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Vet attitudes towards rabbits

SarahP

Wise Old Thumper
Need to let off a bit of steam here, after the experiences I've had for the past 2 days. I couldn't get to see the vet I wanted with Clover and her gut stasis, so saw 2 different ones, who really weren't much cop. Their whole attitude towards stasis seemed to be that it was totally run of the mill. ie. just treat the symptoms and see if you can save the rabbit.

Yeah, OK fair enough, but there was no thought about what might have caused it (even though I told them what the previous vet had thought about Dusty's etc). They just looked at me blankly and then proceeded to completely patronise me.

Anyway, the point of this rant is that it occurred to me that of all the rabbits they see, they probably see a fairly high proportion with the same symptoms, so it all becomes very routine, and they don't see most of the rabbits that die from it. It just made me think that vets who aren't prepared to look a little deeper may start to think it's just inevitable and just 'one of those things' about being a rabbit - ie your stomach just stops working and no-one needs to know why! :x
 
Yes thats true, coupled with the fact that a lot of owners probably aren't bothered about knowing as it might be "just" their childs pet.
 
My vet is very good and she helps us to understand causes and methods of prevention. Dandelion has had it three times this year and needed hospitalisation. The last time our usual vet wasn't in so we had to see another one and we discussed the reoccurances and she suggested pts :shock: Obviously i told her that this was not an option - he's normally a happy, healthy rabbit.

What annoys me about my vets are the receptionists. We have 8 animals in their care so go regualary for vacs etc.. and i find them completely uncaring and insensitive. When dandelion was hospitalised I went in to see him (without an appointment) and they said i couldn't see him as there were no rooms available and told me to come back the next day as he was staying overnight for the second night. i was so upset and told them that I wasn't leaving until i'd seen him. After I thought that maybe i was a bit unreasonable but I wanted to see my bun incase he died. These people often have to handling upset people and you expect them to be a bit more caring.
 
It's a bit mean that they wouldn't let you see Dandelion. Even if in retrospect you think you were being unreasonable. I don't. You're the customer at the end of the day so they show be bending over backwards to please you. Plus...who would mess with a rabbit woman?
 
my other vets were exactly like this..dying form gi stasis was to be expected..i know now if id seen petra with oscar at the beginning of his final bout shed have either cured him orhelped him over the bridge not let me take him home and say so matter of factly thats all that canbe done knowing hed had it so many times but no reason for it was even considered.oh buns get like that they said..grrrr
i have been lucky so far ive seen petra but from touies expereince the other vet is a horse vet! and i venever been over to shedfield its so far i have to get animal transport if im lucky..to see a good bunnyvet for regular treatemntsis wonderful but in turn you cant always have her and you cant get to the emergency hospital easly as you dont drive..
the old vets i had said that rabbits shouldnt be house pets! shouldnt be in hutches either should be running on fields...in other words not as pets i guess!
 
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