First ever trip to the Vets!

Right, I have now registered Bramble with our local vets. Apparently there is a man (vet) there who is particulary interested in small furries, which sounds promising! Now I just need to make an appointment to take Bramble. I've never, ever been to a vets before. What should I expect? I'd like them to give Bramble a health MOT, and sort out injections etc. He also badly needs his nails cutting.

Well he will likely give your bun a good look over, check teeth, check for any skin problems etc. He will probably ask you about the diet and home.
Ask about doing the nails and he will probably show you how to do them so you can do it next time.
If your bun is in good health he will probably give the Myxi vaccine and tell you to come back in two weeks for the VHD

Your vet should give Bramble a good check. My vets did the following at the first visit:

• Weighed Ollie
• Listened to his gut sounds
• Looked in his ears
• Checked all his teeth, including the ones at the back.
• Checked he was indeed a boy bunny!
• Discussed diet, housing, illnesses such as fly strike etc with me
• Gave him his VHD jab
• Cut his nails (I asked him to do this).

All in all I was in with the vet for ages. We then went back 2 week later for Ollie's myxi jab and a course of Panacur. Both visits, both jabs and the Panacur cost about £38.

At my vets payment is due immediately after the consultation and I paid for both jabs at the same time as it made it a bit cheaper.

Arrive on time and make sure bunny is in a secure carrier - I put in a towel and some hay for Ollie's comfort.

Would you wait until your bun is settled and comfortable with you b4 you take them for their first check up? Ive been meaning to take Tink (only had her 3 weeks) but I'm scared the whole experience will ruin the tiny bit of trust she has in me.

Mine sulked for a day afterwards! She was fine with my o/h and eating/drinking/being nosy but she just glared and turned her back on me. Never knew buns could give evil looks like that:shock:

ask the vet a few questions to find out how rabbit savvy he is.. ie: how many rabbits they get in weekly. how many neuteres they do. how many dentals they do and if do concious as well as ga(note some very good rabbit savvy vets i know stil wont do concious dentals so dont worry if its a no)
ask about how the myxi injection is given... this is 10% in skin(some vets do both in neck some do part in ear) and rest into muscle.
ask about pannacur(to prevent ec) rear gaurd(fly strike prevention) dietry needs etc

and if i was you i would book bunny in for myxi jab rather than check up as it is usually cheaper adn check up must be done anyway to determing bun in good health and able to have jab. ask if discont for paying for both injections at same time. THEY MUST BE GIVEN 2 WEEKS apart min.

at health check you should expect. temperature taken via bum, ears and eyes checked over, teeth including back ones looked at heart listened to,wieght of bun taken, and gut sounds listened to.. if a female bun feeling of abdomen to check for uterine cancer lumps, good advice in general and for the vet to be confident in handling bun tho you may have to hold bun too. x

Thank you so much for all the tips, this helps no end. At least I know what to expect now! We are off this afternoon, my o/h should be home from work in time to come too.

Bolton Babe - Bramble has been with us since before Christmas now, so hopefully he feels reasonable happy with us.....at least I hope he does!

I just hope the trip doesn't upset him too much.

Bunlover - what's pannacur?

Well, we went to the vets yesterday, but it's wasn't that successful. Firstly, it took us quite a while to get Bramble into his carrier. Then off we went. Arrived at the Vets, went in. Vet takes Bramble out of his box, and asks me to hold him on the table.....Bramble is having none of this. I tried to hold him, but he's soooo wriggly, he hopped right off the table. I was worried, because that's possibly the highest he's ever jumped from, but he was fine. Then the vet spent a while chasing Bramble around the floor, which was quite comical :lol: He eventually got him, and quickly checked him over. Then decided to put him back in his box!! He wasn't able to really check anything, but said he looked nice and healthy. Told us to try and handle him more, to get him used to it, and informed us about injections, which will be done in May. Poor Bramble was shaking when we got him home, I felt so guilty, but he was fine after a massive carrot.

clarebear said:

Well, we went to the vets yesterday, but it's wasn't that successful. Firstly, it took us quite a while to get Bramble into his carrier. Then off we went. Arrived at the Vets, went in. Vet takes Bramble out of his box, and asks me to hold him on the table.....Bramble is having none of this. I tried to hold him, but he's soooo wriggly, he hopped right off the table. I was worried, because that's possibly the highest he's ever jumped from, but he was fine. Then the vet spent a while chasing Bramble around the floor, which was quite comical :lol: He eventually got him, and quickly checked him over. Then decided to put him back in his box!! He wasn't able to really check anything, but said he looked nice and healthy. Told us to try and handle him more, to get him used to it, and informed us about injections, which will be done in May. Poor Bramble was shaking when we got him home, I felt so guilty, but he was fine after a massive carrot.

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Glad Bramble is okay...that's exactly what I'm scared of with Tink lol...I think i'll get her completely comfortable being handled b4 I attempt a vets visit!!!

clarebear said:

Well, we went to the vets yesterday, but it's wasn't that successful. Firstly, it took us quite a while to get Bramble into his carrier. Then off we went. Arrived at the Vets, went in. Vet takes Bramble out of his box, and asks me to hold him on the table.....Bramble is having none of this. I tried to hold him, but he's soooo wriggly, he hopped right off the table. I was worried, because that's possibly the highest he's ever jumped from, but he was fine. Then the vet spent a while chasing Bramble around the floor, which was quite comical :lol: He eventually got him, and quickly checked him over. Then decided to put him back in his box!! He wasn't able to really check anything, but said he looked nice and healthy. Told us to try and handle him more, to get him used to it, and informed us about injections, which will be done in May. Poor Bramble was shaking when we got him home, I felt so guilty, but he was fine after a massive carrot.

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hmm sounds a bit strange that the vet didnt/wouldnt check her but i geuss he weighed up the stress. i wouldnt be happy taking a bun in for a health check without teeth, eyes adn heart listened to really and wegihing done. dont know how old a bun needs t o be before first injections someonee else will help but as soon as possible when old enough would be my advice!
pannacur is a debated medicine for rabbits it is known to help prevent ec and worms. however length of course and regularity of courses are in dispute so go by your vets advice personally i have changed my stance on it several times from not pannacuring.. to doing 4x a year to now doing a 9day course annually. its no t a pain to give but there is another thread which explains mroe about it than i ever can! x