Rescues Rehoming Policy on Rabbits 'exposed' to VHD U/D Response from Rescue

Good morning all

It's been a while since I posted on here but nice to see all the old faces/names.

Sadly my wonderful bun, Winter, who was approximately 11 years old was put to sleep yesterday after a period of losing weight, losing control of his bladder an then finally collapsing. I'm heartbroken but glad he is no longer deteriorating in front of me.

So this leave Summer and she will need a new husbun. Only I have been looking on the website of my local rescue and many of their buns cannot be rehomed with another rabbit as they have been 'exposed' to VHD. I am waiting on a response from the rescue and my rabbit savvy vet who actually is in the rescues vet but I am confused about this - can bunnies carry VHD? Does this put other bunnies at risk?

I thought VHD was a silent killer but not 100% sure how it's contracted.

Any thoughts or experience? Obviously I do not want to increase the risk to Summer but the poor bunnies have little hope of rehoming if this is misinformation.

Thanks guys

Shiv

Hi,

I'm sorry you lost Winter ...what a wonderful age to get to. I'm wondering if rescues will rehome if you can demonstrate you have vaccinated your bunnies?

I'm still getting to grips with the disease, i found this article by FHB helpful https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/infectious-disease/rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease

ShivyRex said:

Good morning all

It's been a while since I posted on here but nice to see all the old faces/names.

Sadly my wonderful bun, Winter, who was approximately 11 years old was put to sleep yesterday after a period of losing weight, losing control of his bladder an then finally collapsing. I'm heartbroken but glad he is no longer deteriorating in front of me.

So this leave Summer and she will need a new husbun. Only I have been looking on the website of my local rescue and many of their buns cannot be rehomed with another rabbit as they have been 'exposed' to VHD. I am waiting on a response from the rescue and my rabbit savvy vet who actually is in the rescues vet but I am confused about this - can bunnies carry VHD? Does this put other bunnies at risk?

I thought VHD was a silent killer but not 100% sure how it's contracted.

Any thoughts or experience? Obviously I do not want to increase the risk to Summer but the poor bunnies have little hope of rehoming if this is misinformation.

Thanks guys

Shiv

Click to expand...

Well, it's nice to see you again after so long and I hope your little one is well. If not so little now!

But I am really sorry to hear that you are posting as a result of having just lost Winter

I am assuming that there must have been a confirmed VHD outbreak at/near the Rescue ? I must admit I dont quite understand what the Rescue are saying. RVHD is spread very easily, via blood sucking insects, via mechanical vectors including human's clothing/footwear etc, via other species including birds, via direct Rabbit to Rabbit contact. So all Rabbits at the Rescue would be equally at risk, not just some. No rehoming/in-taking should occur at all for at least 14 days.

Maybe I am being a bit thick here, it wouldn't surprise me ! But I do not understand what the Rescue are saying on this one :?

Here is some info about RVHD and also the recent emergence of a 'new' strain of the virus 'RVHD2'.

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/infectious-disease/rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease


The current combination vaccine (Nobivac Myxo-RVHD) does NOT offer full protection against RVHD2 and another vaccine (Cunivac RVHD) is in the process of being imported and needs to be given too .

This thread may be useful to take a look at

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?452651-Important-Information-Re-RVHD2-Please-Read

There was a case down in I think Dawlish?

joey&boo said:

Hi,

I'm sorry you lost Winter ...what a wonderful age to get to. I'm wondering if rescues will rehome if you can demonstrate you have vaccinated your bunnies?

I'm still getting to grips with the disease, i found this article by FHB helpful

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/infectious-disease/rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease

Click to expand...

I would second having a look at the link posted by Joey&Boo here.

I can't understand your Rescue's position on this, but perhaps what they mean is that the rabbits are quarantined for the time being because of a recent case or suspected case of VHD? That would be normal practice, but they could perhaps clarify that for you.

