Finding a rabbit savvy vet

Well, I've been using my local vets (10 minutes away by car) for 20 years, previously for fishes and since having bunny (4 years) for them too.

I've in that time learnt that we have two particularly good bunny vets, some vets I haven't made my mind up, one I avoid like the plague, and and the one who saw Esme today WON'T be going anywhere near my bunnies again.

The thing is, I'm about 45 minutes away from Frances Harcourt Brown and I've been trying to decide whether or not to go there for every appointment, the journey being the only factor stopping me.

The vet who saw Esme today (I'm ashamed to admit) gave Es her myxomotosis vaccination immediately (after asking questions as to her wellbeing) then afterwards listened to her heart, that was the only health check observed. I'm cursing myself for not telling her not to do the vaccine before the health check

She then trimmed her claws and pulled her through god knows what angles to achieve it. She didn't do her dew claws either but I decided I'd rather she didn't try in the circumstances The last time I saw the same vet was when Rudy needed an emergency appointment (bloat). When speaking to said vet on the phone she said, "Well, it could be a twisted gut and the prognosis would be very poor", then asked if I still wanted to bother with the emergency appointment. I told her I wanted him to have a painkiller. (She might have thought it wasn't worth the emergency fee and he should take his chances but I don't work like that, he was in pain for God's sake!!)

It's only since I've got home I've wondered if she knows she's supposed to put 10% under the skin I didn't notice, the rabbit savvy vet does it so smoothly it's barely noticable.

I asked her about Lapinject for next year's VHD jabs and she had never heard of it or cylap limp

So.... I'm deciding now whether to stick with the local vets or go to the expert and put them through a 1 hr 40 minute car ride . Tinks and Rudy are due their Myxomatosis vaccs in about a weeks time.

So, do you guys trust ALL the vets at your practice, or are you very selective about who your bunny sees?

Sorry to hear you're having troubles. I think that if you have no confidence in this vet then it's only fair enough that you, as the both the customer and bunny carer, stipulate that you do not want your bun seen by this particular vet and request the vet(s) that you know.
We used to use another vet to the one we use now, and when there was a staff exchange, we lost a very good buuny vet who was replaced with a ninkermpoop, who may even be the person you are describing After 2 bad experiences, and a complaint we swapped vets and there are 6 in the new practice, 3 of whom have many bunny conference attendances behind them, and are active in promoting the welfare of our buns. If these vets are not available, we are not palmed off with someone else, they ensure we have an appropiate vet to see Bertie, which is very reassuring.

Hope you get it sorted. We did inform the old practice why we were swapping, I felt that they should know, and maybe steps would taken to educate the vet and prevent any bad practice to the other buns brought there.

I normally specify which vet I want to see but today I thought I'd just see which vet I got because I didn't think there were any vets there that incompetent. I thought it was a way of perhaps finding out if there are 3 good vets at the practice - not just 2

If Esme had had this consultation a year ago before I got my bunny knowledge I wouldn't have thought anything of it, so most bunny owners would think they are getting good care .... it's a worry for all the bunnies out there

I trust two vets at my practice, they often have locums in who I never see and I avoid the Head Vet like the plague after what he did to Caspian....it's awkward even to cross paths with him but Rob & Anita are so good it's worthwhile to see them still.

Basically, it's almost an unwritten rule at our vets that I only go in with Rob & Anita but I always ask for them specifically too. Even if they are running very late (which often happens with Anita because she loves to talk) I don't get offered an alternative vet....which is just the way I like it.

There is nothing wrong with only seeing a specific vet, if anything it makes life easier....I flit between Rob & Anita so there are times when they havn't had a chance to discuss the patient that I have to help them catch up with where we are at.

I also use two vet practices, the other less experienced one does Vax & castrations for me....both vets know I use another surgery and don't mind as long as I am honest about the patients treatmeant.

Thanks Sooz, that's reassuring info.

It is on record at my regular vets that Esme was spayed with FHB, the vet today asked, "Has she been spayed?" (FHB said she would be requesting her records.) I have been thinking for a while of using both surgeries as sometimes you need a more specialist opinion/investigation/treatment, sometimes the closest one is more appropriate, vaccines etc. I was shocked by the lack of examination before the vaccination, the vet I most trust is a partner at the practice, if I decide to get him to do the next myxi vacs I think I might just mention my concerns.... or I might just take them to FHB simply to see how much of a medical examination a really good rabbit vet gives in the same circumstances.

That is exactly what I do, one vets for the basics and another for the more complex stuff. I do trust Anneke to spey my bunnies too but it's the one thing that Hunters Bar are actually cheaper for, so therefor Rob & Anita get the pleasure of doing my speys.

It's no wonder though that Anita is always saying I have 'difficult' rabbits, because she only sees them when there is something serious wrong that Anneke lacks the experience to help with.

I'm now very selective. I was going to the vets in an outlying village close to where I live as they're the only vets I've used.

Since they've been more than hopeless with Lucifer's continence problem I've tried a vet which my friend goes to, I went to see her on Friday and can safely say I wont go anywhere else until we move far away, and I'll always see that specific vet for the buns.

I only see mike at my vets, occasionally I will see Richard if I need an appointment then and there who steps in once in awhile as he is very experienced and rabbit Savvy, but otherwise I only see mike, he knows me and my bunnies very well now, and I trust him completely, he's a new vet and doesn't know everything but he listens and researches, and really checks over my bunnies no matter why I am bringing them in, he natters away about all sorts of things, so he can spend some time fussing and cuddling them after he's done what I came for

Everyone there knows I only like to see mike, and always let me know the days he is in when I am looking to book another appointment.

I think it is much much better to choose only one vet, as they know all about your bunnies, and they arn't just reading the short hand notes on screen, I'll take Benji in, and Mike will chat about Ivy, and vice versa, it's really nice because he knows my bunnies he remembers what was going on the last time I saw him, and the things he suggested, it's more personal, and make me feel my bunnies are getting the best.

I forgot to say, on personal touches I got a Christmas card from Rob & Anita today .

Sooz wrote:I forgot to say, on personal touches I got a Christmas card from Rob & Anita today .

Awwww that's sooo lovely

I moved from my old vets, partly because of the travelling but mostly because of a particular vet.
I asked for advise for a new vet and was advised one that was really close to me has 2 good bunny vets the only down side to the practice is the rubbish vet from before has moved there! So when making an appointment I always ask who will be on and say I only want to see Lissette or martin its normally Martin and he asks me how the others are when I'm in so thats nice

I try to be tactful but when Anita & Rob are both off and I say I will come in another day I think it's pretty embaressing for all concerned .