Should I take our new bunny to the vet for a “Well-Bunny” checkup?

[Knabbel Did It]

We’re still preparing to bring our first house rabbit home, maybe this weekend, and (surprise!) I have more questions!  You all have been so very helpful these last few days, and the information from all the other posts has been super helpful, too.

Once we get our new bunny home, should we take him to the vet for a ‘well-bunny’ check-up, just to make sure all is well with him? 

If we do get the one-year old un-neutered buck, should we get him neutered right away, or let him get used to his new digs for a few weeks (or months?) first?

TIA!

[littlemissflip]

My recommendation would be to go ahead and make the “well-bunny” check-up apointment and plan on getting him neutered sooner rather than later. Both of my male Holland Lops were a bit of a terror pre-neuter. Adorable and sweet, but crazy peeing, pooping, humping machines!

Our first bun was a year old when we got him, and we waited another 6 months to have him neutered. Our second bun was 7 months when we adopted him, and we had him neutered within the month–he actually rebounded more quickly from the neuter than our first bun did.

Our vets did require a check-up first before scheduling the neuter, and I really recommend them anyway, as they can give you a baseline of their health. It makes it easier to detect problems in the future (weight loss, enzyme imbalances, etc.).

[LoveChaCha]

I second that.

I would take him in the week you get him. Have you found a veterinary in your area that sees rabbits? It is quite hard to find a rabbit savvy vet, but when you do, you’ll know bunny is in good hands rabbits are considered exotic animals.

[LoveChaCha]

When you set up an appointment, be sure to ask the vet how many spays and neuters are done and if they give pain medications. Asking how many rabbits have been lost during the procedure is something that is a much needed question. Vets won’t be offended, they are actually quite helpful.

[peppypoo]

Yes, definitely take your new bunny to the vet! I’m so glad I took Peppy in after we got her – apparently her previous owners hadn’t taken good care of her, so she had teeth problems, ear problems, skin problems, etc…poor girl! Even if your bun is outwardly in good health, it’s good to make sure that the bun’s internal systems are off to a good start too – something that only a blood panel can tell you.

[Beka27]

Absolutely have an initial vet check and schedule the neuter ASAP. No good can come from waiting to have it done (as long as he is healthy). Boys bounce back quickly from the procedure, so getting used to a new space afterwards should not be a big deal.

I would also check with the breeder to see what kind of vet care and meds (if any) the rabbit has received to date. This can give you an idea of if there have been health issues previously. (This is, of course, assuming a responsible breeder who seeks vet care for his rabbits.)

[RabbitPam]

I totally agree with everyone, and you’ll have peace of mind as well once you have established yourself with a vet you like. The best time to get a baseline exam is now, and if you have any reservations after meeting a new vet, the best time to find one you do like is to visit another while you’re doing initial wellness exams. Hopefully it is a while before you need to see the vet again, but very important to have that number handy when you do.

[Elrohwen]

I agree with everyone else – definitely take him! Most vets want to see the bunny right before a neuter to do any tests and make sure the bun is healthy, so you can make this your pre-neuter appointment as well.

[Knabbel Did It]

Thanks! You guys are great! I made a few calls the other day and didn’t find anyone that said, “Oh yes! We have a great rabbit vet here!” I mostly heard, “No.” or “Hmmm…I’m not sure, let me check.” That must mean they don’t see enough rabbits in the waiting area to even know if there is a vet there that takes care of them. I ran out of time to continue making calls, but today I’m going to try again. I’m thinking I’ll call the lady from the 4-H that runs the Rabbit Barn at the fairgrounds, maybe she’ll have a starting point for me. We just live in a fairly small town, another small town an hour away, and the ‘big city’ is three hours away.

How far is too far to go to find a good vet? An hour? An emergency would seem like forever!

[Kate Monster]

The House Rabbit Society has a list of questions to ask and a list of member recommended vets by city, that was where I found my vet (obviously still call and talk to people and such, just because someone recommends a vet doesnt mean that she’s right for you)
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

[Kate Monster]

Oh and if it looks like you can’t find a really good rabbit vet close by and have to travel a bit for your regular visits, try and find an after hours emergeny animal hospital close by for those immediate emergency situations. A lot of emergencies are not that animal specific. An injury is an injury, and most qualified vets regardless of specialty should be able to handle that kind of thing, it may not be ideal but it’s the best some of us can really do.

[Elrohwen]

Our “good vet” is half an hour away. We also have a vet 5min away that sees rabbits, though they don’t seem very knowledgeable and I only use them for nail trims. Still, in a dire emergency they could be better than driving half an hour.

We’re moving soon and I don’t know what we’ll do about a vet. At the best we’ll be an hour from our old vet, but we could be as much as an hour and a half away (depending on where we buy a house). We’ll have to find somebody new I guess. If the only option was for an hour away, I would do that. You shouldn’t need to go that often – just once a year – so I think it’s worth it. Maybe find some places closer that is capable in case of emergencies.

[allegrabunny]

What I did with my June was take him in for a well-bunny check up they can take blood work at it and if everything goes well, schedule neuter within 30days of blood work.

You can neuter, tooth trim and nail trim at the same time. Wham Bam thank you ma’am congrats on the new bun!!!

[Knabbel Did It]

Looks like smallville is just that…small. The three main vet clinics in town all said the same thing – they only see about six rabbits a year. Yes, a year. One said they will neuter, but not spay. Maybe it’s time to rethink getting an un-neutered bun?

[LoveChaCha]

How long are you willing to travel to get your rabbit checked up and neutered?

Neutering is for boys, spaying is for girls. Have you had a chance to talk to and see how the previous procedures have gone?

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