Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2: Signs, Vaccine and What To Do

By Dr Duncan Houston

A rabbit that appeared normal yesterday and is found dead today is one of the most frightening situations an owner can experience.

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2, usually shortened to RHDV2, can cause sudden death with little or no visible warning. Blood around the nose is possible, but many affected rabbits never show this dramatic sign.

The disease spreads easily through rabbits, insects, shoes, clothing, bedding, hay, food, cages and equipment. That means even a rabbit living completely indoors is not automatically protected. (APHIS)

Quick Answer

RHDV2 is a highly contagious viral disease that causes severe liver injury, clotting failure and internal bleeding in domestic and wild rabbits and hares. Rabbits may develop fever, appetite loss, lethargy, breathing difficulty, neurological signs or sudden death, but some die before any illness is noticed.

There is no specific cure. Any suspected case or unexplained sudden rabbit death should be reported immediately through a veterinarian, and exposed rabbits should be isolated. Vaccination and strict biosecurity provide the strongest protection. (APHIS)

RHDV2 at a Glance

Question	Practical answer
What is it?	An acute viral hepatitis caused by a rabbit lagovirus
Which animals are affected?	Domestic, feral and wild rabbits and several hare species
Can young kits become sick?	Yes. RHDV2 can cause disease even in very young rabbits
Incubation period	Commonly around 3 to 9 days
Most important signs	Sudden death, fever, appetite loss, lethargy, breathing difficulty, convulsions, incoordination and bleeding
Can indoor rabbits catch it?	Yes, through contaminated people, insects, food, bedding and equipment
Is there a cure?	No specific antiviral cure
Is there a vaccine?	Yes, although products and schedules vary between countries
Can people catch it?	No recognised human infection
Is it reportable?	Yes in the United States, with requirements varying elsewhere

This summary reflects current USDA and World Organisation for Animal Health guidance. (APHIS)

What Is Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease?

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease is caused by pathogenic viruses within the genus Lagovirus and family Caliciviridae.

The two main disease groups are:

• Classical RHDV, often called RHDV1

• Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2, called RHDV2 or GI.2

RHDV2 emerged in Europe in 2010 and subsequently spread through Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. It has become particularly important because it affects a broader range of rabbit and hare species than classical RHDV. (WOAH)

How Is RHDV2 Different From Classical RHDV?

Feature	Classical RHDV	RHDV2
Main hosts	Primarily European rabbits	European rabbits plus several wild rabbit and hare species
Very young rabbits	Young kits often develop little or no disease	Severe disease and death can occur in very young kits
Geographical spread	Historically widespread	Now widely established across several continents
Vaccination	Requires a product covering the relevant classical strain	Requires RHDV2-specific or appropriately combined protection

Unlike classical RHDV, RHDV2 is not reliably mild in young rabbits. WOAH reports that clinical disease and mortality can occur in kits as young as approximately 7 to 15 days, so the old belief that rabbits under eight weeks are naturally protected is unsafe. (WOAH)

How Does RHDV2 Damage a Rabbit?

The virus primarily attacks the liver.

Severe liver-cell death can lead to:

• Sudden liver failure

• Abnormal blood clotting

• Bleeding into internal organs

• Lung congestion and respiratory compromise

• Circulatory collapse

• Neurological signs

• Death

The term “hemorrhagic” can be misleading because visible bleeding is not required. Much of the haemorrhage may be internal, and some rabbits simply become quiet, collapse and die. (APHIS)

How Contagious Is RHDV2?

RHDV2 is extremely contagious between susceptible rabbits.

