Another vaccine clinic went into operation Tuesday in Deerfield Beach, but this one didn’t involve COVID. It involved rabbits.
The threat was a lethal, incurable illness that’s swept the United States, including Florida, called rabbit hemorrhagic disease.
Rising to the rabbits’ defense was Dr. Susan Kelleher, an exotic animal veterinarian whose adventures in treating lizards, squirrel monkeys and other unusual pets have made her a TV star. Thanks to her efforts, about 40 pet rabbits can stop worrying about the disease (or at least their owners can).
It was the veterinarian’s fourth vaccination clinic, and she plans to host others at her Broward Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital in Deerfield Beach.
Kelleher is the star of “Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER” on the Nat Geo Wild network, which follows her work treating lemurs, monkeys, pot-bellied, pigs and, of course, rabbits. The show started in 2014, and follows Kelleher, known as “Dr. K,” as she treats her patients. The new season premiered on Jan. 10 on Nat Geo Wild.
The consequences of this disease for rabbits can be grave. An outbreak in China in 1984 killed 14 million domestic rabbits in nine months.
Two cases of RHDV2, the strain most common in the United States, have been detected in domestic rabbits in Florida, most recently in St. Johns County, the northeast part of the state that contains St. Augustine.
Although typically spread through wild rabbit populations, the disease has been detected in Florida only in domestic rabbits. Kelleher said its possible the virus arrived in Florida through rabbit breeders clandestinely moving animals across the nation.
The disease causes bleeding from the nose and mouth, and then death.
“Really bad stuff,” Kelleher said.
There’s no cure.
“Most of the rabbits that get it die from it,” said Dr. Nelly Amador-Jehn, the state veterinarian for Florida.
RHDV is transmitted through bodily secretions such as saliva, through hair, bedding or feces.
“We worry about bringing it in on our shoes,” Kelleher said.
There’s even concern RHDV could be spread through hay from states that have a big wild rabbit population.
“It’s life and death that rabbits eat hay,” Kelleher said. “It’s the most critical, important part of their diet.”
Each vial contains 50 doses that must be used within two hours of opening, so the rabbits must be lined up and vaccinated quickly.
The rabbits are observed for 15 minutes after their vaccination, and also get a microchip implanted.
Kelleher said RHDV started domestically in California. However, it’s been detected in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Georgia as well as northern Mexico and Cuba.
The state’s website has specific requirements for rabbits in Florida. If the rabbit comes from a non-affected state a health certificate is required within 30 days. If it comes from an infected state a health certificate is required within 72 hours.
As for the chances of a rabbit purchased at a pet store having the virus because it was formerly a wild rabbit, it’s remote. Pet store rabbits come from other domesticated or imported rabbits.
“Wild rabbits are a little harder to catch and they’re feral,” Amador-Jehn said. “And they have a very different look.”
Amador-Jehn said there aren’t any cases of rabbits passing the virus to other animals. But it’s usually bad news if a rabbit gets the virus.
“It is possible for a rabbit to be infected and survive,” she said, “but the majority, I would say, would die from it.”
