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Frances Harcourt-Brown 2017 Owners Days U/D P821 - next event 16 September 2017

I'd definitely be interested in something like this, after loosing Quinn last year to blockage I'm really aware now that I could really do with some more information not only on anatomy but also on common bunny ailments like abscesses, sore hocks etc that I haven't seen or come across yet. Also a section on medication, dosages and various options so that I can discuss and understand better with my vet when it's prescribed or needed would be helpful. A basic bunny first aid and after injury/recovering from an operation/EC course would be useful as well.

Don't know about how long I'd want the course for, a whole day would be good but maybe a series of days starting with basic care/knowledge moving to more advanced care/knowledge for those who want to know more could be an option? Maybe something along the lines of a cut down vet/vet nurse course with practical hands on "this is what it looks like" or slides/video if that isn't possible?

One other course I really would love would be a practical foraging course combined with health uses of plants, diet management and the incorporation of forage into it. My lot have really enjoyed the forage I've bought from parsnipbun and I'd like to know more about it to expand the variety of their diet without overdoing calcium, sugars etc.

Basically I suppose what I'm after is pretty much "everything and anything" kinda course and if it includes homework as well then so be it. I've had rabbits for over 10 years now and I'm still learning, sometimes at the cost of loosing a very loved friend, and I'd like to be a better owner and not feel like I'm still new to looking after rabbits and then loosing another one because I didn't know.

Think that's it; hope that's not too much?
 
Thanks for the link - this looks great! In recent times I've been finding the RWA conference somewhat...basic...and there are a number of people there who clearly want and need more detailed veterinary information, so this would be a really good opportunity to do that. Personally I'd prefer a full day, I think it would really limit the market to local people if it was just a half day or evening. I'm not sure I'd go all the way to Yorkshire for a half day. But the people above wanted the opposite, so it just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time :lol:

Things I'd be interested in are:

e.cuniculi - update on prevention, diagnosis and treatment
common infectious diseases, how to prevent them and tackle them in a multi-rabbit situation
coccidiosis
abscesses - all types but particularly ear abscesses
parasites (e.c. and coccidiosis could be wrapped up into this if it was going to be a whole day)
an overview of the sorts of things that are commonly seen in practice
pasteurella/snuffles - current thoughts on diagnosis and treatments
antibiotics - their use and abuse
stasis/bloat etc - early identification, diagnosis and treatment
diagnostic imaging - I'd be really interested to be talked through some normal and abnormal x-rays, ultrasound etc so that it makes more sense when my vet talks to me about these sorts of things, along with when they might be useful
rabbit tumours - types, treatments, early warning signs
of general interest (but not as important as the above) would be to be talked through what happens in some common surgery cases - what happens when your bunny is admitted, what exactly a neuter, dental etc. entails

Hope that makes sense!

I'd definitely be interested in something like this, after loosing Quinn last year to blockage I'm really aware now that I could really do with some more information not only on anatomy but also on common bunny ailments like abscesses, sore hocks etc that I haven't seen or come across yet. Also a section on medication, dosages and various options so that I can discuss and understand better with my vet when it's prescribed or needed would be helpful. A basic bunny first aid and after injury/recovering from an operation/EC course would be useful as well.

Don't know about how long I'd want the course for, a whole day would be good but maybe a series of days starting with basic care/knowledge moving to more advanced care/knowledge for those who want to know more could be an option? Maybe something along the lines of a cut down vet/vet nurse course with practical hands on "this is what it looks like" or slides/video if that isn't possible?

One other course I really would love would be a practical foraging course combined with health uses of plants, diet management and the incorporation of forage into it. My lot have really enjoyed the forage I've bought from parsnipbun and I'd like to know more about it to expand the variety of their diet without overdoing calcium, sugars etc.

Basically I suppose what I'm after is pretty much "everything and anything" kinda course and if it includes homework as well then so be it. I've had rabbits for over 10 years now and I'm still learning, sometimes at the cost of loosing a very loved friend, and I'd like to be a better owner and not feel like I'm still new to looking after rabbits and then loosing another one because I didn't know.

Think that's it; hope that's not too much?

Perfect. Thank you so much both for the detailed suggestions - I'm sure it's the sort of feedback that will help her to best meet what rabbit owners would like. Knowing what level to pitch it would be key too. The submission I put in was very basic but everything on both the posts above would also be of great interest to me so I think there is definitely scope for basic through to advanced. One of the things I'm keenest to learn it is to pick up on any of the subtle signs that something isn't quite right.... Artie was probably in pain from kidney stones for quite a few weeks before I knew there was something wrong and I'd really like to be able to be a bit more savvy about things like that in future.

I'll give it about 24 hours to see if anybody else adds anything before forwarding these. Thanks again.
 