The virus may be present in:

• Faeces

• Urine

• Respiratory secretions

• Blood

• Fur

• Carcasses

• Meat and tissues from infected rabbits

Transmission can occur through direct rabbit-to-rabbit contact or indirectly through contaminated objects and materials. (APHIS)

Common Indirect Sources

Potential sources include:

• Shoes and clothing

• Hands and gloves

• Carriers and cages

• Food and water bowls

• Litter trays

• Grooming equipment

• Bedding and hay

• Outdoor grass or branches

• Vehicle tyres

• Flies, fleas and other insects

• Wild rabbits or their carcasses

• Predators, scavengers and birds moving contaminated material

A person does not need to touch a sick rabbit directly to bring contaminated material home. (APHIS)

Can Indoor Rabbits Get RHDV2?

Yes.

Indoor housing reduces contact with wild rabbits, but it does not eliminate exposure from:

• Outdoor shoes

• Clothing worn around rabbits or wildlife

• Insects entering the home

• Contaminated hay or bedding

• Foraged plants

• New rabbits

• Veterinary clinics, boarding facilities or rabbit events

• Carriers and equipment used outside the home

Indoor status should therefore be considered one layer of protection, not a replacement for vaccination and biosecurity. (APHIS)

How Long Can RHDV2 Survive in the Environment?

RHD viruses are unusually resistant outside the body.

USDA guidance reports that viable virus may remain for up to approximately three months on cloth at room temperature and in infected carcass tissue under field conditions. Survival is influenced by temperature, moisture, organic matter and the surface involved. (APHIS)

This explains why an enclosure can remain dangerous even after the visibly sick rabbit has been removed.

It also explains why:

• Cleaning must occur before disinfection

• Porous objects may need to be discarded

• Carcasses require controlled disposal

• A known contaminated premises may require a formal fallow period

Can Dogs, Cats or People Catch RHDV2?

RHDV2 is not recognised as a disease of people, dogs, cats or other non-lagomorph mammals.

However, other animals can move contaminated material on:

• Feet

• Fur

• Mouths

• Collars

• Bedding

• Outdoor equipment

A dog investigating a dead wild rabbit cannot become ill from RHDV2, but may potentially carry contaminated biological material back towards domestic rabbits. (APHIS)

What Are the Signs of RHDV2?

The presentation varies from sudden death to a short period of serious illness.

Peracute Disease

The rabbit may:

• Appear normal beforehand

• Suddenly collapse

• Develop terminal convulsions

• Be found dead without prior signs

This is one of the most common and difficult presentations because owners receive no meaningful warning. (APHIS)

Acute Disease

Possible signs include:

• Fever

• Sudden appetite loss

• Marked lethargy

• Hiding or reduced responsiveness

• Rapid or difficult breathing

• Loss of coordination

• Tremors or convulsions

• Paddling movements

• Blood around the nose

• Blood in the stool

• Bleeding within the eyes

• Yellow discoloration associated with liver dysfunction

• Collapse

Death commonly occurs within one to three days after obvious signs begin. (APHIS)

Subacute or Less Severe Disease

Some rabbits may develop:

• Mild appetite reduction

• Temporary lethargy

• Fever

• Reduced activity

• A slower recovery over several days

Survival is possible, but an apparently improving rabbit may remain infectious and still require official disease-control management. (APHIS)

Does Every Rabbit With RHDV2 Bleed From the Nose?

No.

A blood-stained nose is memorable, but its absence does not rule RHDV2 out.

Many affected rabbits show only:

• Sudden death

• Appetite loss

• Lethargy

• Breathing difficulty

• Neurological signs

• Collapse

Waiting to see blood before taking the disease seriously can delay reporting and expose more rabbits. (APHIS)

Can Rabbits Recover From RHDV2?

Some rabbits survive subacute or less severe infection, but survival does not immediately make them safe to reintroduce to other rabbits.

The WOAH Terrestrial Code uses an infective period of 60 days for RHD disease-control purposes. Individual shedding and risk may vary, but surviving or exposed rabbits should be managed under veterinary and animal-health authority guidance rather than returned quickly to a negative group. (WOAH)

It is more accurate to speak about a period of continuing infectious risk than to claim that every survivor becomes a lifelong carrier.

Is RHDV2 Still Present in the United States?

Yes.

