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Advice on choosing a vet please

OliveTree

Warren Scout
How important is it to choose a 'rabbit friendly' vet? I've looked on the Rabbit Welfare site and there are no accredited vets in my town or the surrounding ones, but if we travelled about 10 miles then we'd have the choice of three (is there much of a difference between Gold and Silver?). In the next town to ours - 4 or 5 miles away - is an RCVS accredited vet, plus several non-accredited ones, and in our town there is one vet with no accreditation that I can see - but they are within walking distance, so would have the advantage of no car journey.

Which would you go for? Thank you!
 
Choose a "rabbit vet", without question. However just because a practice isn't on the RWAF list doesn't mean they are not rabbit savvy - my vets are a prime example - very highly regarded but have not applied for RWAF status. It's worth asking for recommendations as that might throw up new information.

However 3 RWAF accredited within 10 miles - wow, what a choice!

Sometimes, depending on circumstances, you can use a rabbit vet and a local vet, if they are happy with that arrangement.
 
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Thanks Bunny Buddy! 10 miles takes us to the edge of a city, so I expect that explains the choice. I thought that might be a bit far to travel (for the bunnies, not me), so it's good to know that that sounds reasonable. We are newcomers(ish) here, so I don't have anyone I could ask for recommendations, unfortunately.
 
The vets I use for my rabbits aren't on the RWAF list but I like the vets rabbit knowledge and their choice/selection of drugs for bunnies. Perhaps ask reception a few questions to get a feel on the practices policies/knowledge of bunnies or book in a health check to see how the vet is with your rabbit? Of course then there's be a consult to pay and depends how stresses your rabbits get by a vet trip.
 
Hi there, I’m currently finding first hand the huge difference when you have a rabbit specialist treat your buns, with a very resistant ear infection in one of mine. I would now say 100% go straight to the specialist if you can x
 
My vets aren’t on the RWAF list but are reasonably bunny savvy. My 3 are also registered with one who are on the list and are about 10 miles / 25-30 min car journey away. They’ve only been there for their RHD2 vacs in the last couple of years but I will now need to use them for regular eye pressure checks for 1 of my bunnies as my local vet can’t do this, I haven’t had to test their bunny knowledge as yet to compare with my local vet.

I like to look at things like opening hours as well as how bunny savvy they are as I would rather be able to use my own vet for example on a Sunday if I was worried about a bunny than have to take them to the emergency vet (emergency vets around here aren’t particularly bunny savvy). That was one of my considerations when I registered them with the second vet, although primarily it was because it saved me over £50 in the cost of RHD2 vacs each year as well as the fact they are on the RWAF list!
 
My rabbit specialist vet is not on the RWAF list either, but is RCVS accredited, and the same definitely applies to another vet in the Nottingham area. They're inner city practices so pricey, and I know my vet's wife is an excellent cat vet as a friend has sadly had need to use them multiple times in the past year. I find it very convenient because I can drive or, at a push, get a bus to right outside (shame the bus stop isn't so close at my end :lol:). I like that mine is supportive of self-learning with rabbits, and sees informed owners as a boon rather than a burden!
 
Choose a "rabbit vet", without question. However just because a practice isn't on the RWAF list doesn't mean they are not rabbit savvy - my vets are a prime example - very highly regarded but have not applied for RWAF status. It's worth asking for recommendations as that might throw up new information.

However 3 RWAF accredited within 10 miles - wow, what a choice!

Sometimes, depending on circumstances, you can use a rabbit vet and a local vet, if they are happy with that arrangement.

Ditto to all of the above :)
 
This is probably the one thing on RU we are in universal agreement with. Always a bunny savvy vet, not only is your bun safer in their care but they get to the root of the problem so much more quickly & effectively. It works out less expensive too, less "treading water" IME. A bunny savvy vet will also think outside the box more. Not many drugs seem to be licensed for rabbit but lots of drugs for other species can be really effective. Its a 2 hour round trip to my vets who I've been using for my rabbits since 1995. On occasion I've tried to find a more local vet but I've always regretted it, my rabbits haven't recieved the best treatment & I've gone back to my original

If you are willing to share your nearest city members might be able to share personal recommendations
 
...or post the names of the 3 RWAF accredited practices as they are a fab starting point. I agree with BB- you are very fortunate
 
It's a bit of a minefield. I'd personally go by recommendation rather than that list.

Practices must be RWAF members to apply to join the list.
Lots of good vets aren't.
 
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Oh wow, lots of replies! So I'm getting that it's important to have a rabbit-friendly vet, but not being on the list doesn't necessarily mean they're not rabbit-friendly. I think I'll start by finding out a bit more about the three on the Rabbit Welfare list. Thanks everyone!
 
I know you’ve had lots of replies already but just to add another, definitely make sure they’re rabbit savvy!
My vet isn’t on the RWAF list but is RCVS accredited and (at least from my experience so far) they seem to be rabbit savvy.
I’d also suggest asking around locally about the general reputation of the vet clinic. Before I went to the vet I mentioned above, I used a fairly new clinic that was much closer to me. I had a bad experience just with the level of service and their attitude - not specific to rabbits, just in general. I’ve since talked to other people in the town about it and found that a lot of locals have had similar experiences. So definitely check out their reputation with people who’ve used them before for other pets too!
 
How important is it to choose a 'rabbit friendly' vet? I've looked on the Rabbit Welfare site and there are no accredited vets in my town or the surrounding ones, but if we travelled about 10 miles then we'd have the choice of three (is there much of a difference between Gold and Silver?). In the next town to ours - 4 or 5 miles away - is an RCVS accredited vet, plus several non-accredited ones, and in our town there is one vet with no accreditation that I can see - but they are within walking distance, so would have the advantage of no car journey.

Which would you go for? Thank you!
dear olive tree,-exotic dvm.s are too few and far between..-never take a rabbit to a dog/cat vet.-unless you are very rabbit savy yourself--soas to follow the good advice and discredit the improper care..-I generally lock horns with those people,-and once with an actual exotic dvm-which ended in agreement..-keep looking find a good one before you need them.--sincerely james waller from the other kent-usa
 
dear olive tree,-exotic dvm.s are too few and far between..-never take a rabbit to a dog/cat vet.-unless you are very rabbit savy yourself--soas to follow the good advice and discredit the improper care..-I generally lock horns with those people,-and once with an actual exotic dvm-which ended in agreement..-keep looking find a good one before you need them.--sincerely james waller from the other kent-usa

Not all exotics vets are good with rabbits and not all vets good with rabbits are exotics vets.

Prime example: Frances Harcourt-Brown is the only vet so far to gain the RCVS title of "Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery" but she wasn't exotics trained and nor are her colleagues to whom she passed her wisdom.

It might work different in the USA, I think, but that's how it is in the UK.
 
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I think another thing to consider, and maybe ask the practice, is what they do if they have an issue that is outside of their expertise with rabbits. eg do they do exotics referrals? My vet is not a rabbit/exotics expert (and is on one of the lists above, but not the other), but refers to an exotics vet/practice if needed.
 
I agree with all of the above and recommendations are great. Where are you based and people on here will be able to give their opinions on the best one.
 
I'm a bit nervous about posting my location here, which is maybe a bit silly! I have spotted that a poster on this thread is not a million miles away from me so I'm wondering about PMing them - what's the etiquette around unsolicited PMs around here? I don't want to break any rules!

ETA: I really appreciate all the advice so far :)
 
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