Experts have raised concerns about a deadly virus which has already killed hundreds of rabbits in Europe.
A strain of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) already seen in countries such as the Netherlands and France is a death sentence for rabbits.
The disease causes rabbits to suffer from internal bleeding after infection. Mortality rates for the disease range from 70 to 100%.
Now, the British Rabbit Council has said they believe the virus is behind the recent deaths of rabbits in England.
Chair of Animal Health, Welfare and Legislation, Hazel Elliott, said: ‘I know a breeder who lost a huge number of rabbits, so I suspect it is the new variant.’
For Brits who may own a pet rabbit, it’s recommended to get them vaccinated as soon as possible to prevent the deadly disease.
The virus is found to stay on surfaces for months, making it even more deadly.
Ms Elliott said if a pet rabbit does die from the disease, it’s recommended that they be cremated to avoid further spread during burial.
Experts have warned that it could be more devastating than myxomatosis, which in the 1950s wiped out 99% of the UK’s rabbits.
The disease, known as RHD-2, can be carried by insects, rats, mice and birds.
The infection can be easily spread between rabbits living in close proximity to each other.
People have been advised to wash out their hutches and anything else that’s been in contact with the animal.
Last year, dog owners were warned after multiple reports of new cases of a terrifying disease that can prove deadly to dogs appeared in the UK.
While rare, Alabama Rot can cause flesh to rot, as well as block blood vessels in a dog’s skin and kidneys.
Cases of the condition were reported in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the North of England.
The earliest signs tend to be a patch of red skin that can develop into sores below the elbow or knee or around the animal’s paws.
Fatal kidney failure can begin within ten days from the first onset, and there is no known cure.
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