Choosing a Rabbit Veterinarian
Rabbit medicine is a specialty! Do not assume that because one veterinarian at an animal hospital is experienced with rabbits that all of the doctors there are.
Establish your rabbit as a patient with a rabbit-savvy vet prior to an emergency.
Rabbit’s are not wait-and-see animals–immediate action saves lives!
To begin your search, start by checking our list of rabbit-savvy veterinarians. If you do not live on Long Island, reach out to your local rabbit rescue for recommendations, or check here: https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
Before placing your rabbit under the care of any veterinarian, ask