Help, my rabbits are dying off rapidly!

[RogerRabbit999]

There will be certain organ changes within the rabbits body that the vet will recognise as VHD being the cause. Rabbits do tend to die very suddenly if VHD is the cause, although on occasions a rabbit going off his food may be an indication that he has contracted VHD. Sometimes rabbits bleed but not always. To be honest I think the vermin are the most likely cause, and the rabbits are dying of VHD.

Is there anyway of moving the others indoors or something and getting them vaccinated, and maybe with very rigorous cleaning, you might be able to prevent any more deaths.

 

[parsnipbun]

Plants are unlikely - few cause instant death (I have a bit of specialist knowledge on forages). I would strongly suspect VHD or toxins in the feed.

You MUST notify a vet and get at least one of the rabbits PMd.

 

[RogerRabbit999]

Plants are unlikely - few cause instant death (I have a bit of specialist knowledge on forages). I would strongly suspect VHD or toxins in the feed.

You MUST notify a vet and get at least one of the rabbits PMd.

I was under the impression that VHD was one of the diseases that vets have to be made aware of, and that is how warnings for certain areas are put out. I'm convinced that it is VHD because of the sudden deaths, and the vermin you have about. It is an air-borne disease, but if it was coming in via that route, then the others would probably have died as well.

Usually riger mortis takes about 3hrs to set in.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

I was under the impression that VHD was one of the diseases that vets have to be made aware of, and that is how warnings for certain areas are put out. I'm convinced that it is VHD because of the sudden deaths, and the vermin you have about. It is an air-borne disease, but if it was coming in via that route, then the others would probably have died as well.

Usually riger mortis takes about 3hrs to set in.

VHD is no longer officially a notifiable disease

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/VHD_UK.htm

 

[ken]

Thanks for all the advice.

No more rabbits have died in the last two days. If another one dies I'll certainly enquire at a local vets about a PM but I'd be reluctant to have one if it's very likely to be inconclusive. A chat with a vet might help decide if it's a disease or poison.

On balance, I'm still assuming it's a disease caught from wild mice. However, as I mentioned in my first post, the four rabbits that have died lived in four separate hutches and never had contact with eachother (except maybe through wire mesh or contact with droppings). Three out of four dead rabbits had hutch mates who are absolutely fine, so there is no real evidence of the illness being passed from rabbit to rabbit, which seems strange if it is VHD or some other highly infectious disease.

I've ordered a 1kg tub of Virkon S so I can disinfect the hutches and the whole courtyard area where they are located, which is worth doing anyway.

P.S. For those that asked, I'm in Nottinghamshire, near Mansfield.

Cheers.

 

[Tuckerbunnies]

It does sound very much like VHD sadly


http://www.rabbit.org/care/vhd.html

 

[parsnipbun]

Thanks for all the advice.

No more rabbits have died in the last two days. If another one dies I'll certainly enquire at a local vets about a PM but I'd be reluctant to have one if it's very likely to be inconclusive. A chat with a vet might help decide if it's a disease or poison.

On balance, I'm still assuming it's a disease caught from wild mice. However, as I mentioned in my first post, the four rabbits that have died lived in four separate hutches and never had contact with eachother (except maybe through wire mesh or contact with droppings). Three out of four dead rabbits had hutch mates who are absolutely fine, so there is no real evidence of the illness being passed from rabbit to rabbit, which seems strange if it is VHD or some other highly infectious disease.

I've ordered a 1kg tub of Virkon S so I can disinfect the hutches and the whole courtyard area where they are located, which is worth doing anyway.

P.S. For those that asked, I'm in Nottinghamshire, near Mansfield.

Cheers.

Just to address your points:

There may be a delay before more die but that does not mean they will not . . I would have a PM done ASAP to stop further deaths if possible

VHD is very very easily transferable on shoes or clothes or any other transfer - it does not need the rabbits to be in contact with each other. That is why it is so serious (that and the sudden death). YOU can transfer it to other peoples rabbits!

Rabbits do not catch diseases from wild mice (other than via the same route they catch VHD from shoes etc that transfer the virus or via fleas that have bitten wild rabbits and cause myxi - this is NOT myxi) - its a bit like saying you might have caught something from visiting a cow - they are very different species.

Like any disease one animal may die another may flukily have some immunity - if they came from rescue within a year or so they may have been vaccinated then - who knows.

