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RHD2 Denial

Rhian33

Warren Veteran
Apologies if this info is out there but I can't find it atm. Does anyone know why a lot of vets are doubting that RHD 2 is a threat or even here in the UK at all? Does anyone know what the RCVS' stance on the issue is?

I have been speaking to rabbit friends over the last few weeks and have heard increasing accounts of having to persuade vets to get the vaccine in and then being told it's been ordered in "specially" or not being willing to order it because "no one else has requested it". Do vets not have a duty to find out what the risks are and disseminate this information to their clients? It seems that very few vets are actually making contact with their clients to arrange vaccination unless it is requested. I can't see that most rabbit owners are going to be aware of it unless their vet tells them. I have heard other accounts where vets have said there is too much conflicting information so they don't want to offer the vaccine until there is clearer guidance.

Worryingly a friend lost both her rabbits to what she suspects is VHD 2 (after speaking to a rescue centre who has had confirmed cases by PM so is well aware of the symptoms) but after speaking to her vet they claim that it is just not possible as they have seen no cases of it so must have been something else.

This is really concerning me as I think there is the potential for a lot of rabbits to be lost unless vets start taking this more seriously.
 
I've seen two posts on Facebook this morning, both heartbreaking. Both from Kent where RHD2 is rife.

One the owner was posting last night trying to track down a vet with the vaccine has her vet had dismissed the risks as non-existent as her rabbit was a house rabbit and that the vaccine simply wasn't available unless you 'go to France'. She'd found a suitable vet ... but found her rabbit dead this morning :cry:

Second case also in Kent, her rabbits given the combined vaccination very recently, she had no idea about VHD2, found one rabbit dead this morning, first she knew of the virus was people on FB suggesting it as a possibility. It's rife in that part of the UK for goodness sake why wasn't her vet being proactive?!! :cry:

Edit to add: Neither are confirmed cases yet, of course but there will be cases being missed as this is being steered by owners and not the vets in most cases.
 
My vets have ordered it especially for me at my request, but then when we had a major shortage on the combi vac they were the only vets in Bristol who still had stock because so few of their clients bother to vaccinate rabbits full stop. I find it really odd as they are so incredibly rabbit savvy compared to many in this area, I would of expected them to have more rabbit savvy clients, especially as myxi is a real problem here.
 
My vets have told me that there are no confirmed cases in the area, it's "very hard to get hold of and france are out of stock" and that the 'scaremongering' is sending everyone into a panic but they have no plans to get any in. I've been with my vets for 20 years and never had a complaint until now. I didn't appreciate the polite insinuation that I was daft as a brush, either.
 
Apologies if this info is out there but I can't find it atm. Does anyone know why a lot of vets are doubting that RHD 2 is a threat or even here in the UK at all? Does anyone know what the RCVS' stance on the issue is?

I have been speaking to rabbit friends over the last few weeks and have heard increasing accounts of having to persuade vets to get the vaccine in and then being told it's been ordered in "specially" or not being willing to order it because "no one else has requested it". Do vets not have a duty to find out what the risks are and disseminate this information to their clients? It seems that very few vets are actually making contact with their clients to arrange vaccination unless it is requested. I can't see that most rabbit owners are going to be aware of it unless their vet tells them. I have heard other accounts where vets have said there is too much conflicting information so they don't want to offer the vaccine until there is clearer guidance.

Worryingly a friend lost both her rabbits to what she suspects is VHD 2 (after speaking to a rescue centre who has had confirmed cases by PM so is well aware of the symptoms) but after speaking to her vet they claim that it is just not possible as they have seen no cases of it so must have been something else.

This is really concerning me as I think there is the potential for a lot of rabbits to be lost unless vets start taking this more seriously.

I really sympathise. I had to keep badgering my own vet, as I was told week after week that 'there wasn't a vaccine available in this country' :roll: I had to look elsewhere in the end!

