Two pet rabbits have died after being infected with a highly contagious virus recently detected in Ontario, raising concern among veterinarians and pet owners.
The rabbits were from the same household and were previously healthy, according to Dr. Jamie McGill Worsley, a veterinarian from Forest, Ontario, Lambton County.
The rabbits died quickly.
“This was devastating for the owner of a pet without warning and initially without understanding,” he said, “As we did the tests, we began to suspect more than perhaps this. [virus] that was the case. “
The samples were sent to a laboratory and earlier this month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed that it was the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV-2).
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said it was the first time RHDV-2 was detected in the province, although it had previously been found in BC and Alberta.
The source of the infection is unknown, the agency said.
“Immediately after that, the CFIA put a quarantine in place,” the agency said in a statement. “An investigation has been completed and no high-risk contacts have been identified that could lead to the spread of the disease from this premise. The CFIA is collaborating with the province and continues to monitor the situation.”
What is RHDV-2
According to the CFIA, the disease is highly contagious in wild and domestic rabbits. The virus does not affect other species.
People can pick up the virus on their shoes, or even on the tires of their vehicle, through the feces of an infected rabbit, McGill Worsley said.
That’s one of the reasons the virus is so worrisome, he said.
“It is very resistant to the environment. It is very easy to spread with microscopic amounts. And then, of course, the potential outcome of this virus, its impact on rabbits, whether wild or pets, is quite devastating. “said McGill Worsley, who has tightened disinfection protocols at his clinic because of the virus.
Dr. Jamie McGill Worsley of Forest Veterinary Clinic in Forest, Ontario, is shown with a pet rabbit at his clinic. (Submitted by Jamie McGill Worsley)
The CFIA said infected rabbits usually show symptoms in one to five days. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and neurological symptoms such as difficulty walking.
“Death is common after a short period of illness. Death can also occur suddenly without signs,” the CFIA said in a fact sheet on its website.
Rabbit owner Hazel Gabe of Ottawa is part of a Facebook group for rabbit owners where news of the virus has caused concern.
“People are very scared. People are very scared and nervous,” he said.
But for some, there is some relief, he said.
“Now that there have been some cases in Ontario, even though we hate that some rabbits have died and someone has probably lost their pet. But that means we may finally have access to the vaccine, because we have been asking for it for a long time. “
While other countries have vaccines that protect rabbits from the virus, none are available in Canada.
Hazel Gabe, who is shown with her pet rabbit, wants to see a vaccine against the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus become more available. (Sonya Varma / CBC)
In BC, where there have been outbreaks, the government waited until there were a number of cases before offering an organized vaccination program.
McGill Worsley suspects the case will be the same in Ontario. But at this point, clinics must apply for a special permit to import the vaccine from Spain or France, he said.
“It’s a bit of a process. I’ve worked in part myself … that way we can start protecting rabbits once we have permission from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to bring these vaccines here.”