How to Take Care of A Rabbit – Selecting a Good Vet

Like all pets, a rabbit needs a certain level of care. Often rabbits are bought as people believe they are low maintenance, can be kept in a cage and just taken out when convenient for the owner. This, however, is detrimental to the rabbit, and will cause long term problems for the owner.

Many owners fail to seek out a veterinarian with the practical skills required for treating a rabbit. Many vets have wonderful knowledge in regards to dog and cat care, but very few have experience treating rabbits, so their practical understanding of rabbit care is limited. Because of this, owners will often become frustrated and let an ill rabbit die, rather than seeking further treatment, and then just get another one.

There are guidelines to follow though, to help rabbit owners seek out the best care for their pet.

By asking a couple of sensible, direct questions, you can discover whether a vet has the correct knowledge and experience to treat your rabbit. Ask if they regularly treat rabbits, and which breeds. Most knowledge is valid for many breeds, but it will give you an indication of their expertise.

A common procedure carried out on rabbits is spaying or neutering. Spaying is for females, neutering is for males. While the sex organs are quite similar, they do differ to that of a dog or cat. Ask the candidate how many surgical procedures they've performed. If you like the vet and they answer ‘none’, you can still choose them as your vet, it just means that you are aware that they do not have practical experience with the procedure, and can take this into consideration when contemplating the risks of the surgery.

Vets with experience in treating rabbits should have a knowledge of which vaccines are required or recommended. An experienced vet should be able to tell you if the vaccine being used is the live (modified) version of the virus, as they would to a dog or cat owner. If quality control in this area is poor there is an increased risk of an adverse reaction.

There are several diseases and conditions that tend to affect rabbits more often than other animals, so any potential vet that you question should be aware of these. Fly strike, gastrointestinal stasis and other afflictions are common, and serious, but treatable.

When you have found a vet you are happy with, you need to be comfortable seeking their assistance occasionally. Obvious times are early vaccinations and spaying or neutering. Also, changes in behavior or signs of intestinal problems should prompt you to visit.

As with any other pet, a rabbit requires time, money and care (both personal and vet), so if you don’t see yourself thinking of a rabbit as a valued member of your family and treating it accordingly, you should reconsider having one as a pet. They are not toys to be left aside to gather dust.

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