Rabbit Vaccination Questions

[Sleepy]

We’re getting our buns vaccinated for the Rabbit Hemorrhage Disease Virus, since our local clinic set it up in response to the outbreak in BC, and a bit nervous about it since we’ve never gotten Guinness or Bleu vaccinated before and it’s not a short procedure. Because the clinic has to go through 50 doses in 2 hours, the buns have to be dropped off for most of the day so they can do prep, needle them, and monitor them. So I was wondering:

1. For anyone who’s gotten their rabbits vaccinated, anything we should be aware of? Were there any complications with the procedure?

2. Guinness and Bleu are bonded and they usually go in one carrier but the vet’s asked us to keep them in separate carriers for this. As such, they’re going to be separated for hours and surrounded by a lot of other rabbits. Is there anything we can do to reduce chance of unbonding or is it just pray and hope they still love each other after?

[Vienna Blue in France]

Oh Sleepy, thats a tricky one.
I think i remember Bam having to wait on the carpark for a similar mass jab operation…
What are the vets reasons for keeping them apart ?
Can you atleast insist that they are kept next to each other, you know with carrier doors facing each other…?

Are you saying that the clinic are going to have 50 rabbits in, all to be looked after and to be done in two hours… that’s one rabbit every what 2 1/2 minutes… that’s a lot.

Personally my buns didn’t have any complications and actually they are due on Wednesday to have their MyxoRHD annual…

[Sleepy]

From what I can tell, the main reason for keeping them apart is that because they have to get through so many rabbits in a short amount of time, it makes it easier for them to keep track of them all and tell who’s been needled or having complications or not. I wish I could ask for them to put them together after the procedure’s done but getting them at least close to each other might be best compromise I can ask :/. Which sucks, since with that many rabbits I doubt ours is the only ones who are bonded.

And yeah, it’s crazy how tight it is! There’s even other bunnies on the waiting list, too, in case anyone had dropped out. From what we were told, they only have 2 hours after the vial of medicine’s open to get all of them needled.

It’s somewhat reassuring to hear of lack of complications, though.

[Bam]

My Bam has had no complications from the RVHD2 jabs. He has had two different vaccines, and the first one was from a big vial. (That was when the RVHD2-vaccines were very new and there was a shortage of the single-dose vials). As Vienna says, I had to wait in the parking lot, then the vet when around and vaccinated all buns there, changing gloves between each car (some had many buns with them). It was a reasonable precaution, the last thing they want is to start an epidemic because one bun perhaps already is a carrier of the virus. It takes a week-10 days for the vaccine to take effect.

You could perhaps ask to have your buns’ carriers placed next to each other. The presence of other buns could be an advantage as for keeping the bond – they would still know their friend is near and they’re not taking on “the enemy” (other buns) alone.

There is a single-vial vaccine as well as the big vial. The si glue dose one is Filavac, a French vaccine. The big vial vaccine is meant for rabbitries and it’s often cunipravac, a Spanish vaccine. The single vial vaccine is of course more expensive and there seem to be shortages all the time.

Bam has had the RVHD2 vaccine 4 times (once every 6 months). No adverse reactions.

[Q8bunny]

Where are you, Sleepy?

I’m in London, Ontario and was just told a week or so ago that I don’t need to worry about vaccinating for either Myxo or RHV, but now I’m worried again. But apparently the clinics around here can’t even get the vaccine…

I hope all goes well. Your concerns are legit but you want your babies safe, and options are limited, right? Let us know how it went, please. (((vibes)))

[Bam]

Yes, please update us! I didn’t realize at first you were in Canada, the multi-dose vial makes perfect sense to me now. It was the same here when they first got the import of RVHD2-vaccines approved. The manufacturers couldn’t quite meet the demand.

[Sleepy]

@ Q8bunny: We’re in Alberta, which is why there’s been a bigger concern of it coming here. It MIGHT not but it might and we didn’t want to take the risk, since like you said it’s hard to get the vaccine here. If you’re in Ontario, though, I don’t think you have to worry that much since the spread has to get through four provinces to get to you 

@ bam: Thanks for sharing experience with it! We’re actually not supposed to hang around the clinic for the procedure, just because there’s so many buns and it’ll take hours, so it’s interesting to know how it works.

And will keep updated! Shots are on Friday, so it’s mostly been counting down the days and thinking of what we can do to make them comfortable for their appointment.

[Q8bunny]

Oh, that makes sense, then. You guys are a buffer province as far as the authorities are concerned.
Well, continued (((vibes))). Interested to hear how it all went down.

[Sleepy]

Update! Vaccination was yesterday (so many buns in one place) and buns seem to have mostly recovered.

They definitely weren’t happy with us and Guinness gave a lot of bun butt for the first few hours home, but she was pretty tired too. They didn’t eat much yesterday and their poops were a little small but today they seem to be mostly normal. There was a little bit of chasing when they first came home but I think they still seem like they’re bonded and just happy to be home.

Unfortunately, they also got their check up during the vaccination and the vet found their sore hocks looked concerning and Bleu gained weight. So we have to look into getting that fixed, but at least there’s no immediate side effects of vaccine so far.

[jerseygirl]

Oh good! Thanks for the update. It sounds like it was quite an event for the clinic!

It’s good the vet was able to give them a check over along with the vax jab.
Guiness is a rex isn’t she? Has she had some hock sores before? What type of flooring are the buns on?

[Q8bunny]

Really glad to hear it went well.

The best thing for sore hocks, in my experience, is very slowly bringing the bun down to lowest healthy weight, and adjusting the flooring. Plus massaging in Sudocrem or similar in the interim.

[Sleepy]

@jersey: They have pretty well-padded areas (lots of blankets and playmats) but the problem is their sore hocks came from before we adjusted the flooring of their run areas :/. They were starting to improve but the bald patches haven’t grown back so something caused the hocks to come back (possibly weight gain, int he case of Bleu).

@ Q8bunny: Thanks for tips! At the very least, they’re on a firm diet now. We’re getting the cream next week once clinic gets it so hoping next check up passes vet inspection.

[Q8bunny]

Just in case you’re ever in a bind, diaper rash cream from the baby aisle is great too.

[Author]

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