Arizona wildlife officials are issuing a warning about the potential spread of a virus that kills rabbits.
The Today’s News-Herald reported Monday that state Game and Fish Department veterinarians are watching for cases of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 — dubbed RHDV2. For rabbits, the disease can be a painful and sudden killer. Experts say rabbits afflicted with an acute form of it die within 12 to 36 hours from the onset of a fever. Symptoms include lethargy, weight loss and jaundice. RHDV2 causes infected cottontail rabbits to bleed from their nose and mouth because of internal hemorrhaging.
