The Bunny Bunch S.P.C.R.
A No Kill Non Profit Rabbit Rescue Organization
909-591-7200 PO Box 2583 Chino, CA 91708
Serving Southern California

Vet Referrals & Vets Answer Questions

When your companion bunny is ill it's a bad time to be looking for a rabbit knowledgeable vet. We suggest you take your rabbit to a rabbit vet at least once a year for a check up, and establish a relationship so that if your rabbit does become ill you will know where to go.

All too often we hear horror stories about rabbits that were taken to a vet that did not have knowledge about rabbit medicine and the outcome is often bad.

We have written a medical questionnaire that has been mailed out to hundreds of vets in the United States. Once we receive the questionnaire back we review it and upon approval post the vet as a referral on our site.

If a vet does not appear on our site it could be that we did not approve them, or we do not know about them, or that they we did not receive their application back. If you have a vet you would like us to send an application to please email caroline@bunnybunch.org and we will mail an application to them.

If you are a vet and would like to be on our referral list, please fill out this form and either email or mail it to us.

For your convenience we have listed the office hours and the price for an office visit and spay or neuter. You will notice that the cost can vary quite a bit. Some vets include more than others in their set price. So, when calling a vet, ask what the price includes. It is important to have pain medicine for when your rabbit goes home, which may or may not be included. Don't make your decision on the price, but on what is included in the price.

The Bunny Bunch does not endorse any particular vet listed nor do we guarantee any of the services they provide. We offer this as a service to help you make your decision.

Office hours and pricing may change with out us being informed.

Pet Poison HELPLINE, Saving pets’ lives….24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
800.213.6680 (Please be advised there is a per incident fee)
www.petpoisonhelpline.com

California

CHOOSING THE RIGHT VETERINARIAN FOR YOUR PET RABBIT

By Jenna Schissler

The time to start looking for a rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian is the very moment you get your first house rabbit. Once you have found a rabbit knowledgeable vet that you feel confident with you should make an appointment as soon as possible for two important reasons; (1) you and your bunny will be on record as a client and patient; and, (2) for a well check-up so that you will know the health of your new little bundle of joy.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT FINDING A GOOD RABBIT KNOWLEDGEABLE VETERINARIAN?
The Bunny Bunch recommends that you compile a list of potential rabbit veterinarians, make an appointment to see each doctor and basically interview them. If the veterinarian doesn't take the time to answer your questions and address your concerns then maybe that veterinarian isn't the right veterinarian for your bunny. A good veterinarian should be willing to take the time to answer any questions you have, answer them intelligently and in terms that you can understand and he/she should be compassionate for your concerns and for the well-being of your pet rabbit.

Choosing a rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian for your pet rabbit is very important but can be a real challenge. Exotic veterinary medicine takes special training and education and many times veterinarians will tell you they see rabbits, however, just because they say they see rabbits does not mean they know much, if anything, about rabbit medicine. Very little is taught about rabbits in veterinary schools and until recently there was almost no information or interest in maintaining rabbit health for rabbits. Most veterinarians are just now beginning to learn about special drugs, surgery and diet that rabbits require.

Also, never assume that all veterinarians within the same clinic are equally as knowledgeable or experienced as another. Interview all veterinarians you plan to use, even veterinarians within the same clinic. If you can't find a good veterinarian on your own, you may want to check The Bunny Bunch veterinarian referral list for a veterinarian in your area, however, even a veterinarian that is listed on a veterinarian referral list should be interviewed by you. Just because someone else has referred a particular veterinarian and that veterinarian is added to our referral list, does not mean you will be happy with that veterinarian. What one person likes in a veterinarian, another may not. If you cannot find a rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian in your area, see The Bunny Bunch veterinarian referral list at www.bunnybunch.org.
Listed are questions you may want to ask when interviewing a potential veterinarian, and by all means, ASK questions:

1. How many rabbits do you see a week?

15-25 rabbits are numbers I'd feel comfortable with, however, seeing a lot of rabbits does not necessarily mean he/she is an excellent rabbit veterinarian. This is why an interview can be important. Ask all the questions you want addressed and test the veterinarians experience and knowledge. If he/she answers all your questions accordingly, then you might be on the right track to choosing the right veterinarian for your bunny. You may also want to shop around for a back-up veterinarian in case your veterinarian isn't available when you need him/her. This happens quite often, and in some cases can mean life or death for your pet rabbit.

2. How much is an office visit? Spay? Neuter? Ask what type of payment plan they have, if any.

You should be aware of prices before you have to pay them, but please don't let the cost be a deciding factor should your bunny need to be seen or need a specific procedure done. Maybe the clinic will have a payment plan that will work for you. Ask about this when interviewing.