USDA APHIS describes RHDV2 outbreaks as ongoing in the United States. Its wildlife surveillance programme reported detections in wild lagomorph populations across at least 14 states as of January 2026, and the geographical situation continues to change. (APHIS)

Owners should not rely on an old list naming only Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Local disease status should be checked with the relevant state animal-health or wildlife authority.

How Worried Should You Be?

Exposure Concern, Rabbit Appears Well

Examples include:

• A wild rabbit died near the property

• The rabbit attended a show, boarding facility or clinic with a suspected case

• A new rabbit came from an affected premises

• Contaminated equipment was shared

• A household member handled wild rabbits

Action: Physically isolate the exposed rabbit, stop rabbit movements and call a rabbit-experienced veterinarian for regional guidance. Do not wait for visible illness before starting biosecurity.

Early Clinical Concern

The rabbit develops:

• Appetite reduction

• Lethargy

• Fever

• Unusual hiding

• Rapid breathing

• Sudden behavioural change

Action: Contact a veterinarian immediately and explain that RHDV2 is a possibility before transporting the rabbit.

High Concern

The rabbit has:

• Complete appetite loss

• Difficult breathing

• Loss of coordination

• Tremors

• Convulsions

• Blood around the nose

• Blood in faeces

• Rapid deterioration

Action: Treat this as an emergency and a potential infectious-disease event.

Critical

The rabbit:

• Collapses

• Is minimally responsive

• Develops severe respiratory distress

• Has repeated seizures

• Dies suddenly

• Is one of several rabbits becoming ill or dying

Action: Stop all movement of rabbits, carcasses and equipment. Contact a veterinarian and the appropriate animal-health authority immediately. Do not dispose of the body until instructions have been provided. (APHIS)

What Else Can Cause Sudden Illness or Death in a Rabbit?

RHDV2 is not the only possible diagnosis.

Important alternatives include:

Possible condition	Overlapping signs
Heatstroke	Rapid breathing, weakness, collapse and sudden death
Gastrointestinal obstruction or severe stasis	Appetite loss, lethargy, abdominal pain and rapid decline
Toxicosis	Tremors, seizures, breathing difficulty or sudden death
Severe bacterial infection	Fever, lethargy, respiratory signs and collapse
Myxomatosis	Fever, swollen eyelids, nasal disease and high mortality where present
Trauma	Internal bleeding, collapse or sudden death
Cardiac disease	Weakness, breathing difficulty, collapse or sudden death
Encephalitozoon cuniculi or inner-ear disease	Incoordination, head tilt and neurological signs
Pregnancy toxemia	Weakness, respiratory difficulty and death in pregnant does
Other clotting or liver disorders	Bruising, bleeding, lethargy and weakness

Rabbits also hide illness exceptionally well, so an owner may only recognise a problem after it has become advanced. Sudden death or multiple affected rabbits should move RHDV2 much higher on the list, even when another explanation appears possible. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

When Is This an Emergency?

RHDV2 should be treated as an emergency when a rabbit develops:

• Sudden collapse

• Open-mouth or severely laboured breathing

• Convulsions

• Loss of coordination

• Blood from the nose or mouth

• Black or bloody faeces

• Extreme lethargy

• Complete refusal of food

• Rapid deterioration over hours

• Sudden death

• Similar illness in another rabbit

Call the veterinary clinic before arriving. Turning up unannounced with a potentially infected rabbit could expose rabbits in the waiting room, hospital and surrounding community. (APHIS)

What To Do Right Now

1. Isolate the Rabbit

Move the rabbit away from every other rabbit.

Use dedicated:

• Food and water bowls

• Litter tray

• Cleaning tools

• Carrier

• Towels

• Gloves

• Clothing where practical

Do not move another rabbit into the same room simply because they have already had brief contact.

