Is vaccination compulsory?

No, but it is strongly recommended because these 2 diseases are fatal and incurable.

Is it necessary to vaccinate my rabbit if it doesn't go out?

Yes because there is a risk of transmission via a biting insect (mosquito, fly,…) or via the environment (shoes, hay, vegetables,…).

Is it necessary to get both vaccines?

Yes, because they are two different diseases (viruses).

Transmitted virus :

• Via a contaminated rabbit: Orally, nasally and parenterally.
• Via the environment: faeces, urine, or other secretions (on bedding, hay, vegetables, flies).

Virus resistant in the environment for 4 months! Often sudden death before the rabbit has shown any symptoms.

If symptoms :

• slaughter
• rabbit that no longer eats and drinks
• diarrhoea
• constipation
• animal that has difficulty breathing

Two variants : RDH1 and RDH2

Vaccination:

• From 10 weeks onwards
• Reminders every year
• Vaccination against both variants : RHD1 and RHD2
• Immunity begins one week after injection

Viruses transmitted by biting insects

2 forms of disease:

• Classic or nodular form
• Skin lesions (myxomas) on the face around the eyes, on the chin and nose and/or at the base of the ears.
• Rabbits are slaughtered and no longer eat or drink.
• The chronic form
• Nodules in the lungs with lesions in the anus and genitals.

Vaccination:

• From 5 weeks of age
• Reminders every year
• Vaccination against myxomatosis and HDR1
• Start of immunity 3 weeks after injection

Why does it need to be sterilised?

For behavioural reasons (aggressiveness, nervous pregnancies, territoriality, …).
But ABOVE ALL to prevent or cure uterine tumours (and other affections of the reproductive system).

When ?

Ideally around 3 to 6 months (depending on weight and species) – No matter what age, it is never too late.

Clinical signs of a uterine tumour?

• Loss of blood (rabbits do not have a menstrual cycle like women).
• Digestive disorders: stasis, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
• Weight loss
• Prostration
• In advanced cases: breathing difficulties (pulmonary metastases), difficulties to move (compression of nerves.).

What your veterinarian can offer you:

• Extension assessment: chest X-rays, blood tests.
• Ovariohysterectomy surgery (removal of the ovaries and uterus).
  – Graze anaesthesia
  - Putting in infusion
  - 24-hour hospitalisation
  - Postoperative pain management
  - Restarting transit

And afterwards at home?

• Anti-inflammatory for a few days
• Avoid abrupt movements and total freedom
• Keep in a clean place
• Ensures a good resumption of feeding and bowel movements.

The life expectancy of a rabbit is currently 10 years; however, sterilization is necessary to hope to reach this age as well as possible.

Gastrointestinal stasis in rabbits

Cause

• Digestive: inappropriate diet, recent dietary changes, dental problems, digestive obstruction due to ingestion of hair (or other), .
• Extra-digestive: stress, kidney or liver pathology, decreased activity,…

Symptoms

Sudden appearance = EMERGENCY

• Absence of faeces
• Loss of appetite
• Signs of pain (teeth grinding, standing in the corner, keeping eyes closed and ears plated)

Chronic evolution

• Weight loss
• Decreased appetite and sorting (less hay intake, and finally no longer eating anything).
• Smaller and smaller stools

Treatment

Varies according to the stage of stasis, a consultation with the vet is essential, hospitalisation is sometimes necessary !

• Rehydrate the animal
• Managing pain
• Boosting appetite and transit (often by force-feeding)
• Stimulate exercise
• Changing the power supply
• Inpatient medical treatment
• Surgery may be necessary

Virus transmitted by contact with another ferret or dog, or by inhalation of virus particles.The animal will have a fever, stop eating, runny nose, cough, scabs on the lips and chin, and neurological disorders.
In contrast to dogs, ferrets rarely suffer from digestive problems.
No treatment is available.

Vaccination :

• First injection at 6-8 weeks
• Second injection 3 weeks later
• Reminder every year

Mandatory when travelling outside Belgium. Virus transmitted mainly by bite.

Vaccination :

• First injection from 3 months onwards
• Second injection 1 year later
• Reminder every 1 to 3 years
• Vaccine valid at the earliest 21 days after injection

Download the .pdf

Download the .pdf

Download the .pdf

Your Vietnamese pig's diet should be low in protein (12-14%), low in fat (2-5% max) and high in fibre (min 15%). Mazuri's “Mini-Pig" feed is interesting. The Vietnamese pig should also be given fresh produce: 2/3 vegetables and 1/3 fruit as a reward or treat. In addition, it is important to let it graze on fresh grass every day.

• Young pigs should eat between 1.5-3% of their body weight per day (including vegetables and herbs). It is best to give him his feed in 2 to 3 meals and offer him the grass as well as the vegetables in between.
• Adult feeding: As an adult, the Vietnamese pig should only eat 1 to 2% of its body weight. In addition, it is advisable to give him only 2 meals of feed (or flour and pellets) per day while keeping the grass and vegetables between meals.

Your pig should have access to fresh water at all times. He should drink between 7 to 10% of his body weight per day. In addition, it is important that he has access to fresh water at mealtimes as this is when he will primarily consume his daily amount of water. To make sure your pig drinks enough, you can soak his feed or add a little cranberry or orange juice (in small quantities!) to his water. His water bowl should be heavy enough so that he cannot spill it and thus be deprived of water for several hours while you are away.

The pig can live outdoors as well as indoors.

Outdoors : When outdoors, it must have a cool, shady and wind-protected place, as well as a water or mud hole to regulate its temperature and protect itself from the sun and parasites. The minimum outdoor temperature tolerated by the pig is 5°C. It is good to know that a pig in a garden will certainly destroy it.

Indoors :Indoors the temperature should be between 18 and 22°C. He will need a large litter box because if it is too soiled, he will not want to relieve himself in it. Ideally, it should be far away from where he sleeps and feeds.

Exercise : Your Vietnamese pig needs daily exercise! Train him from a young age to walk on a leash. This way you can enjoy the benefits of a walk for two, once or twice a day.

Intelligent, curious and explorers, Vietnamese pigs have varied personalities. They are reputed to be hypoallergenic and have no body odour, except for the uncastrated male. However, stools and urine are quite smelly.

Vietnamese pigs can live up to 15 years and require special annual care such as nail and tooth trimming as well as vaccination against tetanus, red mullet disease, parvo and atrophic rhinitis.

3Adults, they will weigh 35 to 60 kg and measure 35 to 55 cm at the withers. Their growth ends around 1 year and a half but in some cases it can last up to 3 years!

It is important to sterilize them before 6 months for health and behavioural reasons. Indeed, a female that has not been operated on presents a high risk of developing a tumour or infection of the womb later on. Moreover, she can be aggressive or whiney and present a lack of cleanliness during her heats which occur for 3 days every month.

An uncastrated male is practically impossible to train. This is why it is advisable to castrate him before he is 3 months old. In addition, he would show aggressive sexual behaviour and very smelly urine.

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