How and Why did you decide on your vet?

Edinburgh Uni Vet School - because I wante dto give my buns the best care. Its a 30 mins drive, but im happy to do this to ensure peace of mind.

Bitzy said:

Thanks everyone. I just telephoned the vets who were recommended and spoke to a receptionist who told me that Myxo and VHD jabs could be given on the same day and that it would only cost £15 each rabbit for both vaccs!!? (which seems very cheap - current vet charges £40 per rabbit for both vaccs)!

Anyway, thought I may drop them an email asking a few questions to try and suss them out (and for them to redeem themselves for their receptionist not knowing basic stuff).

So, what questions would you ask a vet to try and find out if they were rabbit savvy??

Might put this question on a separate thread actually

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you should definitely not use that vets.

vaccs need to be given separately - first myxi, 2 weeks later vhd.

their immune system needs a chance to recover inbetween xx

Bitzy said:

Thanks everyone. I just telephoned the vets who were recommended and spoke to a receptionist who told me that Myxo and VHD jabs could be given on the same day and that it would only cost £15 each rabbit for both vaccs!!? (which seems very cheap - current vet charges £40 per rabbit for both vaccs)!

Anyway, thought I may drop them an email asking a few questions to try and suss them out (and for them to redeem themselves for their receptionist not knowing basic stuff).

So, what questions would you ask a vet to try and find out if they were rabbit savvy??

Might put this question on a separate thread actually

Click to expand...

No. no no no no no no!!!!

Is that a receptionist who said that, or a VET?

Thats really bad if they do that,

GrahamL said:

No. no no no no no no!!!!

Is that a receptionist who said that, or a VET?

Thats really bad if they do that,

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I agree! Either they are not a very rabbit savvy veterinary practice or they really need to train their reception staff!!! :shock:

There's only one here.




Luckily they're pretty good, have good emergency facilities, I get on well with the staff, etc. The local rescue uses them for all their rabbits.


There are one or two things I don't 100% trust them on. I have a backup practice lined up for these cases, but I don't use them regularly cos they're so hard to get to.

GrahamL said:

No. no no no no no no!!!!

Is that a receptionist who said that, or a VET?

Thats really bad if they do that,

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It was the receptionist ........ I've since emailed them with a squizillion questions including - what the length of time I have to wait, if any, between myxi and VHD jabs. So will see what they come back with!!! This was the one that the RSPCA recommended! :?

Bitzy said:

Thanks everyone. I just telephoned the vets who were recommended and spoke to a receptionist who told me that Myxo and VHD jabs could be given on the same day and that it would only cost £15 each rabbit for both vaccs!!? (which seems very cheap - current vet charges £40 per rabbit for both vaccs)!

Anyway, thought I may drop them an email asking a few questions to try and suss them out (and for them to redeem themselves for their receptionist not knowing basic stuff).

So, what questions would you ask a vet to try and find out if they were rabbit savvy??

Might put this question on a separate thread actually

Click to expand...

that's bad, but I wouldn't necessarily condemn the entire practice based on one error. Maybe the receptionist is new, maybe she had a headache and got in a muddle, maybe she misunderstood......it doesn't mean that the *vets* aren't any good.

Definitely research more though to see whether the whole practice seems suspect or whether it was just a one-off.

weve used the vet since day 1 really, and its 1 of 2 in my local area x

I decided on my vet as she's the closest :roll: in all honesty, I want a better vet, but cannot travel that far (220 mile round trip if I want a different vet).

My first unspayed doe died from uterine cancer. When she was presenting symptoms of blood in the urine, I asked the vet if it could be cancer and he completely poo-poo'ed the idea. I trusted him .

Thereafter, I swore I would only take my bunnies to a bunny specialist and so I found Guy Carter at Medivet in Watford. It was a bit of a trek down the M1 but worth it, IMO.

Then a friend told me about the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton - much closer than Watford. Simon and Kim are amazing bunny vets and I've never looked back .

I've tried loads of Essex vets over the years. Usually based on recommendation, rather than anything they've particularly said when I've spoken to them.

Mackers said:

My first unspayed doe died from uterine cancer. When she was presenting symptoms of blood in the urine, I asked the vet if it could be cancer and he completely poo-poo'ed the idea. I trusted him .