Welcome back to the Forum, and I'm so sorry you lost Winter. What a wonderful age for him to get to

Many thanks guys. Hi Jane - nice to see you too - no little one here though I'm more an animal mum kinda gal

I will read the article a bit later on just to get a bit more clued up. I did think VHD was spread by insects but then thought I got confused with Myxi so just wanted to make sure. I am aware of the new VHD strain and have queried with my vet about the new vaccine - just waiting to hear back from her.

Below is an extract from the website - nothing about quarantining - literally they will only house bunnies on their own as they've been 'exposed' which is what got me confused:

"Requirements - Must be only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD"

"Requirements - Will need a Wendy house/shed with access to the garden or a large area sectioned off. Will also need to be the only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD."

"Requirements: Cannot live with other rabbits as is territorial and also been exposed to VHD"

Any thoughts on how I challenge this because it just doesn't sound right to me...

Thanks

ShivyRex said:

Many thanks guys. Hi Jane - nice to see you too - no little one here though I'm more an animal mum kinda gal

I will read the article a bit later on just to get a bit more clued up. I did think VHD was spread by insects but then thought I got confused with Myxi so just wanted to make sure. I am aware of the new VHD strain and have queried with my vet about the new vaccine - just waiting to hear back from her.

Below is an extract from the website - nothing about quarantining - literally they will only house bunnies on their own as they've been 'exposed' which is what got me confused:

"Requirements - Must be only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD"

"Requirements - Will need a Wendy house/shed with access to the garden or a large area sectioned off. Will also need to be the only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD."

"Requirements: Cannot live with other rabbits as is territorial and also been exposed to VHD"

Any thoughts on how I challenge this because it just doesn't sound right to me...

Thanks

Click to expand...

You are right, Myxi is the one we think of as being spread by insects. VHD less so, but still can be:

From the HouseRabbit site: It can be spread by:

Contact of a rabbit with inanimate objects contaminated by the virus (i.e. via fomites). Such object would include clothing, shoes, and car and truck tires.
Direct contact of a rabbit with an infected rabbit or the feces of an infected rabbit.
Contact with rabbit products such as fur, meat or wool from infected rabbits.
Insects, birds, and animals such as rodents are known to spread the virus by acting as indirect hosts. They can transport the disease, for example, from an infected rabbit to an unaffected rabbit.
Humans can spread the virus to their rabbits if they have been in contact with infected rabbits or in contact with objects contaminated by the virus, including feces from an infected rabbit.


You could ask the rescue centre for further details, as to whether it's because unvaccinated rabbits were exposed to VHD - the vet would've confirmed that by post mortem of the affected rabbit/rabbits.

Alternatively, in the meantime, could you perhaps look at other rescues where there's no issue of rehoming to you?

Surely *all* rabbits have been exposed to VHD just by existing in the world??

Hope you manage to find a bun either from this rescue or elsewhere - but let us know if you work out what the logic is behind this as I am intrigued!

I'm also wondering, if an unvaccinated one has been exposed, how long they can realistically survive before their exposure becomes, sadly, "obvious"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Many thanks. I have been looking at another rescue and have seen a few potential bunnies there. I suppose I just want to understand the process more and help the bunnies in this rescue as they face the potential of spending their lives alone which is no life for a bunny unless absolutely necessary IMO.

Thanks for the contracting information. The term 'affected/infected rabbit' causes me confusion from your quote and also from the FHB article and leads me to ask 'What constitutes an infected/affected rabbit?'. FHB article refers to the survival of the virus but the article doesn't specify if this is in a surviving rabbit or only environments in which a rabbit lives/passes through. I'm also not clear on the timescales - does it just stay there and reproduce? Does it mean a vaccinated rabbit can be an infected/affected rabbit but does not succumb to the disease because they vaccinated but if they come into contact with an unvaccinated rabbit they are likely to subsequently contract the disease and die? Is this potentially the case at the rescue - they've had a partner or an outbreak of VHD to which they have been exposed to and so they're now deemed 'affected/infected' indefinitely?

Sorry I know this is not a vet forum but I know there are many more intelligent people on this forum than me who can interpret the information correctly.

Many thanks in advance.

