Running Around On Vet's Floor

[ams1786]

I just left the vet's office and they needed a fecal sample. She wouldn't go so we had to wait and they put her on the floor of the office to run around! I said that didn't seem smart since it's probably filthy but they said it was fine and they wanted to keep her mobile. I let it go at the time since it was already done, but now I'm really scared! Is that honestly safe? They're a VERY well respected office that specializes in rabbits (HRS-endorsed, work with the local rabbit rescue, see hundreds of buns a year) but this doesn't seem right to me and I'm getting paranoid.

 

[MiniLopMad]

If the vet clinic maintains a high level of hygiene, the floor should be fine. If you're worried, just keep a close eye on your bun

 

[ts786]

I generally disinfect the bottom of my rabbit's feet if it makes contact with surfaces likely to harbor harmful pathogens. I use accelerated hydrogen peroxide because it kills a large portion of the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that can cause illness, plus its set time (i.e., the amount of time a surface must remain wet with the solution in order to achieve the advertised rate of kill) is generally only a minute for most viruses and bacteria, which is much faster than standard hydrogen peroxide. Unlike standard peroxide, it is more effective at killing viruses and has a limited degree of sporacidal activity. In other words, this stuff rocks. Of equal importance is the low toxicity and the fact that the hydrogen peroxide has a low toxicity to begin with and rapidly breaks down into water.

High-concentration (over 90%) rubbing alcohol will work well and it quickly evaporates without a toxic residue; however, alcohol will NOT kill most viruses unless its concentration is 90%, give or take, and this high concentration can be a skin irritant.