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VACCINATE- Myxo, RHD1 & RHD2 -Updated 1st October 2018

i do think some just aren’t aware, which is sad. they would have if they knew, but now they know far to late as their furry pal is gone. it really does come down to ill information from those who are trusted, RSPCA & PDSA. if I was a new owner with no other knowings, I would trust those as what’s on the internet isn’t always true. having P@H not mention anything neither is useless. I don’t think their care leaflets mention it and a lot of people go into their stores and rely on their info. if they had a huge sign saying “vaccinate for myxi & RHD1, and the separate vaccine for RHD2” people may also know. it’s sad and i don’t know how I would feel if my rabbits died due to something preventable, or how I would feel if I had trusted the RSPCAs advise for that to happen.


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The last time I went in to a branch of PAH, a few months ago, they had an audio thing playing giving 'advice' about caring for Rabbits. The 'advice' about Vaccinations still referred to Rabbits needing the single dose Myxo Vaccine (which has not been manufactured for at least 2 years) and the single dose RHD1 Vaccine. So basically advice that is years out of date. Of course there was no mention at all about RHD2. I emailed HO, I spoke with the Store Manager. But nothing was done and the same incorrect information was given out. What chance is there for a Novice Rabbit owner if the 'advice' given at the point of sale is basically useless.

I am trying really hard not to go off on a PAH rant, but..............................
 
*UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF RHD2 IN RABBITS BOUGHT FROM PAH, DUNSTABLE AND SURROUNDING AREA BRANCHES*

Copied from FB :

''Pets at home Dunstable and surrounding area branches as far as Letchworth have taken their Rabbis off sale due to sudden deaths of a few brought in the last few weeks, staff clammed up but somebody rang me asking for a Rabbit advertised as has lost one from them a few days after purchasing and they have taken them off sale now so waiting for results of a post mortem that was supposedly done before I sell him one.''


Personally I would avoid going in to these branches until the situation has been clarified one way or the other.
 
This report has just been posted on FB by the RWAF and is in the same area as the PAH cases :

"I've had a group of rabbits die in june (owner lost 4 rabbits), and one sent for pm confirmed as rhd. a second group this month, still awaiting pm on one, but second confirmed rhd, 5 deaths in total. several others where o didn't request pm. All in Bedford."
 
Frances Harcourt Brown has updated her information about the Sudden or Unexpected Death Investigation, it will soon be coming to an end. Full details on her website

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/vets/sudden-or-unexpected-death-investigation-1

This is really sad news as this project was about continuing research that Frances had done over the last twenty years but the timing of it has meant that it was viewed as free testing for RHD2, which was never the original intention ... now the majority of the money has been swallowed up and hardly any of it benefitting the original project. I hope there's enough funds left to pay for cases that now fit the theme of the project. It does also highlight how bad RHD2 has been to use up all the funds so quickly
 
This is really sad news as this project was about continuing research that Frances had done over the last twenty years but the timing of it has meant that it was viewed as free testing for RHD2, which was never the original intention ... now the majority of the money has been swallowed up and hardly any of it benefitting the original project. I hope there's enough funds left to pay for cases that now fit the theme of the project. It does also highlight how bad RHD2 has been to use up all the funds so quickly


Yes and reported cases are on the rise yet again :cry:
 
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Yes and reported cases are on the rise yet again :cry:

It's terrifying. There is a rescue I've donated bits and bobs to only about 8 miles away that has had a sudden death and is on lock down awaiting the results of testing. It would seem they haven't vaccinated for RHD2 so far as some babies they rehomed from earlier this year both died suddenly less than a year old and RHD2 was suspected. The vets they use (and they believe to be rabbit savvy!) have only in the last couple of weeks started stocking the vaccine. My view is their vets have let them down badly. I feel quite angry about it. There's loads of other cases in the area too.. including of course the one that Frances HB photographed and has been shared widely. I can't imagine how awful it will be if the supply chain for the vaccine is interrupted...
 
It's terrifying. There is a rescue I've donated bits and bobs to only about 8 miles away that has had a sudden death and is on lock down awaiting the results of testing. It would seem they haven't vaccinated for RHD2 so far as some babies they rehomed from earlier this year both died suddenly less than a year old and RHD2 was suspected. The vets they use (and they believe to be rabbit savvy!) have only in the last couple of weeks started stocking the vaccine. My view is their vets have let them down badly. I feel quite angry about it. There's loads of other cases in the area too.. including of course the one that Frances HB photographed and has been shared widely. I can't imagine how awful it will be if the supply chain for the vaccine is interrupted...

The word 'Brexit' comes to mind................
 
I've noticed a decrease in the wild population in the field at the back of us over the past few weeks, earlier in the year I used to watch about a dozen or so out there. Now there only seems to be a handful :cry:
 
I've noticed a decrease in the wild population in the field at the back of us over the past few weeks, earlier in the year I used to watch about a dozen or so out there. Now there only seems to be a handful :cry:

Same here. The local urban colony reappeared earlier in the year but they've been wiped out again now. I saw 2 dead ones about 3 weeks ago but I dont know for certain that they were due to RHD.

Just seen this too

https://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/182/23/650.1
 
I've noticed a decrease in the wild population in the field at the back of us over the past few weeks, earlier in the year I used to watch about a dozen or so out there. Now there only seems to be a handful :cry:
Same thing here. I'm in Surrey and the rabbits have completely disappeared from the heath I walk my dogs on. There are many dead rabbits out in the open but close to huge warrens. The same thing happened two years ago and it took a long time to rebuild a healthy population again.
 
