A North East vet is warning rabbit owners to protect their pets from a deadly disease following an outbreak in County Durham.
Four rabbits have died in the Consett and Stanley area, prompting a call from Westway Vets for owners to vaccinate their pets against a virulent strain of Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD) called RVHD-2.
The highly contagious disease, which can be carried by both wild and domesticated rabbits, can kill within days.
As well as County Durham, have also been outbreaks across the North East in Hexham, Cramlington, Gateshead, Newcastle and Morpeth over the last 12 months. RVHD-2 is often symptomless and rabbits can be found dead with no obvious signs of disease. There is no known cure for the disease, which has been reported all over the UK.
Westway Vets vet Louise Allmark, who handled the recent cases in Consett and Stanley, is urging owners to vaccinate their rabbits and to take extra precautions with hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.
