When looking for a veterinarian, it's a good idea to check with other rabbit pet owners in the area, a 4-H group, a local breeder for suggestions, or just word-of-mouth. You can look through the Yellow Pages or the internet for a list of vets near you. The House Rabbit Society's list of recommended vets as well.
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/PB_vets.html
Don't be afraid to ask questions. You deserve to be treated with courtesy and patience, and if you're not, you might think twice on how they'd treat your rabbit if they'd treat you that way.
As with everything, you have your good and bad. Some vets are good, some are not. Take time to research and interview before an emergency comes up.Some of the questions I've asked, I already know the answer to, but I want to see what the vet says about it just to test them a bit on the "small stuff". Here as some examples.
Everyone please participate with questions you feel relevant.
-Carolyn
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
- How many rabbits do they treat each week?
- How long have they been in practice and treating rabbits?
- What are the common ailments rabbits are treated for at their hospital?
- Have they treated for G.I. Statis, e.cuniculi, Pasteurella, tumors, abscesses, fly strike??
- How do they close incisions?
- Do they spay and/or neuter rabbits at their hospital?
- Knowing how stress can be deadly for a rabbit, what accommodations are made for rabbits? (My animal hospital has a room just for small exotic animals, away from all the cats and dogs.)
- Do they recommend stopping feed on the night before a surgery. (Answer should be no.)
- What do they recommend you do to prepare a rabbit for surgery?
- What type of anesthesia do they use? (Isofluorane or Sevofluane is commonly used these days.)
- What are some of the antibiotics they use on rabbits? (Amoxicillin, lincomycin, and clindamycin could be deadly with one dose. Penicillin, actually any "cillin" could be fatal to a rabbit. Baytril or Maxaquin or Bactrim is commonly used and is okay for your rabbit.)
- What are their hours and how do they handle emergencies after hours?
- What are the most common surgeries they perform on rabbits?
- What does a visit cost and what does it include?
- What methods of payment do they take,and will they bill if one can't pay up front?
- What do they recommend for hairballs and the treatment and prevention of them?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Upon each exam, I have the doctor check all of the following:
Lungs, Heart, Legs, Teeth, Gums, Back, Weight, Temperature, Eyes, Ears, Palpate female if unspayed and older for cancer/tumors, check for hairballs, abscesses or lumps, breathing, nails, feet, and anything else you can think of. If they don't do these things, ask for them to be done.
(I apologize for any typos.)
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/PB_vets.html
Don't be afraid to ask questions. You deserve to be treated with courtesy and patience, and if you're not, you might think twice on how they'd treat your rabbit if they'd treat you that way.
As with everything, you have your good and bad. Some vets are good, some are not. Take time to research and interview before an emergency comes up.Some of the questions I've asked, I already know the answer to, but I want to see what the vet says about it just to test them a bit on the "small stuff". Here as some examples.
Everyone please participate with questions you feel relevant.
-Carolyn
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
- How many rabbits do they treat each week?
- How long have they been in practice and treating rabbits?
- What are the common ailments rabbits are treated for at their hospital?
- Have they treated for G.I. Statis, e.cuniculi, Pasteurella, tumors, abscesses, fly strike??
- How do they close incisions?
- Do they spay and/or neuter rabbits at their hospital?
- Knowing how stress can be deadly for a rabbit, what accommodations are made for rabbits? (My animal hospital has a room just for small exotic animals, away from all the cats and dogs.)
- Do they recommend stopping feed on the night before a surgery. (Answer should be no.)
- What do they recommend you do to prepare a rabbit for surgery?
- What type of anesthesia do they use? (Isofluorane or Sevofluane is commonly used these days.)
- What are some of the antibiotics they use on rabbits? (Amoxicillin, lincomycin, and clindamycin could be deadly with one dose. Penicillin, actually any "cillin" could be fatal to a rabbit. Baytril or Maxaquin or Bactrim is commonly used and is okay for your rabbit.)
- What are their hours and how do they handle emergencies after hours?
- What are the most common surgeries they perform on rabbits?
- What does a visit cost and what does it include?
- What methods of payment do they take,and will they bill if one can't pay up front?
- What do they recommend for hairballs and the treatment and prevention of them?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Upon each exam, I have the doctor check all of the following:
Lungs, Heart, Legs, Teeth, Gums, Back, Weight, Temperature, Eyes, Ears, Palpate female if unspayed and older for cancer/tumors, check for hairballs, abscesses or lumps, breathing, nails, feet, and anything else you can think of. If they don't do these things, ask for them to be done.
(I apologize for any typos.)
If you don't still have thepackaging, as some people put it in tupperware containers to keep itparasite-free and fresh, you can probably find a website of the brandthat you're using and it'll usually list the ingredients in there.