Note: For veterinary expenses, something you may want to consider is setting up your own personal bunny fund by putting $20.00 or more aside every paycheck. This really helps in times of need.

3. Do you feel rabbits should be seen for well check-ups?

A rabbit should be seen for well check-ups annually up to the age of 5 years old and every 6 months thereafter.

4. When an exam is preformed what all is included?

An exam should include a complete blood count (CBC), chemistry panel, urinalysis, the veterinarian should listen to heart, lungs, stomach, also palpate the stomach and organs for lumps, check ears, eyes, nose for wetness or discharge, check teeth and feel around the jaw area. Your veterinarian may also require that a fecal exam, also known as a fecal float, be done to check for any parasites. Parasites will not show up in blood tests.

Note: Once you've chosen a veterinarian and your bunny has been seen, keep health records of your bunny. Ask your veterinarian for copies of any test results, especially blood tests. I usually have my veterinarian fax my buns blood results to me before I call him to discuss and I compare my rabbits blood values with normal values that are referenced in two excellent rabbit books, Rabbit Health In The 21st Century by Kathy Smith and Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents, Clinical Medicine and Surgery by Hillyer and Quesenberry that you can by purchased through The Bunny Bunch Boutique at: http://www.bunnybunchboutique.com

5. Who do you consult with regarding rabbit health matters?

Many times veterinarians consult with other more experienced and knowledgeable veterinarians with respect to rabbit health and medicine. If they do not consult with other veterinarians you might ask if he/she would have a problem consulting with an exotic specialist of your choice if it should ever be needed. Here's a list of a few "rabbit experienced" consulting veterinarians. Some of the mentioned veterinarians do charge a fee and will "only" consult with other veterinarians.

Dr. Susan Brown 708-344-8166; Dr. Carolynn Harvey 510-654-8375; Dr. Jeffrey Jenkins 800-379-6842; Dr. Susan Kelleher 954-968-7171.

6. Do you fast rabbits before surgery?

Rabbits should NEVER be fasted and should have food and water available to them up until the time of surgery and especially right afterwards. Rabbits do not vomit so there is no reason to withhold food, furthermore, a rabbits gastrointestinal tract is different from that of a dog or cat and rabbits need food and water available to them at all times.

7. What type of anesthesia do you use on rabbits?

Isoflurane is the safest anesthesia for rabbits. If the veterinarian mentions an anesthesia other then Iso, please write the name down and give The Bunny Bunch a call as soon as possible. Sevoflurane is also a very good and safe anesthesia for rabbits, however, special equipment is needed (which not all veterinarians have) therefore, if you find a rabbit savvy vet that does have this equipment the cost to you will run quite a bit more then if Iso is used.

8. What "oral" antibiotics do you normally prescribe for rabbits?

If a veterinarian mentions amoxicillin, penicillin, ampicillin, kindly ask them to be more specific, meaning, do they prescribe cillins in "oral" or "injectable only form. If they say oral, tactfully advice them that these antibiotics should never be administered "orally" to rabbits and leave the interview as soon as you possibly can. This is certainly NOT the vet for your pet rabbit. Any rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian would know that any drug that ends in "cillin" should only be given in the injectable form. Drugs ending with "cillin" in the "oral" form are not safe drugs for rabbits and can cause serious illness such as severe enteritis or even death. However, drugs ending in "cillin" in the "injectable" form such as penicillin, or better known as Pen-G or bicillin are OK for use in rabbits.

http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare2.html#success

Note: Drugs in the penicillin family that should not be used, even in the injectable form, are ampicillin and amoxicillin. These two cillins have been reported to cause enteritis in rabbits. Enteritis can kill your rabbit. Signs of enteritis are: rabbit stops eating and drinking, stomach is bloated with gas, mucous in stool, abdominal pain, diarrhea with or without blood, lethargy, no stool production. Enteritis is very serious illness and your rabbit must be seen by a rabbit knowledgeable veterinarian immediately.

9. How do you determine what type of antibiotic is necessary?

Depending on the illness your bunny may have, either a culture and sensitivity test, blood test, urinalysis, titer, fecal exam, etc. should be done before a veterinarian prescribes antibiotics, otherwise the veterinarian is basically playing a guessing game with your rabbits health. Tests such as cultures and sensitivities determine what antibiotics a specific bacteria is sensitive or resistant to and putting your bun on the correct antibiotic is extremely critical in fighting a bacterial infection. Putting a bunny on a drug that bacteria could be resistant to is doing your bunny absolutely no good and your money is being thrown right out the window, and antibiotics are not cheap.
Note A: Your veterinarian *may* give an antibiotic injection or temporarily put your bun on antibiotics upon waiting for results of a specific test to come back.
Note B: With long term use of antibiotics, bacteria may develop a resistance, so after consulting with your vet, he/she may feel the need to switch antibiotics. This is why a culture and sensitivity test is important, it gives your veterinarian a list of drug/bacteria sensitivities that your vet can choose from and change to when necessary. This is not to say that all the drugs listed on the sensitivity report will be effective. Sometimes several drugs are tried before you see a change for the better.

