What to vaccinate your rabbit against
These diseases circulate in wild rabbits and pass easily to pet rabbits. There is no treatment that cures them: prevention relies on vaccination and a few simple precautions.
- Myxomatosis
- Spread mainly by biting insects (mosquitoes, fleas), by contact between rabbits and by contaminated objects. It causes swelling of the face and eyes and often kills within 10 to 14 days. A vaccinated rabbit can still catch it, but usually has a milder form.
- Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD1)
- Fever, internal bleeding, liver damage: it is almost always fatal. It spares kits under 6 weeks old but hits older rabbits hard.
- Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD2)
- A newer form, first detected in France in 2010 and now present across Europe, the UK included. It affects rabbits of any age, and sudden death is often the only sign.
The vaccination schedule
The benchmarks from the PDSA, the RSPCA and the RWAF, to adapt with your vet depending on the vaccine used:
- From about 5 weeks oldFirst injection. A combined “triple” vaccine protects against myxomatosis, RHD1 and RHD2.
- As advised by your vetA separate vaccine against the highly virulent RHD2 strain; the two injections are given at least 2 weeks apart.
- Every yearBoosters, for the whole of your rabbit’s life, to keep the protection going.
A rabbit you adopt or buy may already have been vaccinated: ask for the date and the vaccine used, so the schedule carries on without a gap.
A schedule that can change
Haemorrhagic disease viruses evolve, and the advice follows them. Since a highly virulent strain of RHD2 emerged and a new vaccine became available to UK vets in December 2024, the RWAF advises two vaccinations a year: the triple vaccine plus the new RHD2 vaccine, at least 2 weeks apart. Your vet knows the local situation and will tell you the right schedule for your rabbit.
No vaccine is 100% effective: it greatly reduces the risk and the severity of disease, and works alongside the precautions below.
Why vaccinate an indoor rabbit
The PDSA recommends vaccinating all rabbits, whether they live indoors or outdoors. The haemorrhagic disease virus survives a long time on objects and travels mainly on clothes and shoes; myxomatosis arrives with mosquitoes and fleas, sometimes carried by the family dog or cat.
- Fit insect screens where your rabbit lives, especially in summer.
- Treat the household’s dog and cat for fleas as your vet advises: their fleas can pass to your rabbit.
- Avoid any contact with wild rabbits, and with grass or hay they may have soiled.
- Wash your hands and change your shoes after handling other rabbits.
- Never reuse the hutch, litter or accessories of a rabbit that may have been ill.
After the vaccine
Side effects are rare and usually mild: a little tiredness, a smaller appetite or a small lump at the injection site, which pass within 24 to 48 hours.
Never forget a vaccine booster again
Enter the vaccination date and the schedule your vet gave you: MyArk alerts everyone in the household before the next booster, and keeps the history in your rabbit’s health record.
- A reminder on the schedule you choose: every year, every 6 months…
- Dates and vaccines kept in your rabbit’s health record
- Flea treatment for the household’s dog and cat in the same calendar
- An up-to-date pet sitter sheet, vaccines included, for boarding or a sitter
Common questions
Does a rabbit who never goes outside need vaccinating?
Yes. The PDSA recommends vaccinating indoor rabbits just like outdoor ones: the viruses arrive on mosquitoes, fleas, clothes, shoes or contaminated objects.
At what age should a rabbit first be vaccinated?
From about 5 weeks old, according to the PDSA, the RSPCA and the RWAF. Your vet sets the protocol depending on the vaccine used.
How often does a rabbit need a booster?
At least every year, for life. Because of a highly virulent RHD2 strain, the RWAF now advises two vaccinations a year: the triple vaccine and a separate RHD2 vaccine. Your vet will confirm the right schedule.
Can a vaccinated rabbit catch myxomatosis?
It is possible, as no vaccine is 100% effective. But a vaccinated rabbit usually gets a milder form and usually survives, according to the RWAF.
My rabbit is overdue for a booster: what should I do?
Book an appointment soon. Depending on how late it is and the vaccine, your vet will either give a simple booster or restart the course.
How do you recognise haemorrhagic disease?
Often you don’t: sudden death with no warning signs is common with RHD2. Sometimes a rabbit is dull, feverish and stops eating. That is why prevention matters so much.
Sources
Benchmarks checked on 21 October 2026 in the documents below, then rewritten in plain English. They do not replace an examination and advice from your vet, who adapts care to your pet and to where you live.