Rabbits with tentacles: Can humans, dogs catch Shope papilloma virus that is turning Cottontails zombies in Dakota?

'Rabbits with tentacles' have gone viral on the internet after a "horned rabbit" was spotted in South Dakota last month. These wild bunnies had scary-looking growths on their heads, which looked very odd on the cute creatures that are not rare in the region.

 

One particular photo that has gone viral on the internet showed a bunny staring at the camera from a distance with tentacle-like growths hanging down from its head. Another looked like it had grown random horns across its face. Just when people started linking the development to a much-feared zombie outbreak, the revelation came: the rabbits were indeed growing the tentacles due to a viral outbreak.

 

Shope papilloma virus 

 

USA's Cottontail rabbits were reportedly photographed with the bizarre growths that are caused by the Shope papilloma virus (SPV), also known as the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV). The virus causes growths on the heads of the rabbits and nowhere else. While the virus can spread through contact, vectors like mosquitoes are also to blame, according to experts quoted by USA Today. 

 

While the virus is generally not deadly, the growths can sometimes limit the creatures' eyesight, hampering their food intake or vigilance against predators. The wart-like condition may also affect their sense of smell or ability to eat, further making life miserable—prompting veterinarians to step in, the report added. However, there is a small possibility of the growths becoming cancerous.

 

This condition is not common because rabbits typically have an immune response that will deal with the virus and the growths. Insects target the head region of the Lagomorph where it is fur-free, probably causing the growth, experts doubt. 

 

Can humans get CRPV?

 

According to US media reports, it was not the first time that South Dakota natives had spotted a horned or tentacled bunny in the wild. Such sightings happen annually, at least once, meaning the virus outbreak is not new. Veterinarians in the state have even treated a few by removing the growths, reports claimed. While it can spread from bunny to bunny, it is not capable of affecting humans or even bigger mammals like dogs. So, as long as you do not have domesticated rabbits, which are more vulnerable to the virus than those in the wild, there is nothing for you to fear.

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