Rabbit owners told by vets to vaccinate their pets after beloved bunnies die of contagious virus that can kill 'within 24 hours'

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease variant two (RHD2) is highly contagious, has few symptoms, and proves fatal in most cases.

Rabbit owners have been advised to have their precious pets vaccinated against the strain after three female rabbits are reported to have died from it in Blackpool last week.

Anna Ewers Clark, who is a vet for the PDSA, said: “RHD2 is a virus that targets rabbits specifically and attacks the vital organs in the body and leads to bleeding. In many cases it’s a fatal disease and it can be very quickly fatal, within 24 hours, so often there is very little warning for the owners.

“Some rabbits do pull through with intensive treatment, but it’s a very, very small number, especially because the disease causes such a severe reaction. By the time they have got the virus, it’s often too late.

"The good news is that we do have a vaccine. There are two different strains of RHD and they have two vaccines combined into one jab that will cover the rabbit for both strains. The best way to protect your rabbit is to get them vaccinated.

"We do recommend the vaccine for both indoor and outdoor rabbits because there are various ways the disease can spread. It can spread from rabbit to rabbit, but also through flies, cats and dogs, and things that infected rabbits have touched, such as grass.

"We are seeing less cases as more rabbits are vaccinated, so we are hopeful that by increasing awareness about the vaccine we will see even less."

She added that people who may struggle to have their pets vaccinated during the lockdown could still take measures to protect their rabbits, such as keeping them clean and in a secure area where they won't come into contact with wild rabbits. Any new rabbits should be kept in a 10-day quarantine away from existing pets to ensure they are not infected.

Wendy Mulela, founder of Blackpool animal rescue group Homeward Bound, said: “People need to be aware that this is something they need to vaccinate against, because it’s very contagious and if they catch it they very quickly die.

“Like a pathogen, it stays in the environment and everywhere must be disinfected and sterilised until you can be sure it’s gone. One lady whose rabbits died of it has thrown away the hutches, the runs, everything. She’s had to disinfect her whole garden.”