Just like other household pet, your rabbit should be vaccinated by a registered vet. Rabbit vaccinations will protect against the deadly calicivirus, which is highly contagious.
Do Rabbits need vaccinations? While it's not the law to vaccinate pet rabbits, we strongly advise vaccinating your rabbit to protect them against sometimes fatal diseases. Keeping your annual vaccination appointment every year is really important for both you and your rabbit.
Your rabbits should have their first vaccine at around 5-7 weeks old, and then a booster every year to keep them protected. There is now a single vaccine for rabbits that protects against all three diseases.
While you aren't required by law to vaccinate your pet rabbit, we highly recommend you do so. To prevent the spread of wild rabbits, Australia uses two viruses released into the population. These are Calicivirus, also known as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus or RHDV, and Myxomatosis.
Rabbits are vaccinated against Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (previously known as Rabbit Calicivirus) from 4 weeks of age and then every 6 months to maintain immunity throughout life.
As with all pets, we recommend rabbits are desexed and have a vet check twice per year. It's very important that pet rabbits are vaccinated against calicivirus.
Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits generally don't require regular worming treatments as an infestation of worms is less common. That's not to say they're immune to catching a dose of worms though.
We advise worming rabbits every 3-6months. The wormer is a paste and is very easy to administer by mouth. In addition to regular treatment there are some simple hygiene rules to help keep E.
Two vaccinations 2-4 weeks apart, then every 6 months.
Take your rabbit to see a veterinarian once yearly for an annual health examination. Spaying or neutering your bunny will help it to live a longer, healthier life. Uterine cancer and infection are very likely in intact female rabbits as they age.
These include runny eyes or conjunctivitis, high fever, anorexia, lethargy, and general depression, ultimately leading to death. This can happen very rapidly, within 48 hours, or more commonly over several weeks. In either case, there is no cure.
Rabbits must be 4 weeks of age or older and in good health. The cost for one rabbit to receive both doses of the RHDV-2 vaccine and microchip identification is $180.
Vets do not recommend routine treatment against fleas as it is quite uncommon. In households with cats and dogs, keeping their flea protection up to date should provide protection for your rabbits too. If you do see signs of fleas in your rabbit, your vet can recommend rabbit-safe treatment which is easily applied.
It's never too late to start a vaccination programme.
Older rabbits often have a weaker immune system so it is especially important to give them a helping hand and keep their boosters up to date.
Contrary to popular belief, rabbits do not need salt licks, vitamins, or hard wooden objects to wear their teeth down. Teeth are kept worn to a proper length by the silicate and lignin content of grass and grass.
How should I worm a rabbit? Worming treatment is often given to your rabbit as a paste which you squeeze into their mouth. It may also come as a liquid or powder which you mix in with their food or water. Your vet will advise you on the right option depending on the species you have.
Zoonotic diseases associated with rabbits include pasteurellosis, ringworm, mycobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis and external parasites. Rabbits can transmit bacteria through bites and scratches.
Worm infestation is possible after ingestion of contaminated hay. Wild rabbits as well as healthy house/pet rabbits living in clean conditions can be infested by gastrointestinal parasites.
It's true that rabbits and other small mammals host a variety of parasites. Some of them are more common during the summer, but many are present year-round, such as intestinal worms and flukes.
Pinworms live in the small intestines, cecum (large intestine), and colon of rabbits. They pass their eggs into the environment through the rabbit's feces.
How often do I need to clean my rabbit hutch? For the ideal rabbit environment, the hutch should be cleaned at least once a day, by removing any shavings or bedding that are wet and dirty, removing any uneaten fresh food and cleaning the food and water containers before refilling them.
Rabbits can get by without pellets as long as hay and fresh green vegetables are given every day. Avoid cereal/grain mixes (such as rabbit mix muesli) as these can encourage selective feeding, nutritional imbalance and obesity [1, 4]. Providing other objects to chew on is also a good idea.
Yes! Rabbits require a booster injection every year to protect them from the three life-threatening rabbit diseases; Myxomatosis, Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease-1 and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease-2. The vaccine was developed in 2020 and it's called 'Nobivac myxo-RHD plus'.
Obviously, if your rabbit spends time in your backyard, they can catch fleas in the grass. Additionally, your bun's barn stored hay may contain fleas. In addition you may bring in fleas in the hay you purchase of in bulk food from some pet stores.