I have rung a fair number of vets here in South West London and have encouraged them to get it in stock, which to be fair, a lot of them now have. Yes, it shouldn't be down to us, but then a lot of vets are not rabbit savvy and don't keep up to date with the latest info re health in many other spheres of rabbit medicine.
 
My vets struggled to get it in (they were trying) but I ended up going to another vets.
I don't mind pushing my vets ; it's sometimes difficult in the vets to get the information. Even if RCVS send out information, most of the time it's incomplete or not accurate.

I remember when the combination vaccination originally came out and I had to call around 150 clients to explain the changes etc. It was an interesting experience and something I'd never want to do again.

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My vets struggled to get it in (they were trying) but I ended up going to another vets.
I don't mind pushing my vets ; it's sometimes difficult in the vets to get the information. Even if RCVS send out information, most of the time it's incomplete or not accurate.

I remember when the combination vaccination originally came out and I had to call around 150 clients to explain the changes etc. It was an interesting experience and something I'd never want to do again.



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:thumb:
 
My vets struggled to get it in (they were trying) but I ended up going to another vets.
I don't mind pushing my vets ; it's sometimes difficult in the vets to get the information. Even if RCVS send out information, most of the time it's incomplete or not accurate.

I remember when the combination vaccination originally came out and I had to call around 150 clients to explain the changes etc. It was an interesting experience and something I'd never want to do again.

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk


A lot of vets just don't feel they have the time to keep up to date with the latest issues with rabbits when they are a 'general' surgery treating all animals. My specialist doesn't treat all animals, so has the time to keep abreast of rabbity stuff, for which I am most grateful :D
 
:shock: Another owner on FB just posted of a sudden death, again in Kent, this time in Maidstone.

This is getting very worrying :cry:
 
That will be me, Minnie was 4 years old, paired, spayed female rabbit. 1 of 6 i have, up to date with vaccines apart from the new rhd2. She was fine this morning grabbed her breakfast as usual found her dead in her hutch at 4pm. Devastated i am.
 
:shock: Another owner on FB just posted of a sudden death, again in Kent, this time in Maidstone.

This is getting very worrying :cry:

Might be worth a Trinity client getting in touch with Mark. He may be able to get other local Vets who are 'in denial' to sit up and take notice.
 
That will be me, Minnie was 4 years old, paired, spayed female rabbit. 1 of 6 i have, up to date with vaccines apart from the new rhd2. She was fine this morning grabbed her breakfast as usual found her dead in her hutch at 4pm. Devastated i am.

I am so sorry :cry:
 
That will be me, Minnie was 4 years old, paired, spayed female rabbit. 1 of 6 i have, up to date with vaccines apart from the new rhd2. She was fine this morning grabbed her breakfast as usual found her dead in her hutch at 4pm. Devastated i am.

I'm so very sorry to hear this :cry:
 
I'm so sorry for your loss :(
Have you decided to do a PM to confirm cause? (Sorry if asking this upset you - not my intention)

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That will be me, Minnie was 4 years old, paired, spayed female rabbit. 1 of 6 i have, up to date with vaccines apart from the new rhd2. She was fine this morning grabbed her breakfast as usual found her dead in her hutch at 4pm. Devastated i am.

I'm so sorry. The shock must be horrendous. A lot of vets are still playing down the risk and saying there's a lot of scaremongering, but I can't get my head around 3 sudden losses reported, all in Kent, in the last 24 hours if it's not RHD2 then it's a huge coincidence.
 
my vets havnt got it in yet and with 8 of them its not as if they will just have to order one lot, how much approx is everyone being charged for the vaccine. Ive already been saving because willow and squiggles are due for there annual combi very soon.
 
my vets havnt got it in yet and with 8 of them its not as if they will just have to order one lot, how much approx is everyone being charged for the vaccine. Ive already been saving because willow and squiggles are due for there annual combi very soon.

Prices vary widely from £3.00 apparently via a mobile vaccination clinic, up to £59.99 at a surgery in Cambridge .

See these threads

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?457940-Cost-of-RVHD2-vaccinations

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?458176-VHD-1-amp-2-mobile-vaccine-clinc
 
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