Yes knowing where to pitch it is probably the tricky bit. The RWA conferences cater very well to basic and improving knowledge - so at the recent one for instance there were talks on diet, housing, behaviour, forage etc, plus sessions to look at nebulising, how to inject, that sort of thing. Kevin Eatwell did a session on parasites and it was the most interactive and detailed one of the day - but there's a real limit to what he can say in 45 minutes and it's very much a skim over. So personally I think there's a gap in the market for the much more advanced veterinary side of things, which would support more knowledgeable owners and rescues in particular, where there is a real lack of anything else. If you've got one of the most qualified and experienced bunny vets in the country available, my view would be to pick that knowledge for all its worth and leave the RWA to focus on the more 'basic' stuff. But that might just be my view :lol:
 
No problem. :)

One thought I just had is how were the courses planning on being advertised? Just wondering if it's worth also suggesting creating a poster (maybe including an RU link) that could be printed out and put up in local pet shops and vet surgeries to spread the word outside of the normal RU circle of members? Not sure if you could embed it as a pdf in a thread but if one member could just print out and put up one poster (even in Pets at Home) that could potentially point owners at the very least in RU's direction.

Also junk mail or ads in professional magazines/newsletters can easily get ignored but someone saying to their vet "I've seen this course and am going to do it, are you going as well?" could make a difference.
 
I'd be interested in reading something about nasal fungal disease in buns (not ringworm) my bun has it & my vet had to go to an expert at the RVC in London for help. I still know very little about it other than it's difficult to treat & bun has to be nebulised 3 times a day using a disinfectant called F10.
 
I had another thought about whether it should be a half or whole day, given that what people want will vary! How about running it for a whole day but as two discrete parts, so for instance a separate 'theme' for each half of the day and give people the option whether to sign up for the whole day or just to pay to attend whichever half day they felt interested them most. It would create additional logistical issues, e.g. who do you know has signed up for the whole rather than half day, ensure that only whole day ones stay for the whole day and get lunch etc :lol: Different coloured name badges so it can be seen at a glance whether people are in the 'right' session?
 
I had another thought about whether it should be a half or whole day, given that what people want will vary! How about running it for a whole day but as two discrete parts, so for instance a separate 'theme' for each half of the day and give people the option whether to sign up for the whole day or just to pay to attend whichever half day they felt interested them most. It would create additional logistical issues, e.g. who do you know has signed up for the whole rather than half day, ensure that only whole day ones stay for the whole day and get lunch etc :lol: Different coloured name badges so it can be seen at a glance whether people are in the 'right' session?

What a fantastic idea. I'd been working on wondering if it was feasible to run the same agenda twice, in half days and full days but your suggestion would make much more sense, especially if the demand for some of the subjects is fairly limited then split between the half day/full day people. This sounds like a really good compromise. I shall pass it on in due course.

There is mention on the website of dog walking possibilities by the river bank very close to the venue - I can just see a lot of the rabbit owners going on a spontaneous foraging session during the lunch break and comparing notes on what they find!!
 
No problem. :)

One thought I just had is how were the courses planning on being advertised? Just wondering if it's worth also suggesting creating a poster (maybe including an RU link) that could be printed out and put up in local pet shops and vet surgeries to spread the word outside of the normal RU circle of members? Not sure if you could embed it as a pdf in a thread but if one member could just print out and put up one poster (even in Pets at Home) that could potentially point owners at the very least in RU's direction.

Also junk mail or ads in professional magazines/newsletters can easily get ignored but someone saying to their vet "I've seen this course and am going to do it, are you going as well?" could make a difference.

Sorry, I forgot to reply to this. I'm not sure about the being advertised/publicity side. I took it upon myself to do the 'word of mouth' side of it through the 'on-line rabbit community' as I'm seeing this whole project as another big advancement for rabbit welfare/improving rabbit health awareness etc. I think it's important that the word gets passed round to make it as successful as possible. I'm not aware of what is in place formally to publicise it as I'm taking what knowledge I have from what's written on the website. I am however a stranger to Facebook/Twitter/You Tube so if anybody knows how to pass word round in those places and how to contact a lot of rabbit types there....
 
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I would love to know more about treating seizures in rabbits. My vet confessed that she's never treated a case before. I searched the Internet and she was willing to give me the medication suggested by others to help in these cases. However, I would prefer to have some detailed knowledge myself.
 
I think it would be useful to know more about the difference between rabbits being in pain (which rabbit savvy owners can spot) and rabbits being slightly under par. I've often been alerted to illness not by the rabbit him/herself but by the behaviour of partners/the group - but what if it's a single rabbit? How do we get better at reading the pre-emergency, sub-clinical signs? :wave:
 
I think it would be useful to know more about the difference between rabbits being in pain (which rabbit savvy owners can spot) and rabbits being slightly under par. I've often been alerted to illness not by the rabbit him/herself but by the behaviour of partners/the group - but what if it's a single rabbit? How do we get better at reading the pre-emergency, sub-clinical signs? :wave:

This was part of my submission, which I think is pretty much along the same lines:

"Behaviour observations/knowing how to look for signs and symptoms for illnesses like arthritis/ear infections/kidney stones etc, any of the common illnesses/more subtle ones that behaviour might be the clue rather than being able to see something physical".
 