ShivyRex said:

Many thanks guys. Hi Jane - nice to see you too - no little one here though I'm more an animal mum kinda gal

I will read the article a bit later on just to get a bit more clued up. I did think VHD was spread by insects but then thought I got confused with Myxi so just wanted to make sure. I am aware of the new VHD strain and have queried with my vet about the new vaccine - just waiting to hear back from her.

Below is an extract from the website - nothing about quarantining - literally they will only house bunnies on their own as they've been 'exposed' which is what got me confused:

"Requirements - Must be only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD"

"Requirements - Will need a Wendy house/shed with access to the garden or a large area sectioned off. Will also need to be the only rabbit in home as has been exposed to VHD."

"Requirements: Cannot live with other rabbits as is territorial and also been exposed to VHD"

Any thoughts on how I challenge this because it just doesn't sound right to me...

Thanks

Click to expand...

I must be getting you mixed up with someone else !!
It's my age !!

Perhaps send them the links re details about VHD and ask them to clarify their take on it ?

Haha no worries Jane it happens to us all! And I am pretty you can be forgiven given the number of people you interact with on this forum!

I have just sent the rescue the below email to ask for the rationale - will keep you posted on what they come back with!

"Good afternoon

I have sadly had to have my 11 year old rabbit, Winter, originally rescued from yourselves, put to sleep this weekend. This leaves his companion, Summer, also rescued from yourselves, alone and in need of a new husbun.

I have had a look on your website to look at potential bunnies and see that several of your rabbits are advertised as needing to be housed as single rabbits due to being 'exposed to VHD'.

Could I please ask what the context and rationale to this is? Have the bunnies concerned lived with other rabbits confirmed to have died from VHD via post mortem? Are they confirmed as infected with the disease but not succumbing to the symptoms due to vaccinations?

Sorry for all the questions but I just find this rather odd considering VHD and the new RHDV2 strain can be contracted in various ways, including blood sucking insects, clothing and footwear from humans and wild rabbits.

I suppose, like yourselves, I would like to avoid any rabbit having to live alone for the rest of its life if there was an alternative i.e. they are rehomed with a rabbit who is regularly vaccinated against VHD.

Many thanks "

ShivyRex said:

Many thanks. I have been looking at another rescue and have seen a few potential bunnies there. I suppose I just want to understand the process more and help the bunnies in this rescue as they face the potential of spending their lives alone which is no life for a bunny unless absolutely necessary IMO.

Thanks for the contracting information. The term 'affected/infected rabbit' causes me confusion from your quote and also from the FHB article and leads me to ask 'What constitutes an infected/affected rabbit?'. FHB article refers to the survival of the virus but the article doesn't specify if this is in a surviving rabbit or only environments in which a rabbit lives/passes through. I'm also not clear on the timescales - does it just stay there and reproduce? Does it mean a vaccinated rabbit can be an infected/affected rabbit but does not succumb to the disease because they vaccinated but if they come into contact with an unvaccinated rabbit they are likely to subsequently contract the disease and die? Is this potentially the case at the rescue - they've had a partner or an outbreak of VHD to which they have been exposed to and so they're now deemed 'affected/infected' indefinitely?

Sorry I know this is not a vet forum but I know there are many more intelligent people on this forum than me who can interpret the information correctly.

Many thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

It's very confusing, isn't it? More questions than answers, it would seem ...

Can you ask your own vet to clarify for you? He/she will obviously be aware (and possibly has advised) the Rescue of the policy they should adopt at the moment.

It may be a good place to begin ...

MightyMax said:

It's very confusing, isn't it? More questions than answers, it would seem ...

Can you ask your own vet to clarify for you? He/she will obviously be aware (and possibly has advised) the Rescue of the policy they should adopt at the moment.

It may be a good place to begin ...

Click to expand...

Yup i have sent an email to my vet practice for my vets attention to ask her if she is aware of policy and what it's based on...

Watch this space....

ShivyRex said:

Many thanks. I have been looking at another rescue and have seen a few potential bunnies there. I suppose I just want to understand the process more and help the bunnies in this rescue as they face the potential of spending their lives alone which is no life for a bunny unless absolutely necessary IMO.