10. Where do you perform surgeries?

Preferably in your veterinarians clinic. In my opinion, it is less stressful on the bunny and it's very important to keep stress to a minimum when a bunny is ill. That said, I would ask if your bunny will be kept in an area away from a lot of noise, i.e., barking dogs and meowing cats. These noises only add to stress on the bunny and some clinics and animal hospitals are extremely active and noisy.
See article on Fear and Stress at http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare1.html#fright

11. Do you require rabbits to stay over night after surgery? If so, do you have around the clock care

If they*do not* have around the clock care then you do not want to leave your rabbit overnight. Take your bunny home and if you have to return him/her the next day then do so.
Note: It is unnecessary to leave a rabbit overnight for either a spay or neuter, unless of course there have been complications due to the surgery and need a doctors care, however, for routine spays and neuters that go well, a rabbit, or any animal for that matter, will recover much quicker and will be much happier in their own home, their comfort zone, especially with all the extra comfort and TLC they will receive from their furry and human companions. Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the clinic does no have around the clock care, then all the more reason your rabbit needs to be home with you and in your care.

12. Do you use pain management (analgesia) before and after surgery including spays and neuters.

Pain management is imperative in the recovery process of a rabbit or any animal for that matter. When rabbits are in pain they will not eat which can lead to a gastrointestinal slowdown known as ileus or GI stasis.
See articles on analgesia at http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare2.html#pain

13. What do I need to bring with me should my rabbit need to stay during the day while I'm at work or overnight?
You should always be allowed to bring food, water, hay, veggies and something soft for your bunny to lay on, maybe even a stuffed toy and if your rabbit is bonded with another rabbit you should definitely be able to have his/her companion join him/her either for the day or overnight.

14. Where is your lab work done? In-house? Off site? How long does it take to get results back?

The best answer of course would be in-house because you would get results much faster, most of the time within the same day, however, not many clinics do their own lab work and usually have to send it out for testing. Nonetheless, you should get results back within a few working days (weekends excluded), if not sooner.

15. What emergency clinic do you recommend that has rabbit knowledgeable veterinarians?

This is an important question to ask because not many emergency clinics have veterinarians with experience, knowledge, training or education with respect to rabbit medicine and many times emergency clinics are avoided by rabbit owners for this reason.

16. What common tests do you do and where do you do these tests?

Common tests include blood analysis, cultures, sensitivities, titers, urinalysis, fecal exams, x-rays, ultra-sound, bladder flushes, nasolacrimal (tear duct) flushes, can be done in your veterinarian's clinic. Some veterinarian clinics do not have ultrasound equipment and may have to direct you elsewhere or have a skilled ultrasound technician come to their office to perform the ultrasound.

17. Do you use gut motility drugs when there is a complete blockage/obstruction?

Motility drugs (metaclopramide-Reglan or cisaprid-Propulsid) should only be used in cases where the veterinarian has determined that there is not a blockage/obstruction. Motility drugs work to get a sluggish gut moving again, if there is a true blockage/obstruction, the mass could easily be pushed into an area such as the small intestine and could cause a rupture.
Note: In the case of a blockage/obstruction, hydration should be the first method attempted to try and break up the mass. Oral hydration and Sub-Q fluids has helped tremendously in most of these cases.
See articles on gut motility/ileus/GI stasis at http://www.bunnybunch.org/ rabbitcare1.html#gas or
http://fig.cox.miami.edu/Faculty/Dana/ileus.html

18. What products for rabbits do you recommend for fleas?

Advantage and Program have been proven to be safe for use on rabbits. Frontline, however, should NOT be used on rabbits. There have been several reported cases of rabbits dying after administering Frontline and one reported case at this time of a rabbit experiencing seizures after the use of Frontline.
See articles about fleas at http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/newflea.html; and http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/vet-talk/frontline.html

19. What products for rabbits do you recommend for fur and ear mites?

Ivermectin has been safely used on rabbits for years but there is a new product that is proven to be both safe and effective for rabbits as well, it's called Revolution. Revolution is used just like Advantage is used for fleas and you don't have to make three trips to the veterinarian for injections. You must consult with your veterinarian before using this product so he/she can give you proper dosage with respect to the weight of your rabbit. There are also ear drops available today that are safe for use in rabbits for ear mites that you may want to discuss with your veterinarian. I have used a product called Mita-Clear and had very good success with it.