Hello to all
We are new rabbit owners (two Dutch does) collected today. When we collected them the breeder treated both with a drop of "mite treatment" by Pharmaq and advised that we repeat every 2-3 months.

My question is this: Is this sensible as a precaution?

Secondly when should we take the buns to the vets for their jabs. I saw a recent post on myxomatosis and don't want ours to suffer the same. We asked the breeder and she advised that we don't need to have any jabs unless near to wild rabbits. I am not sure as understand the disease is carried on mosquiteos or similar.

Apart from that all looks well the buns seem happy and healthy.

Thanks

Hey there,

Firstly, so long as your rabbits are kept clean and healthy you shouldn't need to give them mite treatment as a precaution.

You are right in thinking that you should get vaccinations, you will need to get myxi every 6 months and VHD (ask your vet if they can use Lapinject as Cylap can cause reactions ) once a year
Also I would highly recommend give your rabbits a 28 day course of Panacur (bleaching their enclosure on days 21 & 28) 2 to 3 times a year to prevent E Cuniculi (E.C)
I think you can vaccinate from 10 weeks

Also have you thought about neutering your does? Something like 80% of does can get uterine cancer, so neutering has health benefits

Now all that is out of the way, I can't wait to see pics of your new arrivals

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Thanks for your reply and sound advice. We will speak to a vet this week and make the appointments.

As for pics - we will post them later (took some really nice pics today).

The buns are enjoying their new surroundings and have been skipping about in their run! So far so good.

Cheers again!

Update - been to the vets and now booked in for health check then we start on the jabs and operations

As for pics well here is one showing them nice and relaxed!

Attached Images

Rabbits Aug 2010 016.jpg (103.4 KB, 23 views)

mmmm chocolate what a lovely pair

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what gorgeous dutches. the chocolate is adorable.

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I OWN A CHOCOLATE ROAN COCKER SPANIEL
RIP David xx Run free at the bridge. Love you always xx 19th February 2011
RIP Jack and Mickey xx Run free at the bridge. Love you forever xx 20th June 2011

Our vet told us that we didn't need to get our rabbits vaccinated against VHD. He said he's never known a case of it in York, but would have recommended it if we lived in Harrogate. Has anyone else been told they don't need VHD injections for their rabbits?

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that is very dangerous. ALWAYS vaccinate your rabbits against both diseases, even if there isn't a case of it. My vet said they had never had a case of VHD but the point is that VHD is sudden death and most people wouldn't bother taking them to the vet to find out how they died, they would just bury them, so the vets rarely see cases of VHD.

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I OWN A CHOCOLATE ROAN COCKER SPANIEL
RIP David xx Run free at the bridge. Love you always xx 19th February 2011
RIP Jack and Mickey xx Run free at the bridge. Love you forever xx 20th June 2011

Yeah my vet said that they haven't really seen any cases of VHD, but as you said that doesn't mean that there isn't any, so it is always best to vaccinate just in case

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The thing with VHD is that it kills within 24 hours and you'll never even know the rabbit is ill till its dead and then bury in the garden rather than taking to a vet to find out the reason for death. A rabbit with VHD will more than likely just drop down dead and only after death are there any signs of illness, usually blood coming from the nose and mouth. Basically VHD has a 99% mortality rate because it kills so fast and theres no cure once a rabbit has it.

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