The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department asks that people report any dead rabbits found this fall and winter.
In early 2020, the department received test results confirming that rabbit hemorrhagic disease was found in several species of wild rabbits in Texas. Since April 2021, the wildlife department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Animal Health Commission have not confirmed any new cases in wild rabbit populations in the state.
Officials said in a news release that the disease is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect both domestic and wild rabbit species. It has been known to exist in all biological tissues and fluids within rabbits. It has also been known to survive on the landscape for more than 120 days and can withstand freezing temperatures. The disease is nearly always fatal and primarily affects adult rabbits.
The disease can spread between rabbits through direct contact with other infected rabbits or carcasses, contact with their meat or fur, contaminated food or water, or other contaminated materials. These factors make disease control efforts extremely difficult.
With deer, waterfowl, and quail hunting seasons in full swing, the wildlife department asks that hunters report any rabbit mortality events, especially in areas of the Panhandle and Trans Pecos regions where previously positive cases were confirmed by both the USDA and Texas Animal Health Commission.
To date, counties with known mortality events include Brewster, Cottle, Culberson, El Paso, Gaines, Hale, Hockley, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Lubbock, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, and Ward counties. Reports of dead rabbits should be made to a biologist in the county in which they were found. The biologists can be found online at https://bit.ly/3kiaSt5, officials said in a news release.
The disease appears only to affect rabbits. It is not known to affect humans, livestock, or pets other than rabbits. However, pets, such as hunting dogs should not be allowed to consume dead animal carcasses. Often the only clinical sign is sudden death.
In less acute cases, clinical signs in rabbits have included: dullness/apathy, not eating, bleeding from the nose and eyes, or watery, congested eyes. Some also might exhibit neurological signs such as incoordination, excitement, or seizurelike episodes.
The wildlife department advises that all rabbit hunters voluntarily clean rabbits in the harvest location and discard non-consumed carcass parts in the same area. Hunters also can minimize the spread of the disease by reducing the movement of biological materials and carcasses across Texas. Hunters should take standard protective measures such as wearing gloves and thoroughly washing their hands after field-dressing rabbits.
The wildlife department also asks that hunters thoroughly clean coolers containing rabbits with a 10% bleach solution after use.
More information on the disease can be found on the USDA website and on the rabbit hemorrhagic disease page of the wildlife department’s website.
Learn more about the disease in domestic rabbits on the Texas Animal Health Commission website.
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