Are RCVS accredited Vets better?

Hi Everyone..

I'm not sure if this sounds like a silly question, but I made some more calls today in search of a vet, and I discovered one that is not too far and seems to have accreditations the previous vets never had..

A lot of them I phoned wouldn't let me meet the vet or even ask specific questions, and said I would have to bring him in for a consultation etc first which kind of put me off right away, but I've narrowed it down to 2 that are within travelling distance to me (I don't drive so it's usually taxis or a lift)



the vet I found today was.

http://www.willowsvetgroup.co.uk/cnt1/32/Beech-House-Veterinary-Centre

And apparently they have a lot of experience with rabbits..and were the first ones to sort of give me the time and let me ask questions etc..

the other one is the one Capel found for me, which we are also considering..

After the last nightmare with our previous vets (I don't want to get into a name and shame thing so I wont mention Reeves & Reeves, in Warrington)

I really really want to make sure we get him a good vet, and the accreditations seem to suggest they operate from a higher standard.

I just wondered what everyone elses thought's are on it..

Thanks

M

ps, the nearset actual rabbit exotics I can find is pretty far away, and snuggs gets pretty stressed in the box..

To be RCVS accredited the veterinary practice has to go through a VERY thorough inspection so it certainly counts for alot. The most important thing though is that they have alot of experience with bunnies. The RWA have a list of rabbit savvy vets if you are a member

I wouldn't necessarily read any bunny-savvyness into it. The RCVS small animal accreditation does have some really good elements but I don't think it tells you anything about how good they are with rabbits. "Small animals" is mainly viewed as cats and dogs :? I have known vets at RCVS accredited small animal practices who I wouldn't let anywhere near my rabbits!

You can find more details about the scheme here: http://www.rcvs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=93187

Santa said:

"Small animals" is mainly viewed as cats and dogs :?

Click to expand...

This is what I have always assumed as well. I thought the thing you're meant to look for is 'exotic' which includes rabbits etc.

Yep. there isn't an RCVS practice standard for exotics though - in that context, small animals does mean all small pets including rabbits, hamsters etc, but it's about the general standard of the practice, not the individual veterinary competence with those species.

RCVS accredited specialist vets or whatever they're called are few and far between - according to that list there is only one exotics (Lawton, Harold Wood) and one rabbit specialist (FHB) in the whole country!

Hi Everyone..

Yea, it would seem the Actual accreditation does stand for something in regards standards etc, but I'm not sure what difference that actually makes to the amount of knowledge a vet has in dealing with specific animals like rabbits etc..

your right, Ideally I would want to take him to an exotics/rabbit specialist but even trying to figure out which ones those are is pretty confusing..

the nearest I think I've found is the first on this list

http://www.morfz.com/Vet_EU-UK.html

Molly Varga
Alder Veterinary Centre
410 Eaton Road
West Derby
Liverpool
L12 3HG

but that's about 20 miles away, so a round trip would be 40+miles.. etc, and I'm not sure if that would too far for a regular vet, espcially as we don't have a car.

The other one I think is one that Rodneyvet and a few others have mentioned which is in Tarporley, (can't remember the name of it, and can't find the message with it in)

but that works out about 50+ miles round trip too..

so I'm guessing these are likely too far for a regular vet considering the amount of trips back and forth..

unless you can have 2 vets?.. one for regular checkups, and another for diagnosis/acutal procedures etc..

I think I will phone Molly tommorrow though anyway and just have a chat with her, If I can.. you can never get to speak to them, cuz theyre always so busy..

I wouldn't mind but I used to live near west derby too, then moved here, my gf got a rabbit, I fell in love with it.. and now the exotics specialist is back in liverpool... tuh!..:roll:

That's pretty much what I do. I use the vets where I work for routine stuff (i get stuff at cost) and they were great when my bun had his eye ulcer recently, but if it's anything serious, such as when another bun had e.c. then I go to an exotics referral clinic. That's what they're for

Thanks Lilbun..

I'm still burried in websites somewhere deep in the internet looking at all the options, but that sounds like the most logical thing to do..at least then, if it's only one long trip every so often I guess it wouldn't be too bad..

Have some more calls to make tommorrow..


M