Thereafter, I swore I would only take my bunnies to a bunny specialist and so I found Guy Carter at Medivet in Watford. It was a bit of a trek down the M1 but worth it, IMO.

Then a friend told me about the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton - much closer than Watford. Simon and Kim are amazing bunny vets and I've never looked back .

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Gosh, wish we had something like that round here!

I use the vet that a local rescue used. It's not the best vet, but our vet is a bunny specialist. She's amazing, had bunnies of her own and did everything she could when Snowy had myxi. It's only a 5 minute drive away, and they have really good facilities. The bunnies love it, because when they go for their 3-monthly check-up, they get treats!

Also, I asked when they should be neutered and if they should be vaccinated, their success rate etc. They answered neutered at 4 months, vacc every 6 months for myxi, yearly for VHD, should be done even with house rabbits, no less risk. Their success rate was 98% for spaying/neutering. They also reccommended me this site

Mine got recommended by my local rabbit rescue, it's where they take all their buns, so I knew they would be experienced, also the owner of the rabbit rescue works there part time on reception and helps answer any questions I may have over the phone which is great. It's very small and they don't have late hours which is a shame but they've been really good and I've not had any problems so far.

I chose the one that was closest! Unfortunately, the rabbit savvy vet works at one of the other branches across town, but it's till not too far. Luckily FHB is not far away either. :wave:

Unfortunately I have tried 5 different vets to decide on the best 2!

My first vet is great with cats and dogs but has no idea about rabbits.
So when my rabbit was ill I took him to a different emergenct vet who treated him and all seemed well. When he was very ill one week later they told me he couldn't possibly be ill - when obviously he was. He had blood coming from his mouth and wasn't eating.

I decided to take him to Jason Burgess in Gloucester which was quite a treck but he treated my bunny and all was well.

In the meantime, I rang around vets, visited vets and spoke to the main vet surgeons. I came across one that was part of a veterinary group and close to home. The main vet assured me he was a rabbit specialist and so I registered there.

When my bunny was ill again, I took him back and a female vet treated him. She admitted she didn't know everything about rabbits but she rang specilaists and did lots of reserach. I liked her! BUT when my rabbit was ill again, she was away on holiday. It meant my rabbit had to be operated on my the man head vet who told me he was a SPECIALIST. My rabbit died. My rabbit was weak and had spent the weekend being syringe fed. He was dropped off at the vets at 8am and the vet didn't start to operate until gone 2pm. During that time my rabbit was offered a bottle of water and hay! He was in for a DENTAL. Therefore he starved my rabbit. The vet tried to pass the blame onto the vet nurse, so I rang and spoke to her.

As a result of this awful situation I decided that I would never trust what a vet says - this vet said he was a specialist when he clearly wasn't! I haven't used him or his vet group since.

However, I have registered with two good vets - both have been recommended by Alice at Windwhistle Warren.

Luckily I am registed with two vets. On Monday my dog and rabbit were both ill. My first choice vet was away on holiday, so I used my second choice vet. :0

Personal reviews and worth far more than what a vet spouts when trying to get a new customer.

At the time it was the cheapest for vaccinations. We stuck with them as the vet is good, takes an interest in rabbits and the practice is close.

I just wanted to say... When I want a good vets I want a good receptionist too. It's likely to be them I'll be talking to on a regular basis.

I went to a different vet when I first got Charlie(my first) and he went crazy at the vet there, was really vicious and I didn't like the way they handled him, so I thought I would use my voucher for a free check up and discount at a Companion Care vets and haven't been back since, my vet there is Fab, he knows so much about bunnies and handled Charlie really well. Plus the head nurse there has a masters in Animal behaviour in which she specialised and did her thesis on rabbits and is very much a rabbit person (I blame her for the fact I now have 9 of them!! :lol

Schuette said:

I just wanted to say... When I want a good vets I want a good receptionist too. It's likely to be them I'll be talking to on a regular basis.

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This.

We originally found our vets through the RWAF after a bad experience elsewhere, but the vets at the practice have changed a few times since then. Fortunately the directors have remained the same and the new partner is excellent, so we were just lucky with trial and error really.

The receptionists are all lovely at our vets and this is very important. If I ring up with an emergency there is no 'we have no apps til this avo' business, it's bring bunny down now and we'll fit them in - they operate an emergency policy which I think ALL vets should have for buns in bloat/stasis. Waiting a few hours for an app in these situations is just not on.