2. Call Before Transporting

Tell the veterinarian:

• RHDV2 is suspected

• What signs are present

• Whether another rabbit has died

• Whether the rabbit is vaccinated

• Whether wild rabbits have been nearby

• Whether the rabbit recently attended a clinic, show, rescue or boarding facility

• How many rabbits have been exposed

The clinic may arrange outdoor transfer, direct entry into isolation or referral to an approved facility.

3. Stop Rabbit Movements

Do not:

• Sell or rehome rabbits

• Attend shows

• Send rabbits to boarding

• Breed exposed rabbits

• Move equipment to another household

• Share hay, litter or cages

• Bring in another rabbit

Even apparently healthy exposed rabbits may be incubating infection.

4. Avoid Handling Other Rabbits

After caring for the suspect rabbit:

• Remove gloves carefully

• Wash hands thoroughly

• Change clothing

• Change or disinfect footwear

• Avoid entering another rabbit area

• Keep dogs, cats and children away from the isolation area

5. Do Not Dispose of a Dead Rabbit

Contact your veterinarian or animal-health authority before moving, burying or cremating the body.

Depending on local instructions, you may be asked to:

• Wear disposable gloves

• Place the body inside two sealed bags

• Disinfect the outer bag

• Refrigerate rather than freeze the body

• Await official testing or disposal instructions

USDA specifically advises owners not to dispose of a suspected carcass without consultation. Washington guidance, for example, instructs owners to double-bag and refrigerate suspect bodies while awaiting direction. (APHIS)

6. Do Not Begin a Major Cleanup Until You Have Advice

The veterinarian or authority may need information about:

• Where the rabbit was housed

• Which materials were shared

• Possible exposure routes

• Other animals at risk

• Samples required for testing

Remove immediate hazards, but do not discard every potentially relevant object or carcass before reporting the event.

7. Do Not Try Home Treatment

There is no herbal remedy, supplement, antibiotic or home disinfectant that treats RHDV2 inside the rabbit.

Do not force-feed a rabbit that is:

• Convulsing

• Collapsed

• Severely breathless

• Unable to swallow

• Minimally responsive

Stabilisation and infection control come first.

How Is RHDV2 Diagnosed?

Clinical signs alone cannot confirm RHDV2.

Diagnosis involves:

• History and exposure assessment

• Physical examination where safe

• Necropsy findings

• Detection of viral nucleic acid or antigen in approved laboratory samples

• Official laboratory confirmation

The liver commonly shows severe necrosis and haemorrhage. Other organs may contain widespread bleeding caused by clotting failure. (APHIS)

In the United States, testing for suspected domestic cases is coordinated through accredited veterinarians, state animal-health officials and approved laboratories. Wild rabbit testing is managed through designated wildlife laboratories. (APHIS)

Is RHDV2 Reportable?

In the United States, suspected and confirmed cases must be reported to federal and state animal-health officials.

Veterinary professionals should follow both national and state reporting requirements. Rabbit owners should contact their veterinarian rather than attempting to arrange laboratory testing independently. (APHIS)

Reporting requirements differ between countries, but RHD is an internationally listed disease under WOAH standards. (WOAH)

Can RHDV2 Be Treated?

There is no specific antiviral cure.

Veterinary treatment may include intensive supportive measures such as:

• Oxygen

• Fluid therapy

• Thermal support

• Pain relief

• Seizure control

• Nutritional support when swallowing is safe

• Management of shock

• Treatment of secondary complications

Unfortunately, severe disease often progresses faster than supportive treatment can reverse the liver failure and clotting disturbance. (APHIS)

A rabbit that survives still requires an official isolation and follow-up plan.

Is an RHDV2 Vaccine Available?

Current United States Vaccine Status

The United States has a domestically produced, conditionally licensed RHDV2 vaccine manufactured by Medgene Labs.

Its official product description is:

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Vaccine, Serotype 2, Killed Baculovirus Vector.

It is a recombinant, non-live RHDV2 vaccine and cannot give a rabbit Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. Availability and administration remain subject to veterinary and regional requirements. (APHIS)

What Is the Initial Vaccine Schedule?

