4 unexpected pet rabbit deaths in Hennepin County linked to highly-contagious virus
MINNEAPOLIS -- The unexpected deaths of four pet rabbits in the Twin Cities are believed to be linked to a highly-contagious virus.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health says that the affected rabbits were in Hennepin County and that one of the carcasses tested positive last week for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2). The disease affects both wild and domestic rabbits. While it is often fatal for rabbits, it poses no risk to humans.
The rabbits that died lived in a home with four other rabbits, which had received the first of a two-dose RHDV2 vaccine series. The surviving rabbits were quarantined in the owner's home on Thursday. Officials say the surviving rabbits will be monitored for symptoms, noting that the rabbits do not travel out of the home for shows or exhibitions.
Minnesota rabbit owners are encouraged to get their rabbits vaccinated against the virus. If a pet shows signs of the illness, such as being lethargic, owners are urged to bring them to a veterinarian. However, rabbits with RHDV2 often die without showing any symptoms.
RHDV2 was initially detected in Canada in 2018, but it later spread to the United States in 2020. The disease found its way to the Upper Midwest in 2021, when the first case in Minnesota was detected that September.