Well I'm Back. And thinking changing my vets!

Huh. Have just got back from taking Pippin to the vets for his Myxi Jab. It was NOT fun, which as you could tell from my concern I knew it wouldn't be. Poor Pippin hated being picked up and hated being on the table. His eyes were actually bulging out of his head! All this I kind of expected though and was prepared for it and although I won't like going again I will get through it as it's for the good of my baby Pippin It's the actual Vet that I have quite a problem with.

I have seen this Vet a few times with my cats and he is a nice guy who seems to love cats and treats them very well. But. He didn't seem to have any experience picking up or holding a rabbit. He looked very awkard with Pippin as if he was a bit scared of him. He made me a nervous wreck! He kept saying 'hold him tight because if he jumps off he could DIE' I, of course, know how fragile bunnies are so am always careful but when you're told in a frightening way to be careful it makes you shake a bit! He said sometimes when rabbits come to the vets for their jabs they go into shock and DIE

He asked if I wanted him neutered when he was ready. I said I did which I don't think he was happy with. He said 'It's a very risky procedure and sometimes when rabbits have it done they DIE' I knew this but I still think it is important to neuter for their health, behaviour and the fact that we want to bond him with a female at a later stage. I told him all of this. I asked him what anesthic (?spelling!) they use and asked for a name (I wanted to research it later) and he said they use a combination and somehting about a drain/drip. He said it in such a way that made me more confused and he fobbed me off really and never said what it is called. I might have been more insistent but while he was explaining all this, poor Pippin was still on the cold table with me tryhing to comfort him. All I wanted was to put him back in the safe, warm pet carrier

One other thing that really worked me up. He tried to suggest how to feed him which I know but he said 'only a small amount of pellets' and I give Pippin a few more at the moment because he is still so young and the house rabit society suggest unlimited pellets while they are this age. But what really super shocked me was that he said 'If you do want to give him any veg, then only a small piece of carrot or something similar every so often as a treat' I nearly fell down. Pippin has 3 types of veg every day! Everything I feed Pippin has come out of advice for the house rabbit society or fellow Happy Hoppers. I am really surprised having all thsi coming from a qualified Vet and I am seriously considering taking him elsewhere next time. I certainly don't feel comfortable taking Pippin in to be neautered there!

I am now glad to be home and I'm leaving Pippin alone to rest. After giving him a nice bowl of fresh coriander of course!!

Oh hun - thats not a nice experience for you or Pippin.

Im 100% sure that everything you do for pippin is right.

When daisy was neutered we were given a warning about the anesthetic so perhaps the chap just had a bad bedside manner. It may be that some of the bunny owners he get in are not as clued up or as caring as you are so reverts to shock tactics to get messages across.

However it is important to feel comfortable with your vet, you have to feel trust for them for lots of reasons, not least to re-assure Pippin that everything is okay while you're there.

Sending calming vibes for you and Pippin. x x x

I hadn't thought about the scare tactic idea Katie. Maybe it is a 'technique' these vets use. I just had this feeling that he wasn't very comfortable with bunnies.

I suggest you do find another vet.
Some vets have absolutely no experience with buns.
My vet has "done" a lot of buns and she's never ever lost one!!

As for the vaccinations, I had this bunny Arthur which I had to inject steroids for a while, so from then on, I vaccinate myself. It's really easy.

Yes your bunnies told my bunny

I'm not sure I'd be very good at it! Do the vets not mind you doing it yourself?

Sorry you and Pippin had a stressful and worrying experience. My cat vet is brilliant with Bobbie but I have very little faith in him as far as bunnies go. When Herbie had syphilis he was not keen on using penicillin because it could be fatal.

I think it is a good idea if you have a look around for a more bunny savvy vet. The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund hold a list of recommended vets but I am having troulble accessing their member's page at the moment.

Thanks for your reply

I have searched for bunny savvy vets but can't find any near me. Not even in the same city as me! I don't drive so every time I go to the vets I'm having to go by taxi which is very expensive as you can imagine. There is a companion care vet not too far away which is attached to a 'pets@home' shop but I'm not sure how it is with rabbits.

I think you have to go in, bite the bullet and ask if they have an experienced bunny vet, and ask questions re vaccination and neutering.

These buns do like to cause us stress

Just to let you know you can't vaccinate yourself easily in the UK, and I believe you need a licence to purchase the relevant drugs. Also, the VHD vaccine is dangerous if accidentally injected into a human being.

There is advice in the health and information sections on finding a good rabbit savvy vet in the UK.

I could never inject a bunny by myself anyway! I couldn't even watch the vet do it.

I'll check out the info later thanks sooz

When you contact the other vets see whether they've performed rabbit neuters previously. When I called up my now vet, I demanded to know exactly how many neuters they had done in the past year, and asked really stupid questions like whether I should stop feeding them for the 12 hours before surgery, whether they really need hay, or is it optional? etc.

I knew my vet was the one when she gushed and gooed at my bunnies and went on a rant about how everyone should adopt, and that they are gorgeous

Good luck and I hope you find a good vet for Pippin.

Sooz wrote:Just to let you know you can't vaccinate yourself easily in the UK, and I believe you need a licence to purchase the relevant drugs. Also, the VHD vaccine is dangerous if accidentally injected into a human being.

there is this vet that sells the stuff to breeders. Normally no, you cannot get it, but I can get it from him, he asks no questions. I would never have him as a vet, he's more your cowboy type of man that helps calving and such.
I used to go to a clinic in Holland for vaccinations, but the price has gone up so much there and this way, I pay only a small amount