Rabbit Vaccinations
At Whitstable Bay Vets we strongly recommend that your rabbit is vaccinated when young, with ongoing immunity then provided by annual booster vaccination. Sadly, just as is the case for us humans, there are a number of highly infectious (and potentially fatal) diseases that can affect your pet. Some have no effective treatment, but the good news is that you can provide protection with vaccination and regular annual boosters.
Combined vaccinations for the main two diseases affecting rabbits are given from 5 weeks of age to protect against:
- Viral Haemorrhagic Diseases (VHD). This awful disease can affect rabbits over 6 weeks old, and unfortunately most infected rabbits die.
- Myxomatosis. This disease causes swelling of the eyes, nose, mouth and genitals, a high fever and breathing problems. Sadly, most affected rabbits die even with intensive treatment.
These diseases can be spread by biting insects (such as mosquitoes) and either directly or indirectly from wild rabbits, so even house bunnies are at risk.
We recommend an annual booster vaccination to give your friend ongoing protection throughout their life.
