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Opinions Please-was I wrong to ask?

Janey

Warren Veteran
Poppy (for reasons I wont go into), gets a messy wet bottom. I have always had to clean her but lately she has been a bit worse but the 'situation' is being managed (there is no point explaining it all really because its not relevant to the question).

A couple of times when grooming/cleaning her I have torn her skin despite being very careful, her skin just seems do fragile. Last time (a month ago) it resulted in the wound having to be cleaned and several staples.

I am now petrified to clean her but obviously know I have to. She has such thick fur around her bottom that I thought perhaps if it was clipped it would be easier to manage (this has happened before and it really helped). I called the vets and asked if this was something they could do, I explained the full situation and obviously they can see what has happened previously from her records, but they said they dont offer a grooming service.

Do you think I was wrong to ask or should they help (bearing in mind the amount I pay to them in fees and obviously I would pay them to do it). Its not for aesthetic reasons but medical. They offered to look for a contact for 'rabbit groomers' but I would be hesitant to just take her any where, plus i highly doubt anyone specialises in bunnies.

I will have to do it myself and hope for the best, I just wondered what people thought, perhaps I was just cheeky to ask.
 
No not cheeky to ask but some vets won't do it because rabbits can be quite wriggly. I know my local vets won't do it but my specialist will for ... wait for it ... £30 :shock:
 
Not at all! My bridge bun used to get a mucky bum all the time :( but the vets were more than happy to clean it and trim the fur for me.

Did you ask why they wouldn't? I can understand about the grooming but it's not technically grooming ( like for cosmetic reasons) when it could save bun from medical implications :?
 
My vets have done this and didn't even charge, it only took literally a minute! Your vets don't sound very helpful!! :?
 
My vet has done this too for Poppy when she had a mucky bottom.

Was it a receptionist you spoke to? Just wondering if they didn't really appreciate the situation fully...perhaps it would be an odd thing to request for a dog or cat, but they didn't realise it was more normal for a bunny?

Maybe you could book a consult with a vet and ask about it in the consult?
 
Just as a side point have you invested in your own electric clippers? They were a godsend for my angora bridge bunny.
 
My vets do charge but will do it- the vet nurse does it.

I'm sorry but that's something I'd expect a vets to be able to help with...
 
i trim all four of my bunnies because they are very fluffy underneath. tabby needs it most because she's fat, cecile needs it least because she's a clean and tidy little bunbun. i use hairdressing scissors, have a good grip on the bunnies, and don't tug at all.
 
Im not sure who I spoke to but it wasn't the receptionist because she answered then when I explained she asked me to hold, got somebody else, I explained again and that's when he said they don't do grooming. I was a bit surprised because as I said, it's to avoid a repeate of the accident before.

I'm not really keen on booking a consult first because I imagine they will charge me for the consult then the clipping separately, I go to medivet and didn't notice until recently when I asked for a complete itemised bill of all my visits that when I was asking them to clip claws (because I was there anyway) they were charging me £9 per bun on top of the consult :shock: . I can do it myself but just asked them to do it as I was there with the professionals.

I may have to investing some clippers, does anyone know if they do specific small animal ones or would I just use a men's beard trimmer?

I was also shocked they just kind of said 'no' , I would have expected at least a bit more guidance from them or a proper explanation. I'm just lucky that she's very placid and patient, I wouldn't have a chance if it was either of the others two who hate bottom checks even.
 
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