West Australian Rabbit Council

Today’s show has been cancelled due to works at our show hall.
Thank you.

🙋🏼‍♀️Hello! Just reposting this fact about the Filavac Vaccine for your information.

This last weekend we had several people, clubs asking if the Filavac dose can be halved or quartered or if there is any “extra” amount left after drawing up 0.5ml can it be used on another rabbit and if the dose is the same for all rabbits whether giant or dwarf as it was advised by a vet that it could and the advice seems to have spread through numerous chats/groups with people asking the same question.

It’s actually a pretty good question! Because there is a huge difference between a 7kg giant and a 900 gram dwarf, so you can see the reasoning behind the question.

However, in true WARCI form, we like to go straight to the source to get the correct information for you.

Please see below, portion of email received from Ceva on behalf of Filavie, in response to my questioning rabbit size vs single dose rate.

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“We have previously been asked this question and Filavae has advised that the correct dose rate for any size of rabbit is 0.5mL as a reduction in dose volume will reduce the amount of antigen and thus reduce the immune response and efficacy, some vials appear to have more liquid than others, this doesn’t mean there is more inactivated vaccine, it just means the “liquid carrier” is more, the entire contents must be used on the single rabbit you are administering it to, not split up as “extra”.

See below advice from them on this question -

"As Filavac VHD K C+V is an inactivated vaccine, dividing the dose by 2,5 means having 2,5x less antigen administered to the rabbit at 0,2ml/D and thus efficacy at risk.

Only administration of 0,5ml/D guarantees efficacy. There is no additionnal risk on safety when administration of 0,5ml/D on a smaller rabbit."

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So in short… all rabbits are to receive a single 0.5ml dose or THE ENTIRE CONTENT OF THE VIAL, irrelevant of breed/size.

If new knowledge comes to light and a different dose rate/recommendation comes into play, the supplier/label will advise.

If your vet says different, please ask them to contact the supplier/manufacturer to confirm. Please also be aware, Australia is still in the learning phase for this vaccine, don’t criticise vets/ rabbit owners who might not have a complete understanding of the protocol.

Education is key, vets are afterall trying to help you.