Rabbits dying before annual RHD2 booster :-(

MightyMax

MightyMax

Banned
I contacted Filavie for their response to the question of duration of immunity of RHD2, and the fact that some rabbits are dying before the annual booster.

They have very kindly responded to me, and also gave me the email of the UK distributor.

Here's the response from the UK distributor who can support practices and rabbit owners with a localised technical and marketing service going forwards.

You are welcome to pass this info onto your vet.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?471653-RHD2-More-Cases-(-Update-1st-October/page24


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Response from Ceva Animal Health

"Filavac is licenced for use in rabbits for a 12 month duration of immunity. It has a PD value of 90% which means that at least 90% of animals are protected once vaccinated. So this can explain the rare cases you may seeing where vaccinated rabbits die of RHDV2.


Using Filavac more frequently is off licence use and needs to be a decision made by a Veterinary Surgeon. Some vets will decide to vaccinate more frequently in the face of an area outbreak. Their decision to do so will differ depending on the scenario.


Any vet can contact Ceva Animal Health to discuss this if they have any further questions or need advice on off licence use."
 
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Thank you MM for all your time doing this research :) My hand reared baby's are booked in tomorrow for their RHD2, after the two weeks I will feel so much better. It's a constant worry otherwise!
 
Liz47 said:
Thank you MM for all your time doing this research :) My hand reared baby's are booked in tomorrow for their RHD2, after the two weeks I will feel so much better. It's a constant worry otherwise!
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Liz thank you so much for saying so :wave:

I hope your babies get on well at the vet today :)
 
Is it possible that a bun can die from RVHD if they have had Filavac? Or had the Filavac 6 months before ?? Or is there no guarantee? ?
 
nickybunny1 said:
Is it possible that a bun can die from RVHD if they have had Filavac? Or had the Filavac 6 months before ?? Or is there no guarantee? ?
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Yes Nicky it is possible and has been happening.
I've been documenting all the cases of rabbits being confirmed or suspected of having RHD2 on my thread and it's quite staggering.

However, it's RARE that a rabbit will die of RHD2 within 12 months of having the Filavac vaccination.

The statement from Ceva Animal Health says that less than 10% of vaccinated rabbits have died of RHD2 even when vaccinated.

No vaccine is perfect. Some info here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_efficacy


There's lots of variables such as how the vaccine itself was stored, and the health status of the rabbit when it had the vaccination. Some few rabbits will not have mounted a perfect immune response to the vaccine and so will be left wholly or partially unprotected.

People are encouraged to talk with their vet about this and also whether the vet would recommend "off licence" vaccinating every six months (or earlier than 12 months) in certain cases.
 
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I've literally just updated the RHD2 thread with these details ...
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...es-(-Update-1st-October&p=7046391#post7046391


Bridport Dorset

"A friend of mine in Bridport Dorset has had a case of RHD2 confirmed in a fully vaccinated rabbit in Bridport Dorset. RHD2 vaccine was given in March , the rabbit died 2 weeks ago. Has anyone else heard of a vaccinated rabbit dying of this awful disease. Also thoughts on bringing in another rabbit fully vaccinated into the household. The rabbit that died was a house rabbit. As a breeder of continental giants all of mine have always been fully vaccinated for both myxi/RHD1 and RHD2 now wondering how full proof the RHD2 vaccine actually is."

The rabbit was vaccinated "by a vet vet in Haddons veterinary Practice in Bridport. I have spoken with them today"

The owner of the rabbit goes on to report:
"This is the first case I have heard like this, the bunny in question was vaccinated with Filavac at 15 weeks old and in perfect health, he developed into a healthly 9 month old rabbit with no health issues. I acually work closely with a couple of vets on the RHD2 vaccines, I am shocked this has happened and have not heard of any other vaccinated rabbits dying of the disease unless obvioulsy they contracted before vaccination had been given.. I mentioned to the vet about possible faulty vaccine being administered, maybe could have been stored incorrectly prior to administration but did not seem to think this was the case. Also no wild rabbits closeby to the house, owner is thinking it may have been transmitted from hay bought elsewhere.."

This was my concern regarding the efficacy of the vaccine and I wanted to find out from the Manufacturers what the position is.
It's vital that rabbits are vaccinated, because this is ALL we have to protect them right now.
 
MightyMax thanks for your very detailed reply. I was asking because I was thinking of Oliver. It wasn't my rabbit savy vet who saw Oliver the day he passed as it was a weekend and although she said it appeared to be a stroke I wondered if possibly it could have been RVHD. I know with out a PM I will never know for sure either way. Thanks for reply. Much appreciated xx
 
Really interesting thread, thanks MM, I was wondering whether to do mine at 6 months but I think unless there’s an outbreak near me I’ll stick to 12. One of mine is coming up to his 12 month date so I’ve already booked him in. X
 
nickybunny1 said:
MightyMax thanks for your very detailed reply. I was asking because I was thinking of Oliver. It wasn't my rabbit savy vet who saw Oliver the day he passed as it was a weekend and although she said it appeared to be a stroke I wondered if possibly it could have been RVHD. I know with out a PM I will never know for sure either way. Thanks for reply. Much appreciated xx
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Nicky, you're very welcome.

