IndigoRabbit
New Kit
Hi,
I'm really sad to say that I've lost my two best friends within 24 hours. They were my only friends and they've helped me through so much and I just couldn't help them in the end. They were fine one minute and then they were fitting and were gone. When the second one started acting like the one that had just died, I rushed him to the vet and all that was different about him was his eyes had changed from blue to a reddish brown colour and he wasn't eating or drinking. The vet checked him over and told me everything was in order (temperature, gut, heart rate, breathing, and any discharge from nose or bottom) and that maybe he just wasn't eating because the other rabbit had died. But in the night he got a lot worse and so I rushed him to the vet and as we drew up the car he too began fitting. The vet said the best thing to do was put him down and I agreed because I just wanted him to be out of his misery. When the vet came back she explained to me that she thought they'd both had VHD because their symptoms fitted (not much obviously wrong, sudden worsening of condition, fitting, and eyes changing colour), but I was so confused because I researched this before I got them and gave them both the vaccine to specifically avoid this happening and my rabbits were indoor netherlands so they wouldn't have much exposure. She said it could travel really easily just in the air. And then she said there was a new strand of VHD from Europe and that they weren't sure whether the usual vaccine could protect against.
After a few days of crying, I think I've come to the conclusion that it would be best to adopt another pair from a rescue centre. Not to replace my beautiful rabbits, of course (this would be impossible), but because I desperately need a friend to give my love to and I really want love in return. Naturally, though, I am terrified they would be infected by something similar (or the same) and I'd lose more best friends.
So I was wondering if anybody could tell me the situation on VHD at the moment in the UK? I live in Cumbria in the countryside. I've also noticed that there have been hardly any wild bunnies this year, so I wonder whether there's a real problem with it at the minute. Also, I would be so glad if someone could tell me if there is anything I could do to protect a future rabbit/s from the same fate because I really can't lose another friend.
Thank you so much, I hope you can help.
P.S, Don't worry about me rushing out and getting another rabbit immediately and putting it in an environment still infected. I would never do that. Maybe you could advise me as to how to clean my house of the virus too? Thanks.
I'm really sad to say that I've lost my two best friends within 24 hours. They were my only friends and they've helped me through so much and I just couldn't help them in the end. They were fine one minute and then they were fitting and were gone. When the second one started acting like the one that had just died, I rushed him to the vet and all that was different about him was his eyes had changed from blue to a reddish brown colour and he wasn't eating or drinking. The vet checked him over and told me everything was in order (temperature, gut, heart rate, breathing, and any discharge from nose or bottom) and that maybe he just wasn't eating because the other rabbit had died. But in the night he got a lot worse and so I rushed him to the vet and as we drew up the car he too began fitting. The vet said the best thing to do was put him down and I agreed because I just wanted him to be out of his misery. When the vet came back she explained to me that she thought they'd both had VHD because their symptoms fitted (not much obviously wrong, sudden worsening of condition, fitting, and eyes changing colour), but I was so confused because I researched this before I got them and gave them both the vaccine to specifically avoid this happening and my rabbits were indoor netherlands so they wouldn't have much exposure. She said it could travel really easily just in the air. And then she said there was a new strand of VHD from Europe and that they weren't sure whether the usual vaccine could protect against.
After a few days of crying, I think I've come to the conclusion that it would be best to adopt another pair from a rescue centre. Not to replace my beautiful rabbits, of course (this would be impossible), but because I desperately need a friend to give my love to and I really want love in return. Naturally, though, I am terrified they would be infected by something similar (or the same) and I'd lose more best friends.
So I was wondering if anybody could tell me the situation on VHD at the moment in the UK? I live in Cumbria in the countryside. I've also noticed that there have been hardly any wild bunnies this year, so I wonder whether there's a real problem with it at the minute. Also, I would be so glad if someone could tell me if there is anything I could do to protect a future rabbit/s from the same fate because I really can't lose another friend.
Thank you so much, I hope you can help.
P.S, Don't worry about me rushing out and getting another rabbit immediately and putting it in an environment still infected. I would never do that. Maybe you could advise me as to how to clean my house of the virus too? Thanks.
so sorry to hear of your losses xx
