Vets urging pet owners to take their rabbits indoors amid deadly myxomatosis outbreak

A DEADLY myxomatosis outbreak is wiping out domestic rabbits across Adelaide with vets warning owners to lock their pets indoors.

Sarah Huxtable at her Hackham West home with George, one of her rabbits that has survived the myxomatosis outbreak. Picture: MATT LOXTON

VETS are warning of a serious myxomatosis outbreak that is wiping out pet rabbits across Adelaide.

The outbreak has been sparked by recent heavy rains providing ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes spreading the disease.

Walkerville Vet Dr Andrew Spanner said it was the first case of myxomatosis he’d seen since the outbreak in the summer of 2010—2011.

Two of the four rabbits saved by Sarah Huxtable at her Hackham West home.

“The last time we saw lots of them (cases) was that summer,” Dr Spanner said.

“We did see large numbers in that time and I expect the same thing is happening.”

He said the Spring weather conditions had caused the virus to spread, after experts warned heavy rain and warming temperatures created the perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes.

“It can jump from rabbit to rabbit once it gets inside the city,” Dr Spanner said.

It has been a devastating year for rabbit owners following a deadly outbreak of the calicivirus in February.

But vets are positive the spread of myxomatosis can be prevented, if owners keep their rabbits inside and away from biting insects such as mosquitoes, flies and fleas.

“Insect protection we would use for ourselves should work quite well, such as fly screens, keeping rabbits inside, using insect repellents or even using fly spray at the moment to keep the numbers down,” Dr Spanner said.

“Anything you can do to make sure mosquitoes can’t bite your rabbit.”

The virus, which was originally introduced to control wild rabbits in the 1950s, has a high fatality rate because its symptoms cause a slow suffering in the animal.

Rabbit-lovers continue to petition the Federal Government for a vaccine against the virus, which has been introduced in several countries around the world.

Hackham West woman Sarah Huxtable, 48, rescues unwanted rabbits but was forced to euthanise four out of ten in the past week, after a vet confirmed they had contracted myxomatosis.

“People think they’re just rabbits — they are not,” Ms Huxtable said.

“I’m a grown woman and I feel broken,” she said.

“If other countries have a vaccine why can’t we?”

Anyone in doubt of myxomatosis should contact their vet.