How to keep safe

How do you keep your show rabbits safe? With no preventative shots for rabbits would every show be like Russian Roulette? Besides a strict quarantine policy what can be done to be both productive in the show ring and be safe?

There are going to be germs floating around and on surfaces but as long as your rabbits don't get an infectious dose their immune systems should be able to handle them

Make sure all show rabbits are in good health, try to minimize stress (ie by practicing going on car rides and being handled/posed by strangers), don't alter their diet (stick to pellets and hay - NO treats!) bring water from home, change soiled bedding frequently, have a plan to keep them draft free, dry and/or cool (or warm) - buildings can get very hot very quickly once they fill up with people and if you're near to a door the temperature changes and drafts can be very hard on your critters

At the show you can put covers over your rabbits and/or keep them away from aisles so spectators don't poke their fingers in cages or offer a bite of a carrot that has been nibbled on by everybunny in the building :groooan:

Doing a quick inspection of other competitors rabbits and notifying the Stewart of obviously sick ones and/or leave the show if you feel your animals are at risk

You really have no control over bacteria and viruses on the table and judges hands but after coming off the table a wipe down of your rabbits body, ears and feet with a disinfectant solution can help remove and kill possible pathogens and lower the chance of them ingesting an infectious dose while grooming

Good to know. I'm not planning to show at this point but you never know when this kind of information might come handy. Thank you.

I just culled everything due to pasturella and I'm afraid to run into other families who were at our last rabbit show. If I hear about some rampant outbreak of snuffles among local rabbits at that show I'll feel horrible (all evidence points to the bacteria coming with us from the breeder we bought the rabbits from).

I do think a good quarantine schedule for returning rabbits after show is a good idea.

Strict culling for good immune systems helps, but can't prevent all cases.

Sort of building on what Dood said, the stress involved with showing can cause even good immune systems to weaken quite a bit.

Sometimes, a high priced show bun will pick up a communicable disease at a show and has to be culled. That can be hard on a breeder for sure, but it seems to be what is best for the rabbits overall.

There IS a pasteurella vaccine.

The makers do not claim that it would prevent infection or render vaccinated rabbits non-contagious.
It's only purpose is to reduce mortality in infected laboratory rabbits.
To save a lab money on replacement stock.

It's use in show lines is not recommended due to:
1. Having vaccinated (but infected) rabbits spread disease to non-vaccinated rabbits.
2. Fostering weak immune systems in a line (AKA continuing to breed animals that would have otherwise died from illness.)