March 1, 2006
Luton Today, UK
A deadly disease threatens to kill nine out of 10 pet rabbits in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire this spring, warns a veterinary surgeon.
Last autumn, vets began to see cases of myxomatosis, a highly infectious disease caused by a pox virus, in pet rabbits for the first time in years. There is no cure for the disease and all infected rabbits die.
But Emily Boreham, a veterinary surgeon from Nine Lives Veterinary Centre in Redbourn, said the true extent of the outbreak will not be known until mosquitoes emerge in March.
She said: "If the outbreak is as severe as predicted then nine out of 10 pet rabbits will die and there will be nothing we can do to stop it."
Elaine Fensome, Icknield Veterinary Group practice manager in Luton, said that rabbits should be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease.
She said: "Those rabbits most at risk are rural rabbits near the open countryside where they may come into contact with wild rabbits. It can be successfully prevented by vaccination either at six months or annually depending on how at risk the rabbit is. This is best discussed with your vet."
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