Hares Carrying Disease?

[Mikoli]

I didn't know whether to put this here or in The Infirmary, so please move if I'm wrong.

Well, my rabbit lives outside in a hutch, and I come out to see himaround three times a day during the week, and around four or five on aweekend. Anyway, we also have wild hares in our backyard. I take myrabbit out for a walk on a harness and leash (my backyards too open tolet him out without one), and the hares sit up the back, way away fromhim. Apart from not liking them very much, my rabbit doesn't seem to bebothered by them, but I was wondering if they would be able to pass adisease or something onto my rabbit? There are two of them, and they'reboth fully grown adults and look pretty healthy to me, but would therebe any diseases that my rabbit could catch? They've never bothered usbefore.

Thanks!
Rachel.

 

[naturestee]

I would guess that hares carry the same diseasesas wild rabbits. Since you're in Australia, that includesmyxomatosis. This is spread through biting insects like fleasand mosquitos. You can help protect your rabbit by puttinginsect screens over the wire areas of the hutch and doing regular fleatreatments.

It's too bad you're not in the UK, because they have vaccines for myxi and VHD there.