NC Reports First Fatal Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Case in Dare County

North Carolina’s Department of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first fatal case of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2) in a Dare County domestic rabbit. Two dead rabbits were taken to a clinic on Jan. 1; lab tests confirmed RHDV2 lesions last Friday, and four of five rabbits at the clinic died. A quarantine remains for the surviving rabbit. RHDV2 is highly contagious and considered a foreign animal disease in the U.S.; signs include sudden death and nosebleeds. Owners should contact a veterinarian or the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services if they observe unexplained rabbit deaths.