I've just refused to pay out of hours emergency consultation

I know it often appears that I have a low opinion of MOST supposed bunny vets other than my own, but after seeing a total idiot an hour or so ago, that opinion has just been enforced ten fold. I refused to pay the consultation fee, and will be making a formal complaint about her on Monday to the Practice Manager.

The only negative to my own vet is that because they are a husband and wife team, they are not able to provide out of hours cover themselves, and calls are transferred to Vets Now. So Buster and Dipsy are poorly buns tonight with URI's I suspect. Buster my French Lop seemed especially poorly, so I had to pay £60 for a taxi because I'm not back driving yet after shoulder op, to take me to the vets.

Well, I've seen a vet if you can call her that, but personally I think it's all in her head and she hasn't actually done any training, and she has told me that they don't have a URI, they are just hot :shock: So I then entered into a discussion about the pouring rain, the fact that I was positively freezing because I didn't bother to take a jacket, and neither buns ears are hot. But no, Buster and Dipsy are hot. They don't need any meds and were not given any, but was told the best thing I could do was take them home and give them a cold bath, paying particular attention to their ears (that aren't hot), feet and tummy :shock::shock:

For gods sake what on earth is the matter with these supposed fully qualified vets. I wanted to shake her I was so angry, and what upsets me most is that sadly there are people who take what vets say as gospel, and would have actually done such a thing, probably killing their bunny in the process. Well, I refused to pay the ridiculous out of hours fee, and only paid for an in hours consultation, even though I begrudged paying that to be honest, and I'm going to make a formal complaint on Monday, and also pass the details to the RCVS.

I've come home with B and D, have steamed them, and used a nebuliser on them. Don't know what else I can do. I'm in so much pain don't even know what to do with myself, and can't take all my usual really strong post-op meds, because they knock me out, and I don't want to sleep that deep with poorly buns, well I do want to, but obviously can't, and I'm really cold and have had to make myself up a bed on the floor in the hallway which is in between their separate rooms. I guess this is just a bit of a rant really because I'm so angry, upset, worried, and feel about as bad as I could possibly feel.

I will take them to another vet later today, but at least after what I did do for them, Buster has eaten ok, and is now fast asleep. Dipsy has eaten some greens and pellets, and actually got a bit lively and was remaking his bed, and then had a bit of a play with Pippa, and now they are snuggled up asleep. I'm going to set my alarm for in an hour to check on them and then just continue to do that through to the morning.

I know some might say I should have got them to another vet tonight, but to be honest, with my post-op shoulder, neck injury and broken wrist, and how ill I feel I just needed to get home and get them steamed etc and settled. When I check them in an hour, if they are looking worse, then I will see what I can do with regards another vet, but I really hope they can stay how they are, because I'm not registered with another vet anyway.

Has definitely been one of my worse nights ever

i'm so sorry. that 'vet' doesn't have a clue.

Goodness what a horrid experience for you. It must have been infuriating and extremely distressing. I hope that you are able to see a more competent Vet today and that Buster and Dipsy will soon be feeling much better

It is so hard to deal with situations like this at the 'best' of times, but when feeling very unwell yourself I know from experience that it can be a million times worse. But we dont give up as we are our Rabbit's voice. It certainly helps to let off steam on here though. With the best will in the world it is impossible not to feel hugely stressed in situations such as you have just encountered.

I too feel a huge sense of outrage at how little so many vets know about rabbits. It's completely unacceptable and as a rabbit carer makes one feel so completely helpless and angry. I just cannot understand how the RCV who surely must be aware of the inadequacies of their 'professionals' continue to stand by and do nothing.

I really am sorry you had such an upsetting time. I do hope Buster and Dipsy are able to see someone today who can help them. My heart breaks for you. I have had terrible experiences with so called vets, and their appalling lack of knowledge is not only potentially life threatening but an insult. They don't seem to think our rabbits are important enough to learn about how to care for them. That makes me weep.

I have been in exactly that situation, although I did pay :evil: when my little Olly was only 3 months old he suddenly developed a severe head tilt and couldn't stand up. Went to emergency vets, he was standing and hopping around there, it must have been the stress making him hide it. So they said he was fine and were going to give him absolutely nothing!!! As though I'd just made all his symptoms up :roll: I insisted on some panacur, but he wasn't given antibiotics, and I believe that delay in getting him the meds he needed left him permanently tilted, as he is now, almost 3 years later

I really don't get why they aren't starting to train vets in rabbit medicine, can we not campaign for it or something? :? It's extremely frustrating and upsetting when they obviously know less than us!!!

