Jack's-Jane
Wise Old Thumper
As always we must emphasise the need to vaccinate rabbits against myxomatosis and RVHD1&2.
View this map to see what has been reported in and around your area. Click on a marker to view details
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1b_zCIMmtSKNdsYt3RiEOkHjgH8Y
Red = confirmed RVHD
Yellow = suspected RVHD
Black = myxomatosis
We have to stress that these are only the cases that have been reported, there are very likely many more that haven't been diagnosed or that are not reported to the map owner.
Advice from our vet Richard Saunders is that all rabbits need to be vaccinated whether they live indoors or outside.
Both Nobivac and Filavac are needed. Leave 2 weeks between the different vaccines. In areas of high risk it's recommended that Filavac should be given 6-monthly rather than annually. Check this with your vet. Your vet should be able to order Filavac any of three wholesalers, NVS, Centaur or Harry Schein, or direct from Filavie in France if they prefer. We do know that some vets already have it in stock and have begun vaccination programmes
If you haven't already seen Richard's very informative webinar, that is still available here http://therabbitvet.com/webinar/vhd-rhd-2-update-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease
We have been sending out some information with FAQs to vets as well so that they can answer your queries. Here are the FAQs which you may find helpful:
Do existing RHD1 vaccines work?
Because the mortality rate is lower with RHD2, any test using a small number of rabbits could easily show protection just because none of them were going to die anyway. There is some anecdotal evidence that RHD1 vaccines have some short term effect, but nothing peer reviewed.
How much will the vaccine cost?
This depends on vial sizes ordered, the number of rabbits one has, the specific vaccine used, and the pricing structure of your veterinary practice. Please discuss this with your veterinary practice.
How will you get it from your vet?
NVS have asked us to slow things down as they are getting overwhelmed. Please only go through your vets, and ask them to look out for our updates before calling NVS, to avoid overwhelming them still further.
Your vets will need their own license, which, now all the info is on the VMD site and is approved, should be straightforward to do. However, this is not as simple as writing a prescription, and your vet may not see enough rabbits for this to be a practical option for them.
What dose regime is suggested?
Please remember that the use of these products is both off licence (although under the Cascade), and subject to the VMD’s directions on importation of immunological products. As a result, although the manufacturers of the Filavac product suggest that vaccination can be at the same time as the Nobivac RHD-Myxo, as long as it is not in the same site or the same syringe, standard advice with immunological products not licensed for simultaneous administration is to space them out by at least 2 weeks.
The manufacturers advice is to administer a single dose of the vaccine, followed by annual boosters in low risk situations, and 6 monthly in the case of breeding does at high risk. In the UK, I would suggest that high risk situations include rescue centres and breeders, unless they have a strict quarantine policy, and those rabbits which have greater contact with wild rabbits, as well as any geographical location where cases have been reported recently.
View this map to see what has been reported in and around your area. Click on a marker to view details
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1b_zCIMmtSKNdsYt3RiEOkHjgH8Y
Red = confirmed RVHD
Yellow = suspected RVHD
Black = myxomatosis
We have to stress that these are only the cases that have been reported, there are very likely many more that haven't been diagnosed or that are not reported to the map owner.
Advice from our vet Richard Saunders is that all rabbits need to be vaccinated whether they live indoors or outside.
Both Nobivac and Filavac are needed. Leave 2 weeks between the different vaccines. In areas of high risk it's recommended that Filavac should be given 6-monthly rather than annually. Check this with your vet. Your vet should be able to order Filavac any of three wholesalers, NVS, Centaur or Harry Schein, or direct from Filavie in France if they prefer. We do know that some vets already have it in stock and have begun vaccination programmes
If you haven't already seen Richard's very informative webinar, that is still available here http://therabbitvet.com/webinar/vhd-rhd-2-update-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease
We have been sending out some information with FAQs to vets as well so that they can answer your queries. Here are the FAQs which you may find helpful:
Do existing RHD1 vaccines work?
Because the mortality rate is lower with RHD2, any test using a small number of rabbits could easily show protection just because none of them were going to die anyway. There is some anecdotal evidence that RHD1 vaccines have some short term effect, but nothing peer reviewed.
How much will the vaccine cost?
This depends on vial sizes ordered, the number of rabbits one has, the specific vaccine used, and the pricing structure of your veterinary practice. Please discuss this with your veterinary practice.
How will you get it from your vet?
NVS have asked us to slow things down as they are getting overwhelmed. Please only go through your vets, and ask them to look out for our updates before calling NVS, to avoid overwhelming them still further.
Your vets will need their own license, which, now all the info is on the VMD site and is approved, should be straightforward to do. However, this is not as simple as writing a prescription, and your vet may not see enough rabbits for this to be a practical option for them.
What dose regime is suggested?
Please remember that the use of these products is both off licence (although under the Cascade), and subject to the VMD’s directions on importation of immunological products. As a result, although the manufacturers of the Filavac product suggest that vaccination can be at the same time as the Nobivac RHD-Myxo, as long as it is not in the same site or the same syringe, standard advice with immunological products not licensed for simultaneous administration is to space them out by at least 2 weeks.
The manufacturers advice is to administer a single dose of the vaccine, followed by annual boosters in low risk situations, and 6 monthly in the case of breeding does at high risk. In the UK, I would suggest that high risk situations include rescue centres and breeders, unless they have a strict quarantine policy, and those rabbits which have greater contact with wild rabbits, as well as any geographical location where cases have been reported recently.