Rabbit Calicivirus is a deadly killer virus with the potential to kill your pet rabbit in just two days once infection occurs.

It is most important that all rabbit owners in Australia vaccinate their rabbits against RCD now. Rabbit Calicivirus Disease is a viral haemorrhagic disease and is deadly to rabbits. It is wise to shop around for a good price for vaccination. The vaccine comes in bottles of ten doses. Once the bottle is opened it has a short shelf life so if you find a vet who is vaccinating several rabbits in the one day then the cost to yourself will be less. In Perth there are vets who will vaccinate a rabbit for $10 walk in walk out. We also have vets in Perth who will charge $30-$40 to vaccinate a rabbit so it's most important to shop around. You may like to contact your local rabbit club for further information. Rabbits will need vaccination every year.
The RSPCA condemns the introduction of this virus into Australia. This virus is much easier for your rabbit to contract than Myxomatosis. Authorities are still not 100% sure as to how this virus transmits to rabbits. It is quite possible that RCD is airborne i.e. if your rabbit breathes in a particle of dust contaminated with RCD virus then it could contract the disease. Fly wiring the hutch will not save your rabbits from infection as the RCD virus can live on surfaces such as clothing for well over 100 days. RCD virus can survive freezing and 60 degrees Celsius (overseas sources are suggesting higher temperatures than this but this is yet to be confirmed). If your rabbit dies of RCD please handle the dead rabbit using rubber gloves and please dispose of the body carefully. (Don't discard the body through the rubbish system as the body of your rabbit will be contagious and flies etc could carry the disease further).
Please notify rabbit@wantree.com.au if your rabbit experiences any side-effects that you think may have occurred as a result of vaccination against RCD. Flywiring your hutch will help your rabbit to avoid con tracting Myxomatosis but RCD can arrive in rabbit feed harvested from areas where infected wild rabbits have lived.