I hope your buns are much better today x

Assuming the 'husband and wife' vets that you normally see is the same as me (Simon and Kim) then no doubt I've been transferred to the same PDSA Vets Now clinic as you. My experience of a female vet there was nothing short of shocking. Parsnip had broken his elbow and she said it was "Just a strain" and refused to do an xray because she had, and I quote, "proper emergencies to deal with and I'm the only vet here, and even if I do xray it, I can't do anything until the morning". I now refuse to go there and use the Vets Now at my dog vet in Milton Keynes (which is only marginally better). Please do complain. I took Parsnip to see Simon on the Monday morning and without even doing an xray he said "I think he's fractured his elbow". I wish I'd complained about Vets Now but was too busy dealing with Parsnip to think about it.

I remember my first little bun (tiny tiny nethie) collapsing one evening.

I rang the vet and described the problem.

The answer?

"To be honest, I doubt there is much point you bringing her in. I suggest you make her comfortable given it sounds like she will be gone by the morning".

I phoned another vet. Took her there. She was given some meds as it was thought the heat may have caused her tummy problems. She lived for several more years thereafter.

Sadly, your story doesn't really surprise me.

I hope you get some proper treatment soon.

Grrr how awful.

Hope you and the bunnies are ok today and get the rest and meds you need.

And good luck with the complaints, I think that action sounds brilliant, it'll protect other people and bunnies. It's such a shame that there are vets out there like that. :evil:

You must complain. Not good enough to say the least.

My best friend called me and asked me to come check on her bun. He'd seen the vet that morning but wasn't any better by evening. There wasn't a scab on him. He was struggling to breath, nose streaming, all blocked up and eye watering. The vet diagnosed rabbit syphilis and gave him a injection of penacilian and said come back in a week! Fuming we went back, refused to pay the emergency call out fee as the diagnosis was completely wrong ( although the next vet still stuck up for other vet) and he was given steam, oxygen, gut stimulant, pain killer and intensive care. Within 24 hours of being on Baytril he was doing really well. Fortunately Rolo is fine now and it turns out he needed a dental too. A complaint has been made but I don't know if anything will come of it and of course she has changed vets now but it so scary this can happen..

omg I would have been absolutely fuming, so sorry to hear of your problems. I would name and shame them. I get extremely tired of some vets treating us pet owners as though we know nothing when actually we know our pets more than they do. Hope you have found another vet as I write and your babies are OK

Please complain to the people she's employed by and the RCVS (http://www.rcvs.org.uk/complaints/) before this vet ends up causing suffering to a lot of rabbits Sorry you've had to go through that

If you do complain please keep us updated on how it goes. I've complained through the RCVS myself and my experience led me to wonder if they ever actually do anything.

Mackers said:

Assuming the 'husband and wife' vets that you normally see is the same as me (Simon and Kim) then no doubt I've been transferred to the same PDSA Vets Now clinic as you. My experience of a female vet there was nothing short of shocking. Parsnip had broken his elbow and she said it was "Just a strain" and refused to do an xray because she had, and I quote, "proper emergencies to deal with and I'm the only vet here, and even if I do xray it, I can't do anything until the morning". I now refuse to go there and use the Vets Now at my dog vet in Milton Keynes (which is only marginally better). Please do complain. I took Parsnip to see Simon on the Monday morning and without even doing an xray he said "I think he's fractured his elbow". I wish I'd complained about Vets Now but was too busy dealing with Parsnip to think about it.

Click to expand...

Yep the same place. To be honest I don't think she was very interested in seeing them, even though I had phoned first and was told to take them in. Going to phone Simon and tell him what happened as well, because I doubt that he will be very pleased about it. Did go to the new Vets4Pets clinic in Rugby this morning, only because Tracy from RGPW, has mentioned before, about there being a female vet there with a particular interest in rabbits, and as luck would have it, she is on call this weekend. B and D are on Septrin now, which got her some 'brownie points' for not trying to force Baytril on me :roll: Going to register all my buns there now, just for emergency out of hours stuff, as would never go back to VetsNow, and definitely going to take this as far as I can complaint wise. I have previously made a formal complaint to the RCVS and they were actually very good and genuinely concerned about what had happened. The outcome was that the vet (Senior Partner :shock, had to undertake some additional rabbit training, the Practice's Policies and Procedures had to be reviewed and amended, especially for rabbits presenting with Roger's symptoms, and the Practice was subjected to 2 additional inspections.

