National Pet Vaccination Month
March is National Pet Vaccination Month! Is it time for your rabbit’s annual RHDV2 vaccine? If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, get your rabbit vaccinated at House Rabbit Society! We’re continuing to offer our monthly low-cost RHDV2 vaccination clinics at our facility in Richmond, California. Schedule your vaccine appointment now. (Note: Please fill out both the intake form as well as schedule your appointment.) Up-to-date vaccination is required to participate in HRS services such as grooming, boarding, and speed dating, without exception.
As of August 1st, 2024, according to rhdv2.org, RHDV2 has been confirmed in 29 U.S. states with cases involving domestic, feral, and wild rabbits and hares. Additional cases have recently been detected in Ontario and Alberta, Canada.
Even indoor-only rabbits are at risk of RHDV2, since the virus can be transferred to them by people (on their shoes and clothes), other animals (including dogs and cats, especially if they go outside), and even insects. The most important thing you can do to protect your rabbit is to get them vaccinated.
We use Medgene Lab’s RHDV2 vaccine. This is a 2-shot vaccine series consisting of the initial vaccination and a booster vaccination 21 days later. BOTH shots are required for vaccine efficacy. Full efficacy for this vaccine is 14 days after the second shot. The cost is $30 per shot. For rabbits who previously received the Medgene vaccine, and whose coverage hasn’t lapsed, they only need a single booster shot.
The Medgene RHDV2 vaccine is safe and effective. So far, Medgene safety testing studies report only rare instances of swelling at the injection site which resolve within 48 hours. Other possible side effects are a temporary slight fever and/or lethargy for 1-2 days. Notably, the Medgene vaccine is a recombinant vaccine, which means it doesn’t need rabbits to make it. Those who love rabbits can breathe easier knowing Medgene’s vaccine is available to protect our rabbits from this terrible virus.
RHDV2 is a serious and extremely contagious disease. Rabbits of all ages are affected by RHDV2. House Rabbit Society strongly encourages rabbit guardians to vaccinate their rabbits.