Thousands of pet rabbits die in myxomatosis outbreak due to mosquito boom

Caught on the hop: Wild rabbits could have been affected too
12 April 2012

The soggy summer has claimed another victim - pet rabbits.

First Britain was hit by floods that damaged homes and destroyed crops. Then came an explosion in mosquitoes followed by an army of 15billion slugs.

The latest summer curse is the return of myxomatosis.

As a result, thousands of pets have died or been put down in recent weeks.

They catch the disease from the mosquitoes and other biting insects which have thrived during this socalled summer.

The death toll would be far higher if wild rabbits were also taken into account, experts said yesterday.

Myxomatosis leads to a range of agonising conditions before causing death. It can also be spread by contact with infected animals.

Judith Brown, veterinary executive officer of the Rabbit Welfare Association, yesterday reported a ' huge increase' in cases among Britain's 1.6million pet rabbits.

"The humid weather we have been experiencing of late creates an ideal background for fleas and mosquitoes that carry the disease," she said.

"Unvaccinated rabbits which are infected generally die a slow and painful death. We urge rabbit owners to get their pets vaccinated as soon as possible."

An association spokesman added: "We have had far more people than normal calling our helpline to report their pets are ill.

"We have also had lots of calls about wild rabbits having the disease.

"A lot of people don't vaccinate their rabbits because they think they don't need to - but it is vital that they do."

Mike Jessop, of the British Small Animals Veterinary Association, said: "Every now and then you get a flareup in cases.

"This year it seems to have been caused by a massive increase in the flea population. Blood-sucking insects like mosquitoes and horseflies have also probably played a part.

"The fleas can also be carried by wild rabbits and then passed on to domestic rabbits after getting on to hedgehogs and dogs which are being walked."

Myxomatosis is a naturally occurring virus which originated in South America and spread around the world after being introduced to control rabbit populations.

One of the worst-hit areas is Norfolk, which has a large wild rabbit population and a high proportion of rural areas and waterways - perfect breeding conditions for biting insects.

The Taverham Vets' practice near Norwich has put down 20 pet rabbits in the past fortnight.

Spokesman Jean Weaver said: "Owners are coming here in their droves with their sick rabbits. It is a real epidemic.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done apart from putting them to sleep.

"Sometimes people own two rabbits and one goes down with it. Then they get the other one vaccinated but it is often too late.

"It is just heartbreaking. Most of the rabbits are owned by children and we have had a lot of tears in the waiting room."

Tim Roe, a partner at Willow veterinary clinic in Hellesdon, near Norwich, said: "We had to put eight rabbits to sleep in the past week, which is unusual.

"We've had a few that have made it through but not many."

Owners who keep rabbits in outdoor hutches are being advised to place flyscreens around them, remove standing water and put up fencing to keep out wild rabbits.

• Myxomatosis almost wiped out the rabbit population when it first arrived in Britain in 1953.

First identified in Edenbridge, Kent, it spread rapidly around the country, killing as many as 99 per cent of the 100million rabbits living wild at the time.

The Ministry of Agriculture attempted to contain the outbreak but this proved impossible and it was allowed to run its course.

Further outbreaks over the past 50 years have led to millions of deaths among wild and domestic rabbits.

The last one was in 2005 when epidemics were confirmed in Dorset, Essex and Durham.

Myxomatosis was first identified in laboratory rabbits in Uruguay in 1896.

Tolerated in its native hosts, the virus was lethal to their European cousins which had no natural immunity.

Rabbits' reproductive powers and their ravenous appetite, which endangers crops, meant the deliberate introduction of the virus into wild populations was being considered as early as 1919.

In 1950, it was introduced to Australia, where it slashed rabbit numbers from 600million to 100million.

The disease was accidentally released in France in 1952 when a bacteriologist near Paris tried to rid his estate of rabbits and it eventually made its way to Britain.

The Pests Act of 1954 criminalised intentional transmission but the disease remains at large.

One vaccine is licensed in the UK but it cannot prevent all symptoms, although it does make them treatable.

But only one in ten domestic rabbits is vaccinated, leaving them at risk from the disease through contact with infected animals or transmission by blood-drinking insects.

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