Hello from Clover and Fluff

[Clover&Fluff]

Haven’t posted for a while. I was blessed with a small heard of 6 kitts from my lovely Clover and to my surprise 3 have Astrex coat sooo cute and curly. (Guess my purebred Netherland dwarf ain’t so purebred but I love him all the same?). So now I have quite the heard of rabbit 9 sweet bundles of joy Clover ( Mini lop), Mr Fluff( Netherland dwarf), Misty (Clovers first baby), and Peach, Marshmallow,snuggle bun ( all straight fur) , Dash, Blue bell and Sheep (all the curly fur) I love them all so much. 12 weeks in and Peach passed away and I don’t know why she was fit heathy and no other problems. Then 2 weeks later I lost Mashmellow ( devastated) Floppy bunny syndrome I tryed all night to save him but I just didn’t know what was wrong. Then 3 days later I lose my snuggle bun too this is like the worst time in my life next to losing my daughter ?. All went down with floppy bunny and their was nothing I could do I felt so helpless I’m a ex medic ( human vet) I have saved humans how come I can’t save my buns? There must be more I can do may be vitiman e or calcium? Has any one had this happen? All my buns are in great condition and very happy it just doesn’t make sense. I’m now so worried I’m checking all buns every 2 hours day and night just in case I have another go down. I’m a mess ,I know my bunnies well, there my world any help would but greatly appreciated. There must be more than supportive care ( hydration, food ) I can give them. Thay all passed in my arms it’s been very hard on me ☹️.

[Bam]

I’m very sorry to hear this. For floppy bunny syndrome it’s recommended you give them vitamin e, the capsules with oil (punch hole and squirt into the mouth).

I just saw that you are in New Zealnd. Could this be about the new RVHD2 virus? It’s appeared in Australia and we have it in Europe too. It is spread by mosquitos as well as by direct contact between rabbits and contact with f ex plants that have been into contact with sick rabbits.

There’s nothing but supportive care you can do if t’s this virus.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Bam – can RVHD2 be tested for?…. presuably that would be the best to do to see what C&F is dealing with…?

[Bam]

Vienna, there’s no test. The diagnosis is made post mortem. The disease is characterized by sudden onset and often mistaken for GI stasis -often the only symptom is sudden death.

Local vets and rabbit owners will as a rule know if there’s an outbreak in the area, although both forms of this virus are much under-diagnosed, simply because the bunny never makes it to a vet before it passes.

If there’s RVHD in the area, the rabbits should be kept indoors and mosquito netting be used if you have open windows. It’s also recommended you stop foraging.

This might not at all be what has affected your rabbits, Clover. What symptoms have your bunnies been displaying?

[Vienna Blue in France]

Not too late to get the others vaccinated though?…

[Azerane]

Yes, RHDV2 is another possibility I believe. Unfortunately it often presents and kills so quickly that there are no symptoms. As bam mentioned, the only way to know for sure is post mortem. It is extremely contagious. While there doesn’t seem to be a straightforward answer as to whether the current vaccine protects against it, if you haven’t had them vaccinated it would certainly be worth doing.

Otherwise I don’t know much at all about floppy bunny syndrome. I really hope you can figure out what’s going on and prevent it in your other bunns

[Bam]

Vienna, the vaccine against RVHD2 is currently available in France and the U.K. We don’t have it in Sweden yet, except in one clinic in Gothenburg.

The “normal” RVD vaccine is not effective against RVD2. That’s the one that’s combined with the myxo shot in Europe. I’ve heard it could possibly offer some protection for a couple of months, but the company making the myxo/RHD vaccine doesn’t make any such claim.

I don’t know if it’s possible or even legal to vaccinate rabbits in NZ since they have such a big wild rabbit problem.

E cuniculi is another possibility.

[Clover&Fluff]

Thanks for all the advice. All my other buns have been fine so far. Thay all off for vacation this week, as there are wild rabbits around where I live and my buns have a lot of freedom. I’ve been all over the yard where my buns roam couldn’t find any suspect plants except a little bit of clover but vet said it wasn’t bloat but I pulled it out just in case. Thay went down hill so quick it was scary. There was no symptoms from binky a to floppy bunny in an hour and I managed to keep them going for another 12 hrs with syringe feeding and water before thay passed. It appears to only have affected the half the litter the curly Astrex girls seem fine all happy and eating well.

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