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Joined
Oct 16, 2022
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Location
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I need help..
I brought a magpie home a week ago because it was being bullied by other magpies and it was still a baby and had a sore foot.
Since then I've had 3 bunnies die..
Could this be from me handling the bird then handling the rabbits?
My favourite girl has also been flat all afternoon? Now it's night here and I'm worried she won't make it though the night.

What can I do?
Is it the Bird?
 
I'm very sorry for your loss and that this has happened to you and your rabbits. Unfortunately this sounds like it could be calcivirus (RHDV), particularly if your rabbits weren't vaccinated for it. The bird would be the likely carrier of the virus through contact with an affected rabbit in the wild, or through biting insects that carry the virus. Though it is possible it's not from the bird and this is just a coincidence, or there's another cause, especially if all your rabbits were vaccinated for both RHDV strains. Though I'm not sure what it might be if they weren't showing any specific symptoms.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Rabbit_hemorrhagic_disease

https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-b...t-my-rabbit-from-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease/

For your remaining rabbit, you'll need to phone a rabbit vet for advice, but do not go to any vets office, or at least not without first informing them of your rabbits deaths and the possibility of you and your remaining rabbit possibly being a vector of RHDV contamination from the bird, and them deciding if you would be allowed to come to the office or not.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Choosing_a_rabbit_veterinarian

https://rabbitvet.net/AustralianRabbitVets.htm

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Category:Australia

If RHDV is the cause, there's unfortunately no cure, with it having a high mortality rate. There is a very slight chance your remaining rabbit could survive, but just know this is highly unusual for this to happen. So be prepared for that. To help your rabbit, at a minimum you would need to provide supportive care of syringe feeds if your rabbit has stopped eating adequately. Your vet can provide recommendations for the proper supportive care needed, and possibly any supportive medications.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Medicating_your_rabbit

Be aware that if RHDV is the cause of death, that the virus is highly contagious and continues to be so for months. This means that your home and you can be vectors of the potential to transfer and spread the virus outside your home, particularly if the bird is the carrier and you continue caring for it. This would mean that it could affect any rabbit you come in contact with, anywhere you go that a rabbit may have contact with, and your home as well will continue to be potentially unsafe for any unvaccinated rabbit, or possibly any rabbit. Proper disinfection and biosecurity measures can help minimize this potential transfer of the virus outside your home. There's some info on this in the above link on RHDV. You can also ask your vet for proper disinfecting and biosecurity advice.
 
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She passed this morning at 4.30am.
I will do my best to not handle any animals including the bird. I don't know if it was the magpie but 4 rabbits have dies since bringing her home for care.
I have 5 bunnies outside..
2 together, another 2 together and another on its own. I will probably have to endure their death's over the coming days😢
My rabbits have been vaccinated but I believe the strain changes and the Vax doesn't work efficiently unfortunately.
Deviated and extremely sad 😢
The vet said there has been a high increase in Calicivirus cases so most probably from mosquitos and not the bird.
 
I'm so sorry 😞

Mosquitoes are certainly possible, and this happening when the bird came is just coincidence. With your remaining rabbits outside, if you don't have window screen up on their enclosures, that may be something to consider doing. It will stop the mosquitoes, in case this is where it's coming from.

Are your rabbits vaccinated for just the RHDV1 virus, or both 1 and 2?
 

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