I would love to know more about treating seizures in rabbits. My vet confessed that she's never treated a case before. I searched the Internet and she was willing to give me the medication suggested by others to help in these cases. However, I would prefer to have some detailed knowledge myself.

I think it would be useful to know more about the difference between rabbits being in pain (which rabbit savvy owners can spot) and rabbits being slightly under par. I've often been alerted to illness not by the rabbit him/herself but by the behaviour of partners/the group - but what if it's a single rabbit? How do we get better at reading the pre-emergency, sub-clinical signs? :wave:

Thanks both -

Is this something you would like to see/find useful covered at a conference or would you find the information more useful in such as the e-book that is being planned?
 
Thanks both -

Is this something you would like to see/find useful covered at a conference or would you find the information more useful in such as the e-book that is being planned?

Ah, I didn't know an e-book was being planned.

I personally would like the chance to discuss this with someone knowledgable, as seizures come in all shapes and sizes, with various causes. I've come across most things in my time as rabbit fosterer, but seizures last year was new to me. Would there be opportunity for discussion and sharing of knowledge at a conference?
 
Ah, I didn't know an e-book was being planned.

I personally would like the chance to discuss this with someone knowledgable, as seizures come in all shapes and sizes, with various causes. I've come across most things in my time as rabbit fosterer, but seizures last year was new to me. Would there be opportunity for discussion and sharing of knowledge at a conference?

I don't know, but I'm guessing so as that would be the major benefit of attending a conference rather than reading it on the 'net. Questions and answers is written into the program for the vets, so I'm taking that as my lead with what to expect for an owners' conference. This probably also comes under the general heading of feedback on what we would like the conference to entail.
 
This was part of my submission, which I think is pretty much along the same lines:

"Behaviour observations/knowing how to look for signs and symptoms for illnesses like arthritis/ear infections/kidney stones etc, any of the common illnesses/more subtle ones that behaviour might be the clue rather than being able to see something physical".

Ah yes, thank you. About smaller, earlier signs, I guess. Although I think most of us on RU are already paranoid enough about our rabbits. :shock:
 
Ah yes, thank you. About smaller, earlier signs, I guess. Although I think most of us on RU are already paranoid enough about our rabbits. :shock:

It's good to know someone else is thinking along the same lines I was. I found it quite difficult to put into words that I wanted to know there was something wrong before they were any real sign of it... I think your explanation made more sense:lol:
 
It's good to know someone else is thinking along the same lines I was. I found it quite difficult to put into words that I wanted to know there was something wrong before they were any real sign of it... I think your explanation made more sense :lol:

Thank you! :oops:

:wave:
 
This is really exciting!

I think courses for rabbits owners is a fab idea. The vet's courses and lectures are expensive, so it may be an idea to get an estimate of cost up front. Guess it may depend on demand?

FHB is yet to be convinced there is enough demand for it but says it would be in the region of £40, on Saturday/Sunday (1.30pm - 6.30 pm) *if it does run*, of course.

__________________________________________________________________________________________


If this information encourages anyone and you are genuinely interested, then please submit your interest as it won't run if there is deemed not to be enough demand for it...

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/rabbit-cpd/courses-for-owners

(and please could you submit direct then it is genuine interest as I'm just spreading the word/encouraging feedback, I don't want to end up erroneously passing on feedback saying that X,Y and Z think it's a good idea and they are interested ... if in fact they wouldn't go)
 
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FHB is yet to be convinced there is enough demand for it but says it would be in the region of £40, on Saturday/Sunday afternoon-early evening *if it does run*, of course.

__________________________________________________________________________________________


If this information encourages anyone and you are genuinely interested, then please submit your interest as it won't run if there is deemed not to be enough demand for it...

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/rabbit-cpd/courses-for-owners

(and please could you submit direct then it is genuine interest as I'm just spreading the word/encouraging feedback, I don't want to end up erroneously passing on feedback saying that X,Y and Z think it's a good idea and they are interested ... if in fact they wouldn't go)

I think the price and location are very important to people when they're deciding on whether to commit to this sort of thing.

Thank you for posting a possible price, as that's very useful and also reasonable!
 
I think the price and location are very important to people when they're deciding on whether to commit to this sort of thing.

Thank you for posting a possible price, as that's very useful and also reasonable!

The approximate cost of a vaccination for about 5 hours' worth, absolute bargain. I will without doubt be going if they do run... I just hope there's enough interest.
 
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