The USDA licensing safety study used:

1. One subcutaneous dose

2. A second subcutaneous dose three weeks later

Protection is generally considered established approximately 14 days after the second injection. (APHIS)

Until the complete initial series has been given and enough time has passed for immunity to develop, the rabbit should not be treated as fully protected.

Is an Annual Booster Needed?

Current rabbit health guidance commonly recommends:

• Two initial doses three weeks apart

• One booster each year thereafter

The exact timing should still follow the current product instructions and your veterinarian’s regional advice, particularly if a dose is overdue or the rabbit’s previous vaccine history is unclear. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Vaccine schedules outside the United States differ because other products may cover RHDV1, RHDV2, myxomatosis or combinations of these diseases.

How Effective Is the Vaccine?

In a peer-reviewed, manufacturer-partnered challenge study, rabbits received the initial Medgene vaccine series and were exposed to RHDV2 six months later.

All vaccinated rabbits survived, while 18 of 19 unvaccinated control rabbits died. This supports strong protection against fatal disease for at least six months after the primary course under the study conditions. (PubMed)

No vaccine should be described as a force field. Vaccinated rabbits still require biosecurity because:

• Immunity takes time to develop

• No biological product protects every individual perfectly

• Vaccine status may lapse

• Rabbits can carry contaminated material on fur or feet

• Other infectious diseases remain possible

What Side Effects Can Occur?

USDA’s field safety study included 638 vaccinated rabbits.

Reported vaccine-associated concerns were uncommon, with small local injection-site reactions occurring in a minority of rabbits. Local swelling, crusting or hair changes may persist for several days in some individuals. Mild temporary lethargy or reduced appetite is also possible after vaccination. (APHIS)

Contact the administering veterinarian if the rabbit develops:

• Severe facial swelling

• Breathing difficulty

• Collapse

• Persistent appetite loss

• A painful or enlarging injection-site mass

• Marked lethargy lasting beyond the expected post-vaccine period

Should Indoor Rabbits Be Vaccinated?

Vaccination should be discussed even for indoor rabbits.

Their risk may come from:

• Shoes

• Clothing

• Hay and bedding

• Insects

• Veterinary visits

• New rabbits

• Household pets carrying environmental material

• Rabbit carers who have visited another rabbit home

Routine rabbit-care guidance identifies RHDV2 vaccination as especially important for rabbits with outdoor access or contact with other rabbits, but indirect transmission means indoor rabbits are not risk-free. (Merck Veterinary Manual)

Can the Vaccine Treat an Exposed or Sick Rabbit?

No.

Vaccination is preventive. It does not reverse active liver damage or immediately protect a rabbit already incubating disease.

If a rabbit has known exposure, is unwell or belongs to a group experiencing sudden deaths, contact the veterinarian and animal-health authority before assuming routine vaccination is the correct immediate step.

How Can You Protect Your Rabbit at Home?

Keep Rabbits Indoors Where Practical

Indoor housing reduces direct contact with:

• Wild rabbits

• Wild rabbit faeces

• Insects

• Contaminated soil

• Outdoor carcasses

• Predators and scavengers

Indoor rabbits should still receive appropriate exercise, enrichment and social care.

Use a No-Shoes Rabbit Area

Outdoor shoes can carry contaminated soil, faeces and biological material.

Practical options include:

• Leaving outdoor shoes at the entrance

• Using rabbit-room footwear

• Cleaning footwear after hiking or visiting rabbit facilities

• Keeping outdoor clothing away from rabbit housing

Wash Hands Between Rabbits

Wash before and after:

• Handling rabbits

• Cleaning litter trays

• Preparing food

• Administering medication

• Handling hay or bedding

• Visiting another rabbit household

Hand hygiene is particularly important when caring for quarantined or newly acquired rabbits.

