areas…. Give the tyres a spray of F10 or even better give it a wash before coming home and block off access to your rabbits
* other pets, we all know dogs like to explore, eat dead things and roll in the grossest of smells they can find, if you’ve been out walking in parks or areas where rabbits are inhabiting, give your dog a bath before entering your home.
* rabbit proof your yard
* don’t take your rabbit for walks in parks, bushland or beaches. The virus is invisible so you can never be sure where it is. Keep them home, it’s not cute to risk them being on the ground.
I like to think of RHDV2 as rabbit Ebola…. It’s horrible so anything you can do to minimise the risk helps.
💙 My rabbit is vaccinated so it can’t catch the virus.
Wrong. The vaccine Filavac is only around 90-95% effective. However that being said, we’ve witnessed rabbitries with outbreaks of RHDV2 and the survival rate was impressive, very few vaccinated rabbits die vs unvaccinated.
💙 How long does it remain in the environment and can I get a new rabbit?
- 3 1/2 months in warm temperatures up to 7ish months in mild…. It’s that potent. It’s why we recommend 120 days quarantine before you look at bringing a new bunny home or before you move rabbits from your property. No rabbits in or out.
💙 My vet confirmed my rabbit died from the virus so I don’t need to test.
- Wrong, your vet cannot confirm if your rabbit died from the virus, the only way to confirm this is by a liver sample sent to the CSIRO - rabbit savvy vets know this. If you rabbit does suddenly pass away you can assume Calicivirus and take precautions to minimise spread, it is good practice to disinfect your home/rabbit area when a bunny suddenly passes. But remember, just looking at a rabbit even during an autopsy cannot confirm the virus, and I’ve looked at a lot of post mortem bodies.
💙 How do I test?
- you can send us a message here or email [email protected] or PM the page and let us know you want to test, or if you are unsure if you should, let us know what’s happened and we can help guide you. We keep a stock of test kits in Perth for quick access and can provide them to you or to your vet. You will need someone to take a liver sample for you, whether it be a vet (this is at a cost), yourself or if you have a friend without rabbits that is able to, unfortunatly we cannot do this for you. We will give you instructions and guide you through the process. Once the sample is taken, we pop it in a tube, fill in the forms and get it express posted to the CSIRO and update feral scan. Results take from 1-2 weeks. You can also request a kit directly from the CSIRO however this can take up to 2 weeks due to post delays.
💙 Can people catch it?
- there is no evidence to suggest humans can contract RHDV2. However never say never.
💙 is my information private when I test?
- yes, warci & CSIRO do not disclose individuals information, your information is seen only by the testing coordinator and the CSIRO, infact the CSIRO does not give me details of your information, just the strain, suburb and vax status. The only public post in relation to your test will be if it comes back positive or if it’s a huge number of deaths I will pop up possible, and even so it will only be a post to say the suburb, FeralScan is also eventually updated by CSIRO.
If you have any questions, pop them in the comments, I will do my best to get them answered. No question is silly.
