Rabbit Vaccinations

Health Care

Rabbit Vaccinations in Geelong

Rabbit vaccinations are essential for protecting your bunny from serious diseases and ensuring they live a healthy, happy life. Your rabbit’s health, environment, and local risk factors all play a role in determining which vaccinations are necessary. Our experienced vets will create a customised and easy-to-follow vaccination program to keep your rabbit safe and thriving.

Why you should vaccinate your Rabbit

Prevent Diseases

Vaccinations protect against preventable diseases

Peace of Mind

Vaccinations protect your rabbit from contagious diseases that can be contracted in boarding facilities, outdoor environments, or even during visits to the vet. If your rabbit ever needs to be hospitalised due to illness, their immune system may already be weakened, making it even more important to ensure they are properly vaccinated and protected.

Cost Effective

Vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of vet treatment for the diseases they protect against

Vaccinating your Rabbit

A rabbit’s first vaccinations should be administered at 6-8 weeks, followed by a booster at 12-14 weeks. After this, annual boosters are recommended to maintain protection. It’s important to wait at least one week after the final vaccination before allowing your rabbit to interact with other rabbits or go outdoors.

Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD) 1 & 2

A deadly virus that causes internal bleeding and sudden death in rabbits, RVHD can spread quickly in local rabbit populations.

Myxomatosis

A viral disease transmitted by insects, Myxomatosis causes severe swelling, blindness, and often death in rabbits.

Does My Rabbit Need Vaccinations?

Vaccinations are an important part of any preventative healthcare plan for your pets, and where there are vaccinations available, we recommend having them. Aside from boosting your own pet’s immune system and providing extra protection against picking up infections, vaccines also help reduce the spread of these diseases to other animals. Getting your pets vaccinated will also save you money in the long run because if your pet does get ill, the chances are the symptoms they get will be less severe and therefore their treatment will be cheaper.

Our vets in Geelong highly recommend rabbit vaccinations to protect your furry friends against the rapidly progressive and often fatal disease known as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea Virus (RHDV) that is caused by the calicivirus. This virus causes symptoms like fever, lethargy and poor appetite, attacks the liver and intestines and may cause bleeding, however, most rabbits die suddenly without showing any symptoms. Rabbit vaccinations are not a guarantee against catching this disease, but they will provide a certain level of protection giving your rabbit a better chance of survival should they become infected.

How To Protect Your Rabbit

Calicivirus is spread by direct contact with infected rabbits, through their droppings, secretions and urine, through contaminated items such as food bowls, clothes and cages, and most importantly it can be transmitted by insects such as flies, mosquitoes and midges. Good hygiene practice is vital when caring for any animal, and cages, bowls and hutches should be regularly cleaned, and any unwanted food removed. Reducing exposure to insects by covering their hutch with a flyscreen or keeping rabbits in mosquito-proof enclosures will help, as will moving them indoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active, or simply keeping them inside during the warmer months. Preventing access to wild rabbits and limiting contact between unfamiliar rabbits will reduce the risk of exposure, and of course, sticking to a rabbit vaccination schedule will ensure their immunity remains high.

A Healthy Rabbit Is a Happy Rabbit

You can’t control all the factors that can make your rabbit ill, but you can help prevent some of them. Whilst there is no vaccine available in Australia against myxomatosis, this fatal disease is spread in the same way as RHDV, so by adopting the preventative measures mentioned above you will greatly reduce the risk of your rabbit becoming infected. We can administer rabbit vaccinations in Geelong at 10-12 weeks of age, and it is recommended to give a booster every 6 12 months to maintain your rabbit’s immunity. Regular check-ups at Vets Of Geelong will help remind you of the rabbit vaccination schedule and also allow us to keep a regular check on the wellbeing of your rabbit. Read Less

Customer reviews

See what our clients have to say about their experience with us.

An amazing team of health care professionals. They have provided exceptional care to all of our pets on every occasion. Their professionalism and skills have especially been appreciated in the last few months. Thanks to them one of our cats has survived a snake bite and another one has successfully undergone a necessary and intensive surgery very successfully. This is additional to the ongoing routine care they provide to our other pets. I have the highest regard for the teams at both Geelong West and Highton. Thank you so much for the work that you do and the care that you provide.

Sharon Didone

Repeated amazing experiences at Highton Vet! They have a lovely vet who knows how to treat rabbits (so rare!) and is so loving whenever I take my little bun in. All the staff fawn over her and are just so kind. I’m so thankful to have Highton has our local vet

Breanna Frost

Chanel was taken to emergency care on a Sunday with paralysis of her rear limbs. She had been trampled by a kangaroo but this was not evident at the time. I would like to thank all the loving staff and especially Dr Kate Goodfellow. Expensive scenarios were placed on me but I chose the budget, waiting game, medications, care and follow up phone calls of concern. Thanks For your attention and friendly service. We will be eternally Grateful.

Peter Fitzgerald

Highly recommend Vets of Geelong, will be definitely changing to this practice from now on! After taking my cat Honey that had an eye issue to our regular vet 3-4 times over 3 months with no real resolution, I came here for one appointment and given such good advice, treatment & care. Honey’s eye has now cleared up and not had any flare ups for over a month and she’s loving it!

Elisabeth Dungey

Our main vet Annie has looked after our boy Badger so well along with the rest of the team. They've really brought him so much happiness in his old age. Love the ID tags as well, brilliant idea.

Chloe Drummond

Very happy with the service provided and would highly recommend the Geelong West vet to anyone who needs any form of pet care. Kind and caring staff who take pride in making you and for me my cat feel safe . The after care support is excellent as well.

Craig Smith

Have been to both Highton and Geelong West Veterinary Clinics and both have been outstanding with their friendliness, care and compassion towards both patient and clients. I was very satisfied with the care/treatment my animals received. I just received a follow up letter asking how my Dog is doing and some goodies/vouchers. How lovely

Olivia Addison

Visits to the vet can sometimes be a difficult experience, but Vets of Geelong (Geelong West and Highton) make it that little bit easier. Very friendly staff and welcoming. I really appreciate the follow up calls the next day - a nice bonus touch!

David Keele

Can not recommend more highly. The guys at reception are lovely, and the Vets & nurses really know their stuff. Our pets love them too ❤️ Prices are extremely competitive also, thanks for looking after our little ones!

Anais Nin

What an experience, amazing ♡ From walking in the door...to keeping my best friend in great health. Thanks Vets of Geelong for the level of care, and to Josie and James especially for their genuine care and empathy toward our family. #memorable

Scott Jensen

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Locations

Lara

Opening Hours

Monday - Friday: 9am to 7pm
Saturday: 9am to 4pm
Sunday: Closed

Highton

Opening Hours

Monday - Friday: 8am to 7:30pm
Saturday: 8am to 4pm
Sunday: 10am to 4pm

Geelong West

Opening Hours

Monday - Friday: 8am to 7pm
Saturday: 9am to 4pm
Sunday: Closed

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Rabbit Vaccinations