Rabbit Savvy Vets- Why are They Still Such a Rare Species ?

[nap91]

Honestly I feel like the number of owners who even bother to take their rabbits to a vet are in the minority. Not that that makes it any better of course.

We don't drive, but we are lucky to have one RWAF approved vet we can actually get to in a reasonable amount of time.

My previous rabbit savvy vet used to say this. She said that so many people either don't take their rabbits to the vet at all or only take them in when it's too late, so the chances for many vets to 'investigate/explore' (for want of a better word) rabbits, is quite minimal in many cases.

[bunny momma]

The care of rabbits and other exotic pets has changed rapidly, so exotic vets must continuously update themselves on a lot of different species and breeds. Plus, the average owner does not invest in rabbits to same extent as dogs and cats as stated in another post.
Instead of more exotic/bunny vets in my area, we have only a few who will even see rabbits. Only two are knowledgeable IMO and neither have emergency hours. This is in spite of my location beyween two large cities in a state that has a large vet school!

[mini lop1]

Also bare in mind that not all rabbit savvy vets are on the RWAF list of rabbit savvy vets. This list was only created by them years ago so outdated, and only a list of rabbit savvy vets as recommended to them at the time by members and not the wider community

[InspectorMorse]

Also bare in mind that not all rabbit savvy vets are on the RWAF list of rabbit savvy vets. This list was only created by them years ago so outdated, and only a list of rabbit savvy vets as recommended to them at the time by members and not the wider community

Very true Lisa. Some well known Rabbit Savvy Vets are not on the list.

[belly]

A weirdly random bit of wisdom a vet told me.

He said basically rabbits are very similar to horses and if you can't find a rabbit savvy vet find a horse savvy one!

[InspectorMorse]

A weirdly random bit of wisdom a vet told me.

He said basically rabbits are very similar to horses and if you can't find a rabbit savvy vet find a horse savvy one!

I have heard the same message !! I think good Equine Vets are very rare around here too though.

[belly]

I have heard the same message !! I think good Equine Vets are very rare around here too though.

Yeah same here. I live in a city so there isn't a farm for miles!

[InspectorMorse]

Yeah same here. I live in a city so there isn't a farm for miles!

Well, we have some of The Queen’s Horses Stabled nearby. I wonder if he/ she tends to Paddington Bear too

[Lord Trellis]

I was having this conversation recently with the some vet friends. They gave the figures for footfall at vets, and I can't remember the exact, but it was, I think, less than 5% on average for rabbits.

If you compound this situation by good rabbit owners seeking out specific vets and the urm, we will say, "non-specifically vets" (I don't want to say average because they may be amazing, just not rabbit focused) only then seeing rabbits that the owners are less invested in, then we have a problem with demand and experience.

They also told me of a time, many years ago, when they were comparing their work, they timed surgeries they were doing simultaneously, one spaying a rabbit (a very fiddly job), he was doing spinal surgery on a dog (also fiddly). They took the same amount of time. The fee for the spay was £80; for the spinal surgery it was ?£500. So, from a business perspective - why would you specialise in rabbits?

Its always about money..