Once a herd is infected, RHD and myxomatosis cannot be reliably treated. RHD can kill up to about 90% of unvaccinated rabbits, often within a day or two and with no warning. Vaccination, together with quarantine and hygiene, is the only real protection. This guide explains the logic behind vaccinating. The product, the dose and the exact dates must come from a veterinarian.
What you are vaccinating against
- RHD, classic strain (RHDV1). Mostly spares rabbits younger than 4–6 weeks.
- RHD, new strain (RHDV2). It has spread around the world since 2010 and causes disease even in kits aged 7–15 days. In many areas it is now the main strain.
- Myxomatosis. A viral disease spread mainly by biting insects.
A vaccine labelled only "RHD" (or "VGBK"), without a "2" or "RHDV2", may protect against the classic strain alone. Ask the vet or pharmacist directly whether it covers RHDV2. Some vaccines are combined (myxomatosis and RHD together); others cover a single disease.
At what age
General guidance, mostly from Russian and European sources, varies with the product:
- Breeding and pet rabbits are often vaccinated for the first time at 8–12 weeks.
- Some combined vaccines are licensed from 6 weeks of age.
- Some myxomatosis-only vaccines are given from 30–45 days.
- Some commercial schedules for meat rabbits start at about 30 days.
- Do not vaccinate rabbits younger than about 30 days, sick rabbits, or does in late pregnancy.
Because RHDV2 also kills young kits, ask your vet whether kits on your farm need earlier protection.
Boosters and yearly revaccination
- Combined vaccines usually need a booster 3–4 weeks after the first dose, then revaccination every year.
- General sources put protection at roughly 9 months for myxomatosis and 12 months for RHD. That is why some schedules vaccinate against myxomatosis more than once a year, and why high-risk areas may add a booster about 3 months after a myxomatosis-only vaccine.
- Your vet sets the exact calendar once they know which product you are using.
- Breeding does and bucks stay on the farm for years, so keep them on schedule. For meat rabbits sold at a few months old, ask your vet which schedule makes sense.
Before vaccination day
- Deworm about 10–20 days beforehand, as your vet directs, so the immune system is not busy fighting parasites.
- Vaccinate only healthy rabbits: eating well, normal droppings, no discharge from the nose or eyes.
- Vaccinate new rabbits during or at the end of quarantine, once they have settled in and are clearly healthy.
- In summer, do not handle or vaccinate rabbits in the hottest hours of the day.
Who gives the injection
The injection should be given by a vet or by someone a vet has trained. Dosing mistakes and injection-site problems are real risks. A vet's visit is also a chance to ask about any other health issues on the farm.
Buying a vaccine in Uzbekistan
Public sources could not confirm that rabbit vaccines are consistently on sale inside Uzbekistan. Supply varies.
- Ask your district veterinary office or a veterinary pharmacy which RHD and myxomatosis vaccines are registered and currently in stock.
- Ask specifically: Does it cover RHDV2? From what age? Is a booster needed, and when? How long does protection last?
- Vaccines must be stored and transported exactly as the label says. Buy from a veterinary pharmacy that can tell you how the vaccine was kept, not from an unknown seller.
- Keep the box or the leaflet.
Records
- Date, rabbit ID, vaccine name, batch number, who vaccinated and the next due date.
- When you sell breeding stock, give the buyer a copy.
- When you buy, ask for the same. A seller's "all vaccinations done" without a vaccine name and a date means nothing: treat that rabbit as unvaccinated.
What vaccination does not do
- It does not replace quarantine and disinfection.
- It does not help a rabbit that is already infected, and it does not protect against other problems such as coccidiosis or ear mites.
- If rabbits are already dying suddenly, call the vet before vaccinating anything.
Common mistake: Buying the cheapest "RHD vaccine" without checking which strain it covers. A vaccine against the classic strain only can leave your herd unprotected against RHDV2, the strain now circulating in many countries.