Same thing here. I'm in Surrey and the rabbits have completely disappeared from the heath I walk my dogs on. There are many dead rabbits out in the open but close to huge warrens. The same thing happened two years ago and it took a long time to rebuild a healthy population again.

I wonder why the Colonies are not mounting an immunity of some sort :? Those who survive a disease outbreak must have been exposed to the virus (RHD or Myxo) and produced antibodies. I dont understand enough about it all to comprehend why this does not lead to the establishment of a colony with sufficient immunity to survive future disease :?

Any Vets/Doctors/ about ?? !!
 
I wonder why the Colonies are not mounting an immunity of some sort :? Those who survive a disease outbreak must have been exposed to the virus (RHD or Myxo) and produced antibodies. I dont understand enough about it all to comprehend why this does not lead to the establishment of a colony with sufficient immunity to survive future disease :?

Any Vets/Doctors/ about ?? !!
I suppose in order for the colonies to re-establish, a number of the rabbits must survive an epidemic and perhaps those have a degree of immunity, or the epidemic hit when the survivors were too young to be affected, even though they were exposed?

I think the most worrying thought is that the colonies can't mount a positive immune response because the virus is constantly changing. If that is the case then will vaccine manufacturers always be playing catch up and will there be an RHD 3, 4, 5 etc?
 
I suppose in order for the colonies to re-establish, a number of the rabbits must survive an epidemic and perhaps those have a degree of immunity, or the epidemic hit when the survivors were too young to be affected, even though they were exposed?

I think the most worrying thought is that the colonies can't mount a positive immune response because the virus is constantly changing. If that is the case then will vaccine manufacturers always be playing catch up and will there be an RHD 3, 4, 5 etc?

Yes, it's all far too complicated for me. Virus mutation is of course another issue. I was listening to a programme on Radio 4 a while back and it was about vaccinations for various diseases that effect humans. Apparently once a virus cottons on to the fact that it's ability to cause disease is being challenged (by vaccines) the virus launches a counter attack by mutating to circumnavigate the immunity that a vaccine can produce. It was put in a far more scientific way, but I think that was the gist of it.

I wish I were gifted with far more intelligence and academic ability. Not understanding things I really want to understand is so frustrating !!
 
P@H is so store to store dependant.. mine treats its workers horribly often unstaffing them. they're supposed to run a store with 3 people!! the one in crawley does much better but as for their pet advice, I'm not sure. I think its who is here, if I was to work there I know so much about rabbits I could offer advice. but somebody else may not so they have nothing to say. people who work there & sell animals should have to answer and be taught basic knowledge but they're not.

I hope the RSPCA follows as does the PDSA and update. how would one go about contacting them?

its sad. I wish I had the money to print huge posters and stick all over the place. I dont sadly.
 
I have found out how to contact them.. you must create an account and send them an enquiry. a bit long winded but never mind! I have sent them a message asking to make their vaccines page more updated and advising, mentioning how stating rabbits require two vaccines, and which two they are.

I will wait to hear a response.
 
I have found out how to contact them.. you must create an account and send them an enquiry. a bit long winded but never mind! I have sent them a message asking to make their vaccines page more updated and advising, mentioning how stating rabbits require two vaccines, and which two they are.

I will wait to hear a response.

Yes, it took me a while to realise that I had to create an account for the RSPCA

Not for the PDSA though

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/contact-us
 
PAH 'advice' Re RHD2 Vaccines

''We are aware of the concerns about rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV-2) affecting rabbits in the UK. The ‘classic’ RHD has been present in the UK for decades and a very effective vaccine which also covers for myxomatosis has been available for rabbits for years.
However, a new variant of RHD has emerged recently which is known as RHD-2 and was first noted in France in 2010.
The current vaccine available in the UK does not seem to fully protect against this new variant.

RHD2 has some differences from the classic RHD. In particularly it may affect rabbits of any age, as opposed to RVHD1, which is rarely if ever seen in rabbits under 8-10 weeks of age. It has also been reported that the variant may give rise to lower mortalities than classical RHD but we really don’t know a lot about the situation in the UK at the moment. The source of outbreaks and the spread of RHD-2 in pet rabbits in the UK is unclear still and there seems to be insufficient information at present to recommend for all pet rabbits in the country to be vaccinated.

There is no licensed vaccine available in the UK which covers RHD-2.
A French vaccine is available but it needs to be imported and all vets will need their own special import license which is straightforward to do but is not as simple as writing a prescription. Due to the sudden increase demand from the UK there have been supply shortages and it is not uncommon for the vaccine to be out of stock.
The vaccine needs to be given 2 weeks apart from the ‘normal’ vaccine and repeated every 6 to 12 months. You will be required to sign an off-license consent form indicating you are aware it is an unlicensed product.

For more information we recommend speaking to your local Vets4Pets or Companion Care Vets where the vaccine is available. A vet can discuss the risks and benefits with you before deciding on an appropriate regime and vaccination plan for your rabbit. High risk situations at the moment 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.

It is very important to remember that RHD and myxomatosis remain the most significant health threats in rabbits which can be vaccinated against, and so coverage with this vaccine remains a priority.''


http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/seasonal-events/rhd-2-rabbit-vaccine


Just WTF
...........................
 
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