Thanks for the contracting information. The term 'affected/infected rabbit' causes me confusion from your quote and also from the FHB article and leads me to ask 'What constitutes an infected/affected rabbit?'. FHB article refers to the survival of the virus but the article doesn't specify if this is in a surviving rabbit or only environments in which a rabbit lives/passes through. I'm also not clear on the timescales - does it just stay there and reproduce? Does it mean a vaccinated rabbit can be an infected/affected rabbit but does not succumb to the disease because they vaccinated but if they come into contact with an unvaccinated rabbit they are likely to subsequently contract the disease and die? Is this potentially the case at the rescue - they've had a partner or an outbreak of VHD to which they have been exposed to and so they're now deemed 'affected/infected' indefinitely?

Sorry I know this is not a vet forum but I know there are many more intelligent people on this forum than me who can interpret the information correctly.

Many thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

On this link scroll down to 'Lagomorphs- Susceptibility', that may explain things a bit more clearly :

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/viral/Rabbit_haemorraghic_disease.htm

Jack's-Jane said:

On this link scroll down to 'Lagomorphs- Susceptibility', that may explain things a bit more clearly :

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/viral/Rabbit_haemorraghic_disease.htm

Click to expand...

Jack's-Jane said:

On this link scroll down to 'Lagomorphs- Susceptibility', that may explain things a bit more clearly :

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/viral/Rabbit_haemorraghic_disease.htm

Click to expand...

Thanks Jane.

So in reading this below would my interpretation that they can host the disease for 'at least' a month but this could be longer, maybe life long.

Persistance of infectious virus

Surviving rabbits can shed virus for at least one month. (B614.9.w9)
Infectious virus has been reported to only persist for up to a month in rabbit carcasses or in the experimental facility environment. However, virus suspensions have been reported to retain infectivity for at least nine months at 4° C. (B209.16.w16)
RHDV is highly stable in the environment. Infectivity is unaffected by exposure to pH 3, heating at 50 °C or treatment with ether or chloroform. However, the virus is inactivated by 0.4 % formaldehyde or 1 % sodium hydroxide at ambient temperature, 4° C, or 37° C. (B209.16.w16)

I guess if a rabbit has had a blood test which shows that the rabbit has the antibodies could suggest they've been exposed, contracted and now 'hosing' the virus but that could also be the case if they're vaccinated. Hmmmm its all quite confusing! My brother in law is a vet but not really bunny savvy so reluctant to ask him. Will see what my vet and the rescue say first.

ShivyRex said:

Yup i have sent an email to my vet practice for my vets attention to ask her if she is aware of policy and what it's based on...

Watch this space....

Click to expand...

:thumb:

Response from the rescue:

Hello sorry for the loss of your rabbit, we would love to help you find a new companion for summer. We had VHD2 confirmed via post mortem on one of our rabbits and following advice from our vet are homing any rabbit that was ill at that time as an only rabbit, this includes to ones who are already vaccinated as there is currently not a vaccine against this second strain of VHD. We generally advise people keep rabbits with companions however in the case of these rabbits unfortunately are no longer able to do that.

In terms of rabbits suitable as a companion for you we have only one single male at the moment, a young adult called ‘chilly’. We have just added him to the website but don’t know a lot of details on him yet due to him coming in as a stray. I’m afraid we don’t currently have any older single rabbits suitable. Thank you for your enquiry.

At least they're following vet advice. I have sent them the extract from your (Jane's) initial post on the RVHD2 vaccination thread and informed them that I have queried the import of this vaccination with our vet so hopefully with them and me requesting it our vet will look at importing it.

I think I will look at the other rescue and pursue the older bunnies I have seen there but I do like that this rescue is being responsible for the sake of the bunnies. I guess it's possible it could change if the new vaccination availability increases.

Could they not home some of the at risk rabbits together? Doesnt help you ofcourse but would surely be better for the rabbits ...

Hmm that does make sense I guess. Although Tulsi's suggestion sounds like a sensible route for them to take.

Hope you find a bun somewhere