rhdv-2 booster schedule for rabbits: when + how often

rabbit health
Written By The Chias

This article is a companion to What to Expect at Your First RHDV-2 Vaccine Appointment and our RHDV-2 Vaccine Information page. If your rabbit hasn't been vaccinated yet, start there.

RHDV-2 has a mortality rate of 70-100% in unvaccinated rabbits. There is no treatment. The only protection is vaccination - and vaccination only works if it is kept current. Understanding the schedule is one of the most important things you can do for your rabbit right now.

The Initial Series

If your rabbit has never received the Medgene RHDV-2 vaccine, the only USDA-authorized RHDV-2 vaccine currently available in the United States, they need two doses to complete the initial series.

  • Dose 1: first appointment

  • Dose 2: 21 days (3 weeks) later (this is the manufacturer's recommended interval)

  • Full protection: 14 days after Dose 2

Your rabbit is not fully protected until two weeks after the second dose. This is important to understand: one dose is not enough. A rabbit who has received only Dose 1 has partial, not full, protection.

A note on timing: Some vets in the community have extended the interval between doses to 4 weeks or beyond. The official Medgene protocol specifies 21 days between doses. BCB follows manufacturer instructions and schedules our clinics accordingly. If your vet recommends extending the interval, that is a conversation to have directly with them - but the manufacturer standard remains 21 days.

Annual Boosters

After completing the initial two-dose series, your rabbit needs an annual booster to maintain protection. The booster is a single dose, given every 9-12 months.

As of May 1, 2024, BCB requires all rabbits to be current on their RHDV-2 vaccination to use any of our services - boarding (Staycation), grooming (Spa Day), bonding (Bonding Retreat), or consultations. This protects your rabbit, our resident rabbits Marshmallow, Macaron, and Chocolatte, and every rabbit in our care.

What If You Miss the Booster?

If more than 12 months have passed since your rabbit completed their initial series or last booster, they need to restart the two-dose series - not just get a single catch-up dose. This is the protocol followed by major U.S. rabbit rescues and exotic vets.

The schedule after a lapse:

  1. Dose 1

  2. Dose 2: 21 days later

  3. Full protection: 14 days after Dose 2

  4. Annual booster: 9-12 months later

Don't guess on the timeline. If you're not sure when your rabbit was last vaccinated, contact the vet who administered the vaccine - they should have a record. If records aren't available, restart the series to be safe.

What If My Rabbit Was Vaccinated With a Different Brand?

Filavac and Eravac are European RHDV-2 vaccines that have been used in the U.S. in prior years. If your rabbit received either of those vaccines and is now switching to Medgene, the manufacturer requires the full two-dose Medgene series - regardless of prior vaccination history with a different brand.

Some vets are clearing rabbits with a single transition dose. BCB follows manufacturer instructions and requires the full two-dose series for any rabbit transitioning to Medgene from a different brand. This is the standard we hold ourselves to, and the standard we require for all rabbits in our care.

If you have questions about your rabbit's specific vaccination history and what they need, reach out to your exotic vet - or contact us directly and we'll help you figure it out.

Indoor Rabbits Need This Vaccine Too

This is one of the most common misconceptions we encounter, and one of the most dangerous.

RHDV-2 does not require direct rabbit-to-rabbit contact to spread. The virus is extraordinarily hardy. It can survive on clothing, shoes, car interiors, grass, soil, and surfaces for weeks to months. You can carry it home from a park, a pet store, a friend's house, or an event (without knowing it).

We know this because we watched it happen.

A foster family we know lost all six of their rabbits, four fosters and two personal rabbits, after attending an outdoor event in Temecula. She lives in Riverside. She did not bring any rabbits to the event. She did not interact with any rabbits at the event. She came home, and within days, every rabbit in her care was dead.

RHDV-2 most likely came home with her on her shoes. That is how it works.

Indoor rabbits are not protected by their indoor status. The virus does not stay outside. Vaccination is the only protection that actually works, regardless of whether your rabbit ever leaves the house.

BCB's Vaccination Requirement

All rabbits must be current on RHDV-2 vaccination to use BCB services as of May 1, 2024. Veterinarian exemption notes are accepted for rabbits who cannot be vaccinated due to age or illness - contact us for details.

We host RHDV-2 vaccine clinics throughout the year in partnership with rabbit-savvy exotic veterinarians to help our clients stay current.

See our events page for upcoming clinic dates, or our RHDV-2 information page for additional vaccination resources in LA and OC.

Quick Reference: RHDV-2 Vaccine Schedule

Sources:

The Chias
Next

rabbit trick training: a complete beginner's guide