Twice a year vet check-ups - is this okay?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 13sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 3 months ago by DaisyBunz.

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- 01/13/2014 at 4:05 PM
  DaisyBunz
  Participant
  146 posts
  We have a great exotics vet that we take all four rabbits to. Cost per rabbit is $50 per bunny, so you can see how that can make a human grumble(especially my hubby)
  
  We take our rabbits to the vet twice a year, and we don’t run into health issues hardly at all. There was one year where we had to get our gutters replaced(which is really expensive…)and we only took the bunnies to the vet one time that year. That was also the year we brought home two adopted guinea pigs for my daughter. They had a little ear mite issue, and it was passed on to the bunnies. We took them to the vet and with a bit of expense, two guinea pigs and four rabbits came home ear-mite less. Russell did have an ear infection which was in need of medical treatment desperately. I hadn’t even noticed it, as it was deep in the inner ear. He got better with more expense, but this time I didn’t care. I felt so guilty because if I had taken him into the vet twice a year, then he was bound to have that noticed sooner and it would have not been so badly infected.
  
  So, is twice a year okay for rabbit vet visits? After reading some things online, some people take their rabbits into the vet more than that. Please just tell me how often you take your rabbits in, and let me know if what I’m doing is okay. Thanks.
- 01/13/2014 at 4:14 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I think it just really depends. I think if you have a young healthy rabbit once a year is fine.
  
  I haven’t had a young healthy rabbit in a long time but if I did that would be the normal for me.
  
  My seniors I would take twice a year if they were healthy. I have had to put 2 of my seniors to sleep in the past year and my current senior who is 12 years old is having some serious issues so he has been having to go more often.
  
  My netherland dwarf Bobby goes every 3 months for dental trims – he has lost all his lower left molars due to a severe dental abscess when he was dumped at the local guinea pig shelter. If that was not the case he probably only go once a year for a wellness check.
- 01/13/2014 at 4:15 PM
  Peony
  Participant
  219 posts
  I think it depends on the rabbit. Twice a year to me seems what you should do unless the rabbit has special needs. For now I have to take mine in every 3 months for teeth filing. (I have not taken her personally to the vet yet but that was what the shelter said and she had her filing done recently (dec 15))
  
  Sarita posted same time with me, ya that :3 though not the same reason why mine needs filling, least I do not think. I think it came from an incident at the shelter when she was younger. Someone walked in with a dog and that scared her so bad she managed to get her head stuck between bars of the pen, they had to cut her out.
- 01/13/2014 at 4:24 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Oh goodness, poor Peony! I can see where that might cause the teeth to become unaligned.
- 01/13/2014 at 4:28 PM
  Peony
  Participant
  219 posts
  That is what I said from the story. The shelter lady said she did the rabbit scream cry too. That is something from this rabbit since she seems a bit fearless and beats up other rabbits during bonding attempts.
- 01/13/2014 at 4:30 PM
  MoveDiagonally
  Participant
  2361 posts
  I take my rabbits once a year unless we have a health concern/issue. When they become seniors I will probably take them twice a year. If they had special needs I would take them as often as the special need required.
- 01/13/2014 at 5:48 PM
  tanlover14
  Participant
  3617 posts
  I take all six of mine once a year unless I’m concerned about health also
- 01/14/2014 at 1:37 AM
  Zombie-Sue
  Participant
  875 posts
  I only take my young rabbits in when there’s a problem (or when I’m not in a nail-clipping mood) but my senior rabbit goes about twice a year.
- 01/14/2014 at 7:37 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I think once a year is the standard unless there are other things that creep up or the rabbit has chronic issues. Another option for you would be to take the buns once a year and the money you would have spent on all your rabbits on a second exam can go into an emergency fund to be used as needed.
- 01/14/2014 at 12:52 PM
  calipa_st
  Participant
  290 posts
  I was told once a year from the rabbit rescue. I take him there for nail trimmings though, every three months.
- 01/14/2014 at 2:59 PM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  Mine also go once a year Although, little Monkey is getting to the middle age mark.. might be almost time to take her in more.
- 01/14/2014 at 5:39 PM
  DaisyBunz
  Participant
  146 posts
  Thanks. Every month when I clip nails and file teeth I am starting to do thorough at-home exams of each rabbit – our vet advised to do this often. I understand that even if I am doing this the bunnies still have to go to the vet, but it still is good to get hands on bunnies very often if there may be issues. As seniors if there is any special need I will ALWAYS take them in as often as needed. My oldest rabbit, aged 8, almost nine, is starting to have more trouble grooming herself, and the vet told me to give her extra daily brushing and if she gets ‘poopy butt’ to give her a bottom bath.
- 01/14/2014 at 6:20 PM
  tanlover14
  Participant
  3617 posts
  What great advice, Daisy! Even if we don’t always know what we are looking for – it is always good to know as much about your bun as possible. Just feeling around on them – some day you may spot a lump that is able to be removed versus it getting too far along to remove. Made me think about doing that too mine from here on out!
- 01/14/2014 at 6:55 PM
  DaisyBunz
  Participant
  146 posts
  I know! I handle and stroke my rabbits everyday anyways..so it really isn’t anything new for me. It’s also good to get to know your rabbits by their behavior so you can tell when something isn’t right – for example, Lily goes to her favorite sunning spot by the window every morning, so if she wasn’t there I would guess there was something wrong. I cannot stress the benefits of a house bunny, one of which is you definitely can tell what’s wrong and what isn’t. With outdoor bunnies, you simply cannot, as you cannot possibly be around your rabbit 24/7.
  
  That’s great to hear you’re doing that too, it’s a good habit to get into.
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