That's why I try to encourage people to complain as much as possible because they really do take it very seriously. If you look on their website you can see the names of vets that have had complaints made about them, that have been serious enough to warrant disciplinary action, and some complaints you will see have actually resulted in a vet loosing their registration, and therefore not being able to work anymore. It's not just about getting justice so to speak for what happened to our buns, but it means you can hopefully prevent somebody else having to go through the same thing, and that rabbits do get better care and treatment :thumb:

Busters breathing is already much better and slower, and I'm going to still steam him a couple of times (any excuse for a Frenchie cuddle :lol Dipsy isn't so amicable shall we say, and I'd like to keep my face intact :lol:, but he's just took it all out on the paper in the digging box, and was like a little tornado :lol: so I think just his meds will be enough.

Vibes for the buns,,.,Hope they continue to improve.

My vets up here in Glasgow, now no longer use Vets Now for out of hours care... Dont know why though...

Al the best
Fee x

RogerRabbit999 said:

Yep the same place. To be honest I don't think she was very interested in seeing them, even though I had phoned first and was told to take them in. Going to phone Simon and tell him what happened as well, because I doubt that he will be very pleased about it. Did go to the new Vets4Pets clinic in Rugby this morning, only because Tracy from RGPW, has mentioned before, about there being a female vet there with a particular interest in rabbits, and as luck would have it, she is on call this weekend. B and D are on Septrin now, which got her some 'brownie points' for not trying to force Baytril on me :roll: Going to register all my buns there now, just for emergency out of hours stuff, as would never go back to VetsNow, and definitely going to take this as far as I can complaint wise. I have previously made a formal complaint to the RCVS and they were actually very good and genuinely concerned about what had happened. The outcome was that the vet (Senior Partner :shock, had to undertake some additional rabbit training, the Practice's Policies and Procedures had to be reviewed and amended, especially for rabbits presenting with Roger's symptoms, and the Practice was subjected to 2 additional inspections.

That's why I try to encourage people to complain as much as possible because they really do take it very seriously. If you look on their website you can see the names of vets that have had complaints made about them, that have been serious enough to warrant disciplinary action, and some complaints you will see have actually resulted in a vet loosing their registration, and therefore not being able to work anymore. It's not just about getting justice so to speak for what happened to our buns, but it means you can hopefully prevent somebody else having to go through the same thing, and that rabbits do get better care and treatment :thumb:

Busters breathing is already much better and slower, and I'm going to still steam him a couple of times (any excuse for a Frenchie cuddle :lol Dipsy isn't so amicable shall we say, and I'd like to keep my face intact :lol:, but he's just took it all out on the paper in the digging box, and was like a little tornado :lol: so I think just his meds will be enough.

Click to expand...

So glad there's improvement! I had no idea about the RCVS before, but reading through previous cases I'm absolutely horrified by some of them. :shock:

different opinions

Different vets will make different diagnosis. You either rely on your vet to give you the best advice, or you don't...... But it makes the advice consult your vet nonsense, if you then refuse to take their advice because you know better. though I can understand your worry.

Hesperus said:

So glad there's improvement! I had no idea about the RCVS before, but reading through previous cases I'm absolutely horrified by some of them. :shock:

Click to expand...

I haven't read any of the cases but I didn't realise you could search for individual vets and see their creds! I searched for my Uncle, was a pleasant surprise to see exactly when he was registered etc

RR999 I really hope you can get somewhere with the complaints, it sounds horrific!

good grief I only just realised that you are also in Rugby. Absolutely not a vet I will recommend to anyone, in fact I will tell people to avoid avoid avoid. Glad you mentioned the other vets at the bottom of Bilton Road as I wondered whether there was anyone there that specialised in rabbits in the event I need a second opinion in the future. Could I have her name please for reference. Have you tried Bilton Veterinary Centre further up the road, my family has been going there fore 40 years (although not the same people running it now) and I always have Rose as she is so wonderfully caring and gentle with my pets

Goodness what an awful story. I just went onto the RCVS website and saw some of the complaints against vets. I'm sure they wouldn't want people to complain if they knew they could just look them up like I've just done.

For a vet to advise anyone to give their rabbits a cold bath, just outrageous.

Wishing your lovely bunnies a speedy recovery, and yourself also

Hi RogerRabbit..........I am in Bilton, Rugby and work from home so am based at home most of the time as I am nursing one of my buns too or morelike keeping a close eye on him. I see you are really struggling with yourself and your babies SO the offer is there in that if you need anything eg. shopping, a lift anywhere local, or someone to pick up meds for the buns, mowing the lawn, housework etc lol, please feel free to pm me and I will be more than happy to help