Maintain hygiene and a disinfection programme using suitable disinfectants. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your rabbit is not well. Vaccinate your rabbit every year, following the advice of your veterinarian. However as the disease is spread mainly by mosquitoes, pet rabbits can easily become infected. The disease is almost always fatal.
Young rabbits are the most susceptible.
They become listless, lose their appetite, and develop a vever. The head may swell, especially the nose, lips, and ears. The anus and scrotum may become very red and inflamed. Most rabbits die within one or two weeks of first showing signs of the disease. Because of the rabbit's status as a noxious pest in Australia, vaccination of domestic rabbits against this disease is illegal.