Control Insects

Use:

• Intact window screens

• Fly-control measures

• Clean litter management

• Covered waste bins

• Prompt removal of spoiled food

• Veterinarian-approved parasite prevention where appropriate

Insects can act as mechanical vectors by moving contaminated material between rabbits. (APHIS)

Be Careful With Outdoor Forage

In affected regions, grass, weeds, leaves and branches collected outdoors may have been contaminated by wild rabbits or insects.

Do not rely on washing alone to sterilise potentially contaminated forage. Commercial hay, greens and bedding should be sourced carefully and stored where wild rabbits, rodents and insects cannot access them.

Quarantine New Rabbits Properly

A meaningful quarantine requires more than putting the new rabbit in another cage beside the established group.

Use:

• A separate room where possible

• Separate litter, bowls and cleaning tools

• Separate clothing or gloves

• Daily health and weight monitoring

• Vaccination planning

• Veterinary examination

• No direct nose-to-nose contact

There is no single quarantine period that guarantees freedom from RHDV2 after known exposure. Official standards use an infective period of up to 60 days, so high-risk exposure requires an individual plan from the relevant authority. (WOAH)

Be Cautious With Rabbit Gatherings

Shows, boarding, rescue intakes, grooming events and social meetings can bring rabbits and equipment from several households together.

Before attending, confirm:

• Vaccine requirements

• Time since the final primary dose or booster

• Recent disease reports

• Cleaning protocols

• Whether rabbits share surfaces

• Whether unvaccinated rabbits will be present

• How sick animals would be isolated

How Should an RHDV2-Contaminated Area Be Cleaned?

Cleaning and disinfection are different steps.

Step 1: Remove Organic Material

First remove:

• Faeces

• Urine-soaked bedding

• Fur

• Hay

• Food

• Soil

• Blood

• Carcass material

• Visible debris

Disinfectant cannot work reliably through a layer of organic contamination. (APHIS)

Step 2: Wash

Wash hard surfaces thoroughly with detergent and potable water.

Rinse and allow them to dry before applying the selected disinfectant.

Step 3: Use an Effective Disinfectant

USDA guidance identifies products based on:

• Sodium hypochlorite, meaning household bleach at an appropriate labelled dilution

• One percent potassium peroxymonosulfate products

• Accelerated hydrogen peroxide products

The product must be suitable for the surface and effective against RHDV2 or an accepted viral surrogate such as feline calicivirus. (APHIS)

Step 4: Respect Contact Time

The surface must stay visibly wet for the complete labelled contact time.

Depending on the product, USDA guidance has used approximately:

• Five minutes for selected bleach and accelerated hydrogen peroxide protocols

• Ten minutes for one percent potassium peroxymonosulfate

Always follow the current product label because formulations and concentrations differ. (APHIS)

Step 5: Rinse and Dry

Food bowls, water containers and rabbit-contact surfaces should be rinsed where required and allowed to dry fully before reuse.

Never mix disinfectants. In particular, never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or other cleaning products.

What About Wood, Fabric and Other Porous Items?

Porous objects are difficult to disinfect reliably.

During a confirmed outbreak, it may be safer to discard:

• Wooden hutches

• Cardboard

• Untreated wood

• Fabric bedding

• Rope toys

• Porous hides

• Deeply contaminated carpet

• Soil and organic substrate

USDA guidance advises discarding heavily contaminated wood and other materials where reliable cleaning is not possible. (APHIS)

Is Sodium Hydroxide or Formalin Appropriate at Home?

No.

Although caustic chemicals may appear in agricultural disease-control documents, sodium hydroxide and formalin present serious risks to:

• Skin

• Eyes

• Airways

• Rabbits

• Children

• Household surfaces

Pet owners should use a properly labelled, veterinary-approved product and follow official instructions rather than improvising with highly hazardous industrial chemicals.

Is a Fallow Period Needed?

After a confirmed outbreak, authorities may recommend leaving the area without rabbits after cleaning and disinfection.