I remember your lovely Oliver passing and from everything you told me at the time, I thought exactly the same as your vet when you told me what had happened. I swear that I never thought RHD2 had anything to do with it, honestly xx
 
CometLucy195 said:
Really interesting thread, thanks MM, I was wondering whether to do mine at 6 months but I think unless there’s an outbreak near me I’ll stick to 12. One of mine is coming up to his 12 month date so I’ve already booked him in. X
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Welcome :)

It's a difficult choice, but you could keep an eye on the RHD2 thread and see whether there are any reports in your area.
I can't think of any offhand so you're doing what I would do :)
 
It's true that there have been some vaccine failures but most of those seem to have been where breeders have obtained multi-dose phials of vaccine and shared with other breeders. There is the very real danger that the vaccine was not used up within the time limit after opening and that it wasn't stored at the correct temperature- for example it may have been stored in the door of a fridge, and that is the warmest part. Also if the owners were self-vaccinating with no vet present the rabbits would not have had a proper health check by a vet prior to the vaccinations being given and may have had health issues. Any vaccine will be compromised in its effectiveness if given to a patient not in good health. There is also no guarantee of course that the rabbits had not already been infected prior to vaccination, or that they weren't exposed in the days between vaccination and the immune response being in place. This would be an especial risk in the case of owners visiting each others' premises to share vaccine, even moreso if any of the rabbits either such owners had in their care were new arrivals from different homes or if any of their existing rabbits had recently been to shows.

Obtaining multi dose phials and self vaccinating also raises legal questions. No UK vet is allowed to supply these. They should never give medicines without examining the patient, they can lose their licence for doing so. We know that some are importing it direct from abroad and again the conditions the phials are transported in, temperature control in particular, must be called into question.

Any vaccine failure should be reported to VMD https://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/AdverseReactionReporting/Product.aspx?SARType=Animal&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 This can be done by the owner and also should be done by the vet.

The best way to protect all our rabbits is to vaccinate. This should be carried out by a vet, following a proper health check
 
Thank you for posting this information Ross. I was starting to worry owners might think "what's the point of vaccinating" if it's being said that vaccinated bunnies are dying any way. It was making me worried too to be honest but feel reassured now.

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loobers25 said:
Thank you for posting this information Ross. I was starting to worry owners might think "what's the point of vaccinating" if it's being said that vaccinated bunnies are dying any way. It was making me worried too to be honest but feel reassured now.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
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I have had this concern too when I have seen speculation on social media about deaths of vaccinated rabbits.

In a recent conversation with Frances HB, I said I was concerned that I had seen that Filavac was deemed to be only 90% effective and had been worrying about it. She said it isn't a problem with the vaccine but that only 90% of rabbits are deemed to be able to mount the appropriate immune response. I feel reassured that I am doing all I can.
 
This was the response from the UK Distributor a short while ago:


Response from Ceva Animal Health

"Filavac is licenced for use in rabbits for a 12 month duration of immunity. It has a PD value of 90% which means that at least 90% of animals are protected once vaccinated. So this can explain the rare cases you may seeing where vaccinated rabbits die of RHDV2.


Using Filavac more frequently is off licence use and needs to be a decision made by a Veterinary Surgeon. Some vets will decide to vaccinate more frequently in the face of an area outbreak. Their decision to do so will differ depending on the scenario.


Any vet can contact Ceva Animal Health to discuss this if they have any further questions or need advice on off licence use."
 
loobers25 said:
Thank you for posting this information Ross. I was starting to worry owners might think "what's the point of vaccinating" if it's being said that vaccinated bunnies are dying any way. It was making me worried too to be honest but feel reassured now.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
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there already are. there was a person who bunnies died recently, they have a group, they were not vaccinated because "there was no point, others are dying with the vaccine". so now they're entire group is slowly but surely dying due to negligence. I have nothing to say (nor any sympathy) to that because its silly. no human vaccine is 100% either, but we still have them, for herd immunity so the virus can not get foothold stopping outbreaks, but also that if one person is unwell, the virus does not spread. ignorance of people is beyond me sometimes.

its sad. many rabbits could be prevented from death but its always the same excuses "too much money", "others die with the vaccine", "i didn't see the point". it frustrates me to no end :roll:
 
binkyCodie said:
there already are. there was a person who bunnies died recently, they have a group, they were not vaccinated because "there was no point, others are dying with the vaccine". so now they're entire group is slowly but surely dying due to negligence. I have nothing to say (nor any sympathy) to that because its silly. no human vaccine is 100% either, but we still have them, for herd immunity so the virus can not get foothold stopping outbreaks, but also that if one person is unwell, the virus does not spread. ignorance of people is beyond me sometimes.

its sad. many rabbits could be prevented from death but its always the same excuses "too much money", "others die with the vaccine", "i didn't see the point". it frustrates me to no end :roll:
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The vaccine is all we have. It's been shown to be 90% effective.
There will always be fails, for several reasons.

Yes I find it totally frustrating too BC. Some people can't see beyond the end of their noses!
 
There is a new licenced rhvd2 vaccine on the market called eravac and it recommends a vaccine every 9 months it fairly new we have just started using it

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