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Looking for a rabbit savvy vet in derby

Henry_Dixie

Young Bun
I'm looking for a rabbit savvy vet in or around derby (preferably not stupidly expensive) my 9 year old bun has a mysterious illness and my current vet has exhausted all areas he can think of.
 
I was going to mention that - your vet can contact a referral vet practice (such as the one I go to - Iain Cope at Cambridge Vets 01223 249331) and get advice from the specialist vet.
 
well he has been suffering from what we thought was pasturella for over a year now, he has been treated with courses of baytril and septrin but it has kept reoccurring. In November I found him gasping for breath, he was rushed to the vets who diagnosed him with pneumonia. Amazingly he pulled through after an extensive course of baytril as well as various injections of steroids and painkillers, unfortunately he lost quite a bit of weight dropping from 1.87kg to 1.64kg and then lost his wife just before xmas to a stroke.

I brought him inside but he has this constant white sticky discharge from his right eye and both nostrils, We tried to treat him with various antibiotics enrocare injections, norodine,septrin, baytril. We have had it cultured twice now but its not grown anything.

Vet then suspected it could be his teeth so we made a huge decision to put him under GA and investigate. Vet checked his teeth, down his throat etc, took xrays and tried to flush his tear duct (which was completely blocked) but everything else came back clear. Hes been on bisolvon for the last 2 weeks with no difference.

We are now completely stuck with what to do, He is eating ok but I really feel this is effecting his quality of life, Surely there must be an answer?
 
Aww poor baby :( He does look poorly. I have 2 pastuerella buns so I empathise. You really could do with specialist advice so either you can ask your own vet to do this or get in touch with one yourself and discuss your best course of action.
 
Have you tried nebulising him? I have not had a snuffle bun but there are many very experienced snuffle bun owners on here. Snuffles is often not something that is "cured" and will always affect your bun. You said his wife died to a stroke? Strokes are very rare in rabbits. What made you think it was a stroke? (I'm sorry to ask but it may help).

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Respiratory/Bacterial/URI.htm This may be of some use.

When your vet did xrays, I take it he did skull xrays? Is he experienced in looking at rabbit skull xrays? I have been told that rabbit xrays (especially skull xrays) are very difficult to "read" by somebody who is not experienced. (I don't know how true this is but I would prefer a rabbit specialist to look through them to make sure there are no elongated tooth roots causing the problem).

You can always contact the RWAF for a list of rabbit savvy vets in your area. Unfortunately, I don't know any around Derby but somebody else may be able to recommend a specialist close to you.
 
I rushed my female to the vets and she died as they were trying to get a iv line in, My vet did an autopsy at our request and found nothing in her body cavity so told us it was a probable stroke. We have on exotics vet near us who also covers rabbits but she unsuccessfully treated our snake last year so we don't hold much confidence in her!!
 
I rushed my female to the vets and she died as they were trying to get a iv line in, My vet did an autopsy at our request and found nothing in her body cavity so told us it was a probable stroke. We have on exotics vet near us who also covers rabbits but she unsuccessfully treated our snake last year so we don't hold much confidence in her!!

Ok. I am sorry about your girl. :( Are they vaccinated?

Snakes and rabbits are very different so it might be worth ringing that surgery and asking to see a vet who has a special interest in rabbits. If they say they are all good with rabbits then I'd be tempted to just contact the RWAF and get a list of vets near to you.
 
i would second what vegan_bunny says about contacting the rwaf - they can let you know of specialists in your area. it may be that the vet who treated your snake is very clued up about rabbits :)
 
I'll contact them, no he isnt vaccinated. We had him done the first year but he hasn't been done since. I saw no point now he's 9. My other rabbit is done.
 
I got a list for Notts last August from the RWAF: Ashfield House in Long Eaton is on their list, but it might be quite far out of your way.
 
All buns need to be vaccinated but if he isn't 100% healthy I would not get him done until he is better.

Has myxi been ruled out? Obviously with the time scale I'd find it very unlikely that it is but might be worth looking into if he isn't vaccinated.
 
I contacted all the vets within my area. Two had left the practises and the others weren't specialists and seemed no more experienced than my current vet! Henry is back in with my usual vet tomorrow, he has now started head shaking.
 
You can ask your vet to contact a specialist referral vet - and even if you do not take the rabbit there your vet can try and speak to the referral vet over the phone about the case. Personally I would take my rabbit to the referral vet wherever they were -

The usual ones people refer to are the **** vets in Edinburgh, Frances Harcourt Brown (now retired but her husband still practicing) in harrogate, Molly Varga - cant quite recall where she is now poss Bristol or Swindon, and my vets in Cambridge - plus a vets in Northamptonshire. (and yes, although I live in Cambridge and now have a referral vet close I have in the past been to Harrogate, Hertfordshire, london etc for specialist advice)

I would urger you to get your vet to refer by hone at least to one of these. Your vet will know how to approach a referral vet practice.
 
all vets have to be RCVS approved. you need an exotics specialist :wave:

Not all vets are rcvs approved. Our vet is the only one of four in town that is.

If your practice is a member of the rwaf then they can contact Richard Saunders for advice. That poor man must be sick of our vets sending him our rabbit's cases!

ETA I know he is on holiday until next week as our vet tried to get hold of him today.
 
I've actually got France's harcourt-Browns details to take with me tomorrow and I emailed her myself early feb but heard nothing back. I would take him further as I do drive but he's very bad with travelling. My current vet is a good 40mins drive away and he doesn't cope with that. I would go to closer vets but I just don't like them! I've tried various vets in the past.

I'm thinking of maybe asking them to run some bloods?
 
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