The required period depends on:

• The amount of contamination

• Surface type

• Whether porous structures remain

• Environmental conditions

• Quality of cleaning

• Local disease-control requirements

USDA guidance notes that complicated premises may require a fallow period of at least 90 days, but the final duration should be directed by the state or national animal-health authority. (APHIS)

Common RHDV2 Mistakes

Waiting for Blood To Appear

Many infected rabbits die without visible bleeding.

Assuming an Indoor Rabbit Is Safe

Shoes, clothing, insects, hay and new rabbits can all bring contamination indoors.

Transporting a Sick Rabbit Without Calling Ahead

This may expose other rabbits at the veterinary clinic.

Disposing of the Body Immediately

A carcass may be needed for testing, and inappropriate burial or disposal may spread contamination.

Using an Ordinary Household Cleaner

Many general cleaners do not reliably inactivate hardy non-enveloped viruses.

Vaccinating but Ignoring Biosecurity

Vaccination is the strongest preventive tool, but it does not make contaminated shoes, shared cages and wild-rabbit contact irrelevant.

Introducing a New Rabbit Immediately

A healthy appearance does not guarantee that the rabbit is not incubating or carrying infection.

Cleaning Before Reporting a Suspected Outbreak

Important samples, exposure information or contaminated materials may be lost before officials can assess the situation.

How Can RHDV2 Be Prevented?

The strongest protection comes from combining several measures:

1. Vaccinate according to current veterinary guidance.

2. Keep pet rabbits separated from wild rabbits and hares.

3. Maintain a closed rabbit household where practical.

4. Quarantine new rabbits properly.

5. Use dedicated equipment for each rabbit group.

6. Remove outdoor footwear before entering rabbit areas.

7. Control flies, fleas and other insects.

8. Avoid feeding potentially contaminated outdoor forage.

9. Check local RHDV2 alerts before travel, boarding or events.

10. Report unexplained rabbit deaths immediately.

No single measure is perfect. Vaccination provides the central defence, while biosecurity reduces the chance that the virus reaches the rabbit in the first place. (APHIS)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people catch RHDV2?

No recognised human infection has been reported. People can still carry the virus mechanically on clothing, footwear, hands and equipment. (WOAH)

Can dogs and cats become sick from RHDV2?

They are not considered susceptible to RHDV2 disease. They may, however, move contaminated material on their feet or fur after contact with infected rabbits or carcasses. (WSDA)

Can a vaccinated rabbit still get RHDV2?

No vaccine provides a perfect guarantee, but current vaccine studies show strong protection against fatal disease. Protection also takes time to develop, and overdue vaccination may leave immunity incomplete. (PubMed)

Is blood from the nose always present?

No. Sudden death, appetite loss, lethargy, breathing difficulty or neurological signs may occur without visible blood. (APHIS)

How long can RHDV2 live on objects?

Survival depends on the material and environment, but USDA guidance reports viability for up to approximately three months on cloth and within infected carcass tissue under some conditions. (APHIS)

Should I vaccinate immediately after a known exposure?

Contact your veterinarian and animal-health authority first. Vaccination is preventive and does not treat a rabbit already incubating active disease.

Final Thoughts

RHDV2 is dangerous because it combines three difficult features:

1. It can kill rapidly.

2. It can spread without direct rabbit-to-rabbit contact.

3. The first visible sign may be sudden death.

The most important protective steps are vaccination, early reporting and disciplined biosecurity.

Do not wait for blood at the nose. Do not assume an indoor rabbit cannot be exposed. Do not move a sick rabbit or dispose of a carcass without speaking to a veterinarian first.

A rabbit that is vaccinated, housed safely and protected from contaminated equipment, insects and new arrivals has a far better chance of avoiding this devastating disease.

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ASK A VET™ can help you organise vaccination records, exposure history, rabbit contacts and biosecurity concerns while you contact your local rabbit veterinarian. Sudden death, bleeding, convulsions, collapse or breathing difficulty still requires immediate hands-on veterinary and animal-health authority involvement.