VETS (and costs etc)

can you chop and change vets or is it not worth it? (or be with more than one?)

I got a quote today for Star (the mum) to be sprayed and the vets that I am currently under charges £89.99 *if* everything goes according to plan. I paid £55 for Bugs (boy) to be done (same vets) a little while ago.

I have 4 buns, 3 un-neutured and I need to get them done so I have a chance of bonding them all together. It is going to cost me almost £250 to get the 3 of them done (and the big two are due jabs soon as well).

Now the vets down the road (where bugs & star were originally) were charging £39.99 for both boys and girls (special offer not sure if it is still on) - would you be tempted by this offer? it would cost a fraction compaired to the current vets ...

happypreso said:

can you chop and change vets or is it not worth it? (or be with more than one?)

I got a quote today for Star (the mum) to be sprayed and the vets that I am currently under charges £89.99 *if* everything goes according to plan. I paid £55 for Bugs (boy) to be done (same vets) a little while ago.

I have 4 buns, 3 un-neutured and I need to get them done so I have a chance of bonding them all together. It is going to cost me almost £250 to get the 3 of them done (and the big two are due jabs soon as well).

Now the vets down the road (where bugs & star were originally) were charging £39.99 for both boys and girls (special offer not sure if it is still on) - would you be tempted by this offer? it would cost a fraction compaired to the current vets ...

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yes, but it would depend on how rabbits savvy they are! You could call them up and ask how often they treat rabbits etc.... but I use two different vets, one for jabs and one for everything else!

happypreso said:

can you chop and change vets or is it not worth it? (or be with more than one?)

I got a quote today for Star (the mum) to be sprayed and the vets that I am currently under charges £89.99 *if* everything goes according to plan. I paid £55 for Bugs (boy) to be done (same vets) a little while ago.

I have 4 buns, 3 un-neutured and I need to get them done so I have a chance of bonding them all together. It is going to cost me almost £250 to get the 3 of them done (and the big two are due jabs soon as well).

Now the vets down the road (where bugs & star were originally) were charging £39.99 for both boys and girls (special offer not sure if it is still on) - would you be tempted by this offer? it would cost a fraction compaired to the current vets ...

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Pros of have more than one vet: better prices for different things
Cons: medical conditions need to be recorded and followed up at just one vets, so that treatment is consistent and appropriate

cheaper vets may not be quite as bunny savvy, but then again it may work the other way and they see lots of rabbits so can afford to offer a better price?

Best to ask if they have a rabbit/exotics specialist, how many speys the do per month (castrates are always cheaper anyway, different type of surgery) and if they will do a special deal to have all 3 done at once?

charlie82 said:

yes, but it would depend on how rabbits savvy they are! You could call them up and ask how often they treat rabbits etc.... but I use two different vets, one for jabs and one for everything else!

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and they are okay with that? I assume they know about each other?

yeah, vets are a competitive market as much as anything else. If you do decide to have jabs at one and everything else at the other, keep it that way i.e. dont chop and change and (unless in an emergency) dont use your "jab vet" for treatments! If your treatment vet asks, you are free to say that you get their jabs elsewhere (take your vax card to show them that ur not lying!!) - the only way vets keep their prices down is to know someone else is doing it cheaper! the vets i've worked for have lots of clients that do stuff like this, its perfectly normal.
N.B. check that there isn't an "injection fee" or anything at the jab vets, incase that evens out the price!

VikkiVet said:

Pros of have more than one vet: better prices for different things
Cons: medical conditions need to be recorded and followed up at just one vets, so that treatment is consistent and appropriate

cheaper vets may not be quite as bunny savvy, but then again it may work the other way and they see lots of rabbits so can afford to offer a better price?

Best to ask if they have a rabbit/exotics specialist, how many speys the do per month (castrates are always cheaper anyway, different type of surgery) and if they will do a special deal to have all 3 done at once?

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Excellent, just seen in the paper that they still have the offer on, all rabbits are £39.99. Only one of the three is old enough to have it done yet so I think I will check out this offer for Star (the mum) and see what they say and then take it from there. Actually just reading it again, the offer is open until 30th April by which time the other two will be old enough as well .....

So what should I ask / look out for? I had my jabs done with this vets (cost me £50 each bun) and that seems to all go okay. How do I know they are rabbit savvy and not just telling me they are doing lots? My current vets doesn't do many sprayes/neuters (they told me after Bugs had been done!) so I suppose I am not better off between the two either way? (except cost?). So hard, I hate op's!

happypreso said:

So what should I ask / look out for? I had my jabs done with this vets (cost me £50 each bun) and that seems to all go okay. How do I know they are rabbit savvy and not just telling me they are doing lots?

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Just ask! I dont get why people find that really hard - vets are honest, they will tell you! Most vets that aren't confident with exotics etc dont advertise special deals on them, or even deliberately make themselves more expensive to discourage people (especially farm vets that dont want to treat horses!!). Give them a ring and ask to speak to the vet (might have to get them to ring you back) and ask a million questions! i prefer those owners than those who just hand animals over blankly with no real idea what is being done to their pet or why (they're usually the ones that moan about the bill later....). Do you know anyone else in your area with rabbits who could recommend them or another vet?

If you do use two vets just ensure that BOTH sets of vets are aware of what you are doing and that you fill either vet in on the rabbit in questions full medical history when they are being seen.

Vets view it as poor professional manners for one vet to treat anothers patient without their prior knowledge. I use one vet for castrations & vaccines and another for nearly all other conditions, but I have to inform the vet doing vaccines of any treatment the rabbit has had prior to the vaccination, so she can asses that they are well enough to withstand the vaccine at that time.

VikkiVet said:

Just ask! I dont get why people find that really hard - vets are honest, they will tell you! Most vets that aren't confident with exotics etc dont advertise special deals on them, or even deliberately make themselves more expensive to discourage people (especially farm vets that dont want to treat horses!!). Give them a ring and ask to speak to the vet (might have to get them to ring you back) and ask a million questions! i prefer those owners than those who just hand animals over blankly with no real idea what is being done to their pet or why (they're usually the ones that moan about the bill later....). Do you know anyone else in your area with rabbits who could recommend them or another vet?

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I think it is know *what* to ask rather than not being able to ask if you see what I mean. The only question that spring to my mind is 'is my bun going to be okay?'

I use my local vets for everything but used a different one for both bunnies neuters. Mainly because I leave my town at 7.30am and the vets dont open till 8am so couldnt drop them off without being late for work. Also because my local one charge £120 and the one nearer my work charge £50!

Sooz said:

If you do use two vets just ensure that BOTH sets of vets are aware of what you are doing and that you fill either vet in on the rabbit in questions full medical history when they are being seen.

Vets view it as poor professional manners for one vet to treat anothers patient without their prior knowledge. I use one vet for castrations & vaccines and another for nearly all other conditions, but I have to inform the vet doing vaccines of any treatment the rabbit has had prior to the vaccination, so she can asses that they are well enough to withstand the vaccine at that time.

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good point actually. Maybe I might get Star done at the cheap vets (assuming vets is all okay) and leave Angel & Holly to be done at the current vets. Star is a normal healthy rabbit but Angel & Holly both have eye troubles and the vet today said we might have to sort out Angels eye lid but this could be done whilst getting castrated ..... (so my point is, given the two buns history it might be better staying with the current vet).

Will have a think about it some more ....