released calicivirus

Question
Hi Dana :)

i was just wondering what measures i should take to prevent the calicivirus from getting to my 6 year old dwarf rabbits, the australian government has just released the calcivirus in mosquitos, in suburbs near my house and i know the virus is super contagious
we dont have the vaccination available here yet

so far ive put fly screen on all wire parts of the cage and ive dribbled citronella on random parts of the outside of the cage to repell mosquito's

is it safe to let my rabbits run around in my yard?
i dont want to cage them for the rest of their lives just to protect them from the disease.

Answer
Dear Jessica,

Protecting them from mosquitoes is the only way to protect them from the virus.  I can't believe the Australian government is still doing this.  I know a vet who worked in Australia for a few months, and there was *clear* evidence that the virus was jumping species (e.g., to predatory birds that had eaten rabbit carcasses that had died from VHD), but they just don't seem to care.

The only real way to protect them would be with the vaccine.  I hope they will at least allow that soon.  Releasing the virus via mosquitoes is a short-lived fix for rabbit overpopulation, since any babies exposed to the virus before the age of six weeks will gain lifelong immunity by being exposed to the virus.

So I think it's best to keep your bunnies indoors with you until the danger has passed...if it ever does.  Housing them outdoors could be a death sentence for them.

I hope this helps.

Dana