Urgent vaccination

 The rabbit plague is near

Dansk version

I torsdags (26.08.2021) kom nyheden om, at kaninpesten var faretruende tæt på, hvor vi bor. Kaninerne var endnu ikke vaccineret, så Shania og jeg blev meget hurtigt bekymrede for, om vi skulle lade kaninerne blive vaccineret. Vi opvejede mulighederne, og kom frem til den konklusion, at selvom kaninerne er meget isoleret for andre kaniner og andre dyr, og vi sørger for god hygiejne, så ville det altså ikke være nok til at vi ikke ville tænke over det hele tiden. Vi var simpelthen for bange for, hvad der kunne ske, hvis de først fik sygdommen. 

For lige kort at forklare, hvad det helt præcist er, at jeg snakker om, så vil jeg lige starte med at sige at kaninpest eller myxomatose, som er det videnskabelige navn for virussen, er en meget smitsom sygdom, der rammer kaniner, tamme såvel som vilde, og endda også harer. Det er en virus, der kan smitte via blodsugende insekter som myg, det kan smitte hvis kaninen har været i direkte kontakt med en kanin eller en hare, der er smittet, det kan sidde i tøj, og den kan sågar smitte, hvis man, som ejer, har været i kontakt med en syg kanin eller hare. Det er en meget dødelig virus, hvor der er over 90% risiko for at kaninen dør, hvis den får sygdommen. Der findes desværre ingen kur for sygdommen, så hvis kaninen først har fået virussen, så vil det højst sandsynligt få så voldsomme symptomer at det er bedst at aflive kaninen eller også så dør den selv indenfor kort tid. Der kan gå alt fra 48 timer til to uger fra at kaninen har fået sygdommen (symptomerne viser sig ikke altid med det samme) til at den dør af det. Der findes dog en måde at forhindre så slemt et sygdomsforløb nemlig ved at lade sin kanin blive vaccineret, men vaccinen holder kun et år, så den skal helst holdes ved lige, hvis det er muligt. 

Vi valgte altså at bestille en tid hos dyrlægen, og få Sandy og Molly vaccineret mod Myxomatose og RHD/VHD (kaningulsot). I Danmark findes en vaccine der er en 5 i 1 dosis, hvor der er mange forskellige varianter af samme sygdom med så den dækker bredere uden at det gør det farligere for kaninerne. Der var bl.a. Myxomatose og RHD type I og type II i, og så var der nogle andre typer også. 

Da vi kom ned til dyrlægen spurgte vi hende om en hel masse spørgsmål, som hun så venligt besvarede med dybdegående som altid, hvilket jeg syntes var virkelig rart, for så fik man en bedre forståelse for det hun lavede, og hvorfor hun gjorde det. Selv vaccinationen gik ret hurtigt, og pludselig var vi hjemme igen og det var overstået. Selvfølgelig var kaninerne med trætte, for de havde lige været udsat for meget stress, men nu var de tilbage i deres trygge rammer, og de lagde sig til at sove for at hvile lidt ud. 

Jeg havde forventet, at kaninerne ville få nogle milde bivirkninger af vaccinen ligesom de gjorde sidste gang for 4 år siden, hvor de sidst fik en vaccine, men det var ikke tilfældet denne gang. Der var faktisk slet ingen tegn på nogen bivirkninger overhovedet, hvilket jeg er vildt lettet over, for det var faktisk en af de ting, som afholdte mig lidt fra at lade dem blive vaccineret, for jeg ville ikke se dem blive syge, som de gjorde sidste gang, hvor de både blev sløve, mistede appetitten og mistede overskuddet. Men heldigvis har de ikke vist nogen tegn på noget af det denne gang, og nu er der gået snart 4 dage siden de blev vaccineret, så der kommer nok ikke nogen bivirkninger. 

English short version

Last Thursday (26.08.2021) we got the news about a rabbit plague threatening and spreading in our region. The rabbits weren't yet vaccinated so we were very worried. We thought about our options and drew that consluion that the rabbits needed a vaccination even though we keep a very good hygiene and the rabbits are very isolated from other animals but we thought about it and it wasn't enough. We didn't want to keep thinking about what if the bunnies got the virus and there was nothing we could do about it. We wouldn't want to be in that situation, ever. 

Just to explain shortly what this rabbit plague, or myxomatosis as it's also called, is all about. It's a virus which is very contagious and it can come from direct contact with sick rabbits or hares but also through stinging insects such as mosquitoes or it can even transmit via clothe or tools that have been in contact with sick animals. It's a very deadly virus and it kills about 90% of the infected rabbits and hares. There's no cure so if your bunnies already cought the virus the chances of survival har very slim.  But there does exist a vaccine which can prevent a deadly reaction if the bunny get the virus. It takes 48 hours to two weeks till the rabbit will die either of the symptoms or the symptoms will get so bad that the owner have to make an impossible decision, put down a family member. The vaccine is only valid for 1 year though so it would be a good idea to keep it updated. 

We chose to get an appointment at the vet Friday. Molly and Sandy got the vaccines where there were Myxomatosis and RHD type I and type II in it. Actually there were more types but the vet was sure exactly which ones but it sounded good. The more types the better as long as it doesn't create more side effects for the bunnies. 

When we arrived at the vet we asked a ton of questions and she answered them with a an in depth explaination which was really nice because we got an idea about what and why she was doing what she did. She also explained what she did while she did it. Amazing experience and an amazing vet. It all went so fast and suddenly we were on our way home with the bunnies. The bunnies got home and were very tire. Not from the vaccine as far as I could see but only because they were exposed to a lot of stres at the vet so they needed some sleep. 

I had expected a few side effects such as tiredness, no appetite or lack of surplus but none of this was the case. Even though it has been 4 years since Molly and Sandy got their last vaccine they didn't get side effects like they did last time. That was so lucky because I had been so worried that they would suffer some way even though it would only be for a days or maybe even only hours but still. 4 days have past and no signs of side effects have appeared yet and I'm sure there won't be any. 

This post was written by: Michelle Nielsen