![]() Kopp said there are likely tens of thousands of pet bunnies in Nashville alone but it is hard to say exactly how many because so few rabbit owners bring their pets to see the vet on a regular basis. So it's almost impossible to test for it." All it takes is just a few individual pieces of the virus to get the bunny sick. "But again, we can't - no one can guarantee it. "There are some companies that are doing their part they're trying to keep the hay - they’re trying to hold back the hay for several months and hopes that when it gets to the consumer, it won't have any virus," Kopp said. He said owners need to watch where the hay they feed their bunny is coming from to avoid infection. So it's getting all over those hayfields, and then it can spread very easily to our state."Ĭlaire Kopsky Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital Veterinarian Dr. And that's where they have it in the wildlife population. "The virus survives so long on hay, toys, other products, and most of that stuff is made in the Midwest. "We're going to have it going in our wild population of rabbits, which means it's much easier to bring it on your shoes, it's much easier to bring into the house and that could then lead to major disease in your bunny and then potentially cause loss of life," Kopp said. He said the major concern is how RHDV2 is spreading. If you've raised just like a dog or a cat. Not something anyone wants to go through. You walk in and your bunny's, bleeding from the nose and passed away. ![]() He said the only symptom is bleeding from the nose, but usually it is just acute death. "Then just a week ago it was confirmed here and in the state of Tennessee." "We started to get alarmed when it started to pop up in places that wasn't typically popping up," said, Kopp who explained the disease has killed bunnies in Texas, California, Washington, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Kopp said the disease started in Europe several years prior and has been spreading across the U.S. So the vaccine appears to be quite safe at this point, and much, much safer than getting the disease itself."Ĭlaire Kopsky A Nashville veterinarian said all bunnies are at risk for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease 2 and 95% of rabbit die if infected. "But at least the bunnies that we've vaccinated and the bunnies that I've heard about vaccinated, there's been no major adverse effects. Some people report a little bit of lethargy or just not quite feeling quite as good for a day or so," Kopp said. "We did sometimes see a little lump where they gave the vaccine. Kopp is a veterinarian at Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital in Antioch and went through the process to be one of a growing list of vets in the state able to administer the two-shot vaccine to rabbits to fight RHDV2. Logan Kopp, DVM who said bunnies are the third most popular pet behind cats and dogs. ![]() "It is near certain that if the bunny gets the disease, I mean, 95-upwards of 95% ," said Dr. (WTVF) - After deadly cases of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease 2 (RHDV2) were found in Eastern Tennessee Friday, a veterinarian in Nashville speaks out encouraging all bunny owners to get their pets vaccinated before it is too late.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |