# Should i buy the calicivirus vaccine and inject my bunnie myself?



## babytired (Oct 7, 2009)

Hi everyone,
i am new to the website and i bought my 3rd rabbit last week from a breeder. She told me where to get the calivirus vaccine. i wonder if i can buy and inject my bunnies without going to the vet. hope to hear from any of you...
thanks
Veronique


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## pamnock (Oct 7, 2009)

What country are you from?

If you are inexperiencedat giving injections, I would have it done at the vet.

Pam


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## bunnybunbunb (Oct 7, 2009)

If you know how go for it, we do our dogs. It is basicly the same thing as the vets do.


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## Caprice Acres (Oct 7, 2009)

Rabbits need vaccines? I was unaware of that! I've never heard of giving bunns vaccines. If I plan on going to shows, are they recommended? What/when/how are they given? I have lots of experience giving vaccines, just don't know if they need to be IM or Sub-Q.


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Oct 7, 2009)

Rabbits in the USA and Canada don't get Vaccines, Thats why you haven't heard of them.


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## tonyshuman (Oct 7, 2009)

Vaccines are usually given IM, at least in humans. An IM injection is technically quite challenging in rabbits, at least more so than sub-q. It should say on the bottle or on a website that sells the vaccine how it should be injected.

CapriceAcres, there aren't any vaccines for rabbits in the US. Calcivirus, myxomatosis, and viral hemorrhagic disease aren't common in the states, but they are common in the UK, Aus, and NZ, and I would assume most of Europe as well. There have only been a few isolated pockets of those diseases in the US so the vaccines are not available or commonly given.


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## Caprice Acres (Oct 7, 2009)

Ahhh, OK. I was hoping I wasn't missing something on the health of my Buns! 

I would find it odd if vaccines were developed for rabbits to be intramuscular, simply for the reason that IM shots damage muscle tissue, making it undesirable for consumption. Generally speaking, rabbits are livestock bred for meat (I know not all breeds or people breed for meat) but a vaccine that lowers meat quality would be unusual, IMO. I would assume most rabbit vaccines would be Sub-Q, which are really easy to give.


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## tonyshuman (Oct 7, 2009)

That's true, but giving an injection of antigen into a muscle allows for it to stay there and the immune system to deal with it, instead of the antigen going throughout the body and causing a massive and potentially damaging immune response. You want the immune system to recognize the antigen without having the entire system get affected; at least that's what my rudimentary understanding of immunology tells me.


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## Caprice Acres (Oct 7, 2009)

Well, I don't know specifically much about immunology, but I do know that injections into the muscle go to work much quicker than sub-q shots. Sub-q shots usually form a small bubble at the site. Muscle shots do this too (which is what damages the muscle) but injections are absorbed much faster when given intramuscularly - which is why epinephrine is given IM to animals reacting to a vaccine. Don't know if it works similarly with vaccines though, they're not just plain chemicals to be absorbed.  Interesting, I think I'll look it up!


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## tonyshuman (Oct 7, 2009)

Pamnock is a science whiz and may also have the answer. I


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## pamnock (Oct 7, 2009)

Sub Q is often preferred in cats/rabbits and also avoids fibrosis that can develop in the muscle tissue - however, some vaccines should be given IM. It's important to read the label. 

Pam


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## babytired (Oct 8, 2009)

I am living in Melb, Australia. the vet cost for vaccination is $45-80 and i found that the vaccine itself only cost $10. and i have three bunnies... ^.^ Maybe i should go to the gold field to find some gold heheh ...


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## tierlakay (Oct 8, 2009)

We are in Australia also and haven't vaccinated any of our rabbits...

where can you get them for $10??....


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## l.lai (Oct 8, 2009)

Would you like me injecting you with the Swine Flu vaccine?

I work in I.T...im not a doctor...

If your answer is no, then i'd say take your bunny to the vet!


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