Is there a reason why you do not vaccinate?

You are responsible for their welfare - please take more action other than just some disinfectant.

 

[RavenMoon]

Just to address your points:

There may be a delay before more die but that does not mean they will not . . I would have a PM done ASAP to stop further deaths if possible

VHD is very very easily transferable on shoes or clothes or any other transfer - it does not need the rabbits to be in contact with each other. That is why it is so serious (that and the sudden death). YOU can transfer it to other peoples rabbits!

Rabbits do not catch diseases from wild mice (other than via the same route they catch VHD from shoes etc that transfer the virus or via fleas that have bitten wild rabbits and cause myxi - this is NOT myxi) - its a bit like saying you might have caught something from visiting a cow - they are very different species.

Like any disease one animal may die another may flukily have some immunity - if they came from rescue within a year or so they may have been vaccinated then - who knows.

Is there a reason why you do not vaccinate?

You are responsible for their welfare - please take more action other than just some disinfectant.

This. And to add it is unlikely that a PM is going to be inconclusive, as a few people have pointed out there will be signs in the organs. Sadly more rabbits could still die and so yours are still at risk whilst you aren't certain what you're fighting.

 

[Lea-Anne]

Please get your other rabbits vaccinated asap.

 

[RogerRabbit999]

This. And to add it is unlikely that a PM is going to be inconclusive, as a few people have pointed out there will be signs in the organs. Sadly more rabbits could still die and so yours are still at risk whilst you aren't certain what you're fighting.

This, and can I just reiterate that a PM will NOT be inconclusive. All causes of death result in certain changes within the organs, so this combined with the other information you pass on to your vet, will mean he will have a very good indication of whether it is VHD. I suspect the vermin are probably carrying this, and it may well be that it is your single buns that have died SO FAR, because the mice have felt safer going in where there is just one bun instead of 2. The buns themselves don't need to come into contact with each other not when it is airborne disease, and you have vermin on site.

You really do need to know what you are dealing with, as you could inadvertently pass it on to someone else's bun, resulting in another death, even through stroking a dog or something and then that dog going home to where there are also rabbits kept, and the dog then sniffing the rabbits, could still pass it on, resulting in more deaths if the rabbits are not vaccinated.

Oh dear, Jack's Jane says that this disease doesn't have to be reported now, but hearing about it when so close to myself, even though my buns are vaccinated, still makes me uneasy, and I worry about if vets don't know about it, and aren't able to let people know that it is in the area, if it might result in an epidemic or something.

To be perfectly honest, there are way too many unvaccinated rabbits about for whatever reason, with owners simply not providing the care that they should be. As far as I'm concerned, ignorance is no valid excuse, because even if you have never had a rabbit before, or any pet for that matter, you have a responsibility and duty of care towards your pet, to make sure that you do know what you need to before taking them on, especially when it will determine if they live or die.

 

[Tamsin]

This. And to add it is unlikely that a PM is going to be inconclusive, as a few people have pointed out there will be signs in the organs. Sadly more rabbits could still die and so yours are still at risk whilst you aren't certain what you're fighting.

Actually I would say it's quite common for PM's to be inconclusive and the vet would only be certain with tissue testing which needs to be sent away. It's also more likely to be inconclusive when the bodies been frozen. There are many illnesses that do show observable changes though so it's worth it if it happens again.

I'd definitely recommend vaccinating. Just having a group - even with good husbandry - makes VHD and myxi more of an issue.

VHD does have a short incubation, so it's great you haven't had any more loses A thorough disinfect is a very good idea, make sure you do things like your shoes and anything you use like brushes etc. as well as they can harbour VHD.

 

[RavenMoon]

Actually I would say it's quite common for PM's to be inconclusive and the vet would only be certain with tissue testing which needs to be sent away. It's also more likely to be inconclusive when the bodies been frozen. There are many illnesses that do show observable changes though so it's worth it if it happens again.

I'd definitely recommend vaccinating. Just having a group - even with good husbandry - makes VHD and myxi more of an issue.

VHD does have a short incubation, so it's great you haven't had any more loses A thorough disinfect is a very good idea, make sure you do things like your shoes and anything you use like brushes etc. as well as they can harbour VHD.

Ah, I would have thought in the cases of contagious diseases there would be a definite answer as to whether one was present or not. Didn't occur to me that they were frozen though.