An overview of rabbit diseases and their current vaccination protocols

In 2021 there were 900 000 pet rabbits living in the UK, and 2% of adults owned a rabbit (PDSA, 2021). According to the PAW report 2021, a higher proportion had been neutered and were insured in 2021, while the proportion that have received regular boosters had decreased when compared with pre-pandemic levels (PDSA, 2021) — 50% (450 000 rabbits) are not receiving regular boosters (higher than pre-pandemic levels — 42% in February 2020). There are a number of viral diseases against which rabbits should be vaccinated, including myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD).

Myxomatosis is a disease caused by the myxoma virus that was first recognised in a laboratory in 1896 where it killed European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). It was originally introduced to wild rabbits in Australia in the 1950s as a means of managing the growing populations that were considered a pest species, and eventually spread across Europe and by 1953 Britain, rapidly killing tens of millions of animals. Many people in agricultural business and forestry, welcomed the disease as a pest control on rabbit populations. But others such as those that hunted the species for meat and fur deplored the virus as it resulted in loss of income for their business (Bartrip, 2008).