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Should someone have a rabbit if they don't have good vet backup?
- Thread starter Sky-O
- Start date
Oompa-Loompa
Warren Veteran
My local vets are absolutely useless with rabbits (and most other small animals as well, I've found) so I always have to do a lot of research on my own. I usually call a better vet for advice as well which I then pass on to my local vets so they have something to work with. It certainly makes everything a lot more difficult however 
susie bun
Wise Old Thumper
Difficult question, partly becuase definitions of 'good' will vary.
Depending on area and owner's ability to drive (possibly other circumstances too) it may not be possible.
I'm quite lucky in that when there wasn't a specially good rabbit vet our practice offered referrals to a specialist, albeit not very local.
Depending on area and owner's ability to drive (possibly other circumstances too) it may not be possible.
I'm quite lucky in that when there wasn't a specially good rabbit vet our practice offered referrals to a specialist, albeit not very local.
Crunchie
Warren Veteran
People should certainly make efforts to find a good rabbit savy vet, I wouldn't expect all vets to be comfortable with snakes and therefore I can hardly expect them all to be experts on rabbits.
At the same time though rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK therefore I would also expect that all vets would, at the very least, have knowledge of all the common problems such as stasis, bloat, teeth problems, EC etc and know at least the first steps to treating them. If they're unsure of what to do I'd expect them to consult with someone who does instead of trying a treatment and hoping for the best as some seem to do. Given how much people pay for consultations and things I don't think this is too much to ask.
So basically while I don't expect vets to be experts I do expect them to have a decent understanding of rabbit problems and it shouldn't be left to owners to have to research problems and recommend treatments. After all how do you know if a vet is rabbit savvy aside from maybe recommendations?
Sadly I've found that some vets seem to think that rabbits aren't worth the research required to properly treat them and I find this very sad.
At the same time though rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK therefore I would also expect that all vets would, at the very least, have knowledge of all the common problems such as stasis, bloat, teeth problems, EC etc and know at least the first steps to treating them. If they're unsure of what to do I'd expect them to consult with someone who does instead of trying a treatment and hoping for the best as some seem to do. Given how much people pay for consultations and things I don't think this is too much to ask.
So basically while I don't expect vets to be experts I do expect them to have a decent understanding of rabbit problems and it shouldn't be left to owners to have to research problems and recommend treatments. After all how do you know if a vet is rabbit savvy aside from maybe recommendations?
Sadly I've found that some vets seem to think that rabbits aren't worth the research required to properly treat them and I find this very sad.
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Jenova
Wise Old Thumper
What do you mean by good vet back up? The every day vet? Emergency? Or generally how good the vet's knowledge of rabbits is?
And how do you test this before they have the rabbit? You can ask the basic questions but then if your rabbit has something unexpected the vet may have no idea. I think if you have somewhere like RU where you can ask for advice and the vet is willing to do research it doesn't matter how much they know.
When Grim got his abscesses my vet wasn't too sure what to do but did research and conferred with other vets and came back to me with treatment that save his life. So my definition of a good vet is different to most people's. It's not the knowledge, it's the willingness to learn.
And how do you test this before they have the rabbit? You can ask the basic questions but then if your rabbit has something unexpected the vet may have no idea. I think if you have somewhere like RU where you can ask for advice and the vet is willing to do research it doesn't matter how much they know.
When Grim got his abscesses my vet wasn't too sure what to do but did research and conferred with other vets and came back to me with treatment that save his life. So my definition of a good vet is different to most people's. It's not the knowledge, it's the willingness to learn.
I mean a vet who would be competent to treat rabbit issues. I'm not talking specialists. I'm talking vets who might be willing to learn, who might already have the knowledge or contacts. That said, that is my interpretation and everyone else will have a different one.
And I never said it should be tested before someone has a rabbit (although that, ideally, would be part of research into taking on an animal). I just asked a simple question, nothing more, nothing less.
Santa
Wise Old Thumper
I know of people who have been turned down on a homecheck solely because of the vets they use, even if everything else has seemed perfect. Knowing one practice in particular where I wouldn't take an animal if they paid me, I quite agree with it, although I guess it wouldn't be a normal reason for turning someone down!
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catherine09
Mama Doe
I'm not convinced our vet is bunny savvy but aside from interrogating her on what she knows ill only really find out how good they are when you need specific treatment (something I've not had to have yet). I could change to a rabbit savvy vet but there seem to be none in the local area from the research I've done. I do have a recommendation but they are over half an hours drive from here, not ideal for a bun who dislikes being in a car, but I have that option available to me if I ever needed specialist care.
So does all that mean I shouldnt have my bunnies? I hope others don't think that. It's down to luck really whether you have a true rabbit specialist vet near where you live. Sure, vets can say they treat bunnies but you have no idea to what level of depth their knowledge extends to.
So does all that mean I shouldnt have my bunnies? I hope others don't think that. It's down to luck really whether you have a true rabbit specialist vet near where you live. Sure, vets can say they treat bunnies but you have no idea to what level of depth their knowledge extends to.
Thanks for the input guys, by the way.
That's really interesting. If a palce is that disasterous I can see why that might occur.
That's really interesting. If a palce is that disasterous I can see why that might occur.
I don't know why but I took the question to mean that there just wasn't good rabbits vets where the person lives.......like other countries or remote areas. If that is the case and the person does what ever they can to protect the rabbit and get the best vet care possible then yes because it would mean that they would be homeless or food if you didn't take the rabbit because there aren't rabbit savvy vets. Research and a good,willing to vet would be the rabbits only chance anyways.
Crunchie
Warren Veteran
I agree with that, my old vet was very understanding of Honey's stasis problems but when Roly went in with bloat they didn't have a clue. They also don't have their own out of hours service and used an agency instead. I won't go into what we went through with them but they really were awful.
We've moved to another vet that's a 40min drive in the car which aint ideal but they're the best we know of that it'd be in any way realistic to use.
Jenova
Wise Old Thumper
No question is ever simple.
:lol:Sorry if my answer was a little more in depth.
I think you can always find a competent vet, even if it means travelling. I think if you're not prepared to do that then you shouldn't have a rabbit, or any pet.
Crunchie
Warren Veteran
Or sticking needles into organs that are in danger of rupturing. :evil:
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
The thing that's hard to get across is how important a good rabbit vet is. Not a good vet or a 'nice person'. Sadly a lot of people have to lose a precious rabbit before they question it fully. I think that happened to me. Unfortunately I didn't have anyone to advise me beforehand that rabbit vets existed, nor how fragile they are - if you know this then seek out a rabbit vet as it's one of the most important things you can do for your rabbit, and it needs to be done before you need them!
Back to the question - it would be hard to say give up your rabbits if your rabbit vet moved on and you lived somewhere remote where there wasn't a second option, but generally speaking, yes, a rabbit vet is essential.
Back to the question - it would be hard to say give up your rabbits if your rabbit vet moved on and you lived somewhere remote where there wasn't a second option, but generally speaking, yes, a rabbit vet is essential.
helen01
Warren Veteran
How does the average person know which vets are 'good' and which are 'excellent' though until something bad happens? My doggy vets are excellent but the journey can be 30 mins in the car, which Poppy would hate. My vets at the top of my street are more expensive but seem to be really good, the vet certainly talks about all the things you all do and was confident neutering her.
I guess I am just hoping that if/when Poppy needs him for anything serious he is 'excellent' because I really dont think she would like the 30 minute journey to the doggy vets (who I suspect would be as excellent as they are with the dogs:?). I dont know other people around where I live who have rabbits (well I do but they probably dont use vets for them) so I cant gauge who is good/bad
I guess I am just hoping that if/when Poppy needs him for anything serious he is 'excellent' because I really dont think she would like the 30 minute journey to the doggy vets (who I suspect would be as excellent as they are with the dogs:?). I dont know other people around where I live who have rabbits (well I do but they probably dont use vets for them) so I cant gauge who is good/bad
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If there is a competant vet available and they choose to go to one that is awful, then no, I dont think they should have rabbits.
I think an 'okay' vet can be fine, as long as they have knowledge of the basics and are willing to research, but only if you are willing to get a referral to a good vet if you encounter a big problem.
I go back and forth with my vets on how good they are :lol: I nearly left after they wouldnt give me extra painkillers after Barney's dental (except the injection one) and that was the vet there reccommended to me by a local rescue. But after a word they are fine with it now, and I try and make sure I see the owner of the practice, who is much better, although I wish he was a little more proactive with diagnosis tests sometimes and I was told on here his dosing of baytril was out of date.
I think an 'okay' vet can be fine, as long as they have knowledge of the basics and are willing to research, but only if you are willing to get a referral to a good vet if you encounter a big problem.
I go back and forth with my vets on how good they are :lol: I nearly left after they wouldnt give me extra painkillers after Barney's dental (except the injection one) and that was the vet there reccommended to me by a local rescue. But after a word they are fine with it now, and I try and make sure I see the owner of the practice, who is much better, although I wish he was a little more proactive with diagnosis tests sometimes and I was told on here his dosing of baytril was out of date.
How does the average person know which vets are 'good' and which are 'excellent' though until something bad happens? My doggy vets are excellent but the journey can be 30 mins in the car, which Poppy would hate. My vets at the top of my street are more expensive but seem to be really good, the vet certainly talks about all the things you all do and was confident neutering her.
I guess I am just hoping that if/when Poppy needs him for anything serious he is 'excellent' because I really dont think she would like the 30 minute journey to the doggy vets (who I suspect would be as excellent as they are with the dogs:?). I dont know other people around where I live who have rabbits (well I do but they probably dont use vets for them) so I cant gauge who is good/bad
Just as you're a new member I thought I'd mention that if you havent already, you could start a thread called 'Rabbit Savvy Vet Near XXXXX' to see if people can reccommend one for you, you may have to bump it over a few days to make sure people in your area get roiund to seeing it.
There are some basic questions in the FAQ section that you can ask a vets to see if they know the basics if that helps. Unfortunately rabbits are classed as 'exotics' so normal vets dont have to learn about them, which is why it can be so hard to find a decent vet. Exotic vets arent as rare as you'd think, so it would be worth looking for one with that qualification.
Hope this helps
