Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Adverse reactions in Sydney pet rabbits after calicivirus vaccine
By Tung, T et al.·Published in Australian Veterinary Journal·2015·Faculty of Veterinary Science The University of Sydney Camden NSW Australia, Australia·View original on Crossref →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Adverse reactions in a population of Sydney pet rabbits vaccinated against rabbit calicivirus
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A group of pet rabbits in Sydney were vaccinated against rabbit calicivirus, and a small number experienced mild adverse reactions that required veterinary attention. Out of 705 rabbits vaccinated, 17 (about 1.8%) showed reactions, mostly at the injection site, such as hair loss and scabbing. Some rabbits also displayed signs like lethargy and limping. Fortunately, these reactions were generally mild and resolved on their own, and older rabbits were less likely to have adverse events. Overall, the benefits of vaccination were found to outweigh the risks.
People also search for: rabbit vaccination side effects · why is my rabbit limping after vaccination · rabbit lethargy after shot
Abstract
ObjectiveTo determine the general clinical presentation and incidence of adverse reactions to Cylap® RCD vaccinations, of a nature serious enough for veterinary attention, in a Sydney population of pet rabbits.DesignA retrospective survey using hospital databases.MethodsNine veterinary hospitals in Sydney participated in a database search for the number of rabbits vaccinated within a 2‐year period. The hospitals involved had an identified interest in rabbit medicine and included general, specialist and teaching hospitals. Details of the rabbit, vaccination event and any possible reaction were collected and analysed.ResultsOf 933 events recorded in 705 rabbits, 17 (1.8%) adverse reactions were observed. Of the adverse events, local injection site reactions (alopecia, abrasions and scabbing) were most common. Other reactions, including systemic signs of gastrointestinal tract stasis, lethargy and forelimb lameness, were also documented. Overall, rabbits presented for vaccination were mostly male (57.7%) and desexed (71.3%), with an average age of 28.1 months (median 19.0, range 1.4–149.8 months) and an average weight at first vaccination of 2.12 kg (median 2.08 kg, range 0.18–5.6 kg). A significant association between increasing age and decreased incidence of adverse events was demonstrated (P value, 0.038).ConclusionsThe benefits of vaccination against RCV outweigh the risks of an adverse reaction occurring. Data from this study show that adverse reactions occur infrequently, are generally mild and self‐resolving, and decrease in incidence with increasing age. These results are similar to previous field research on wild rabbit colonies and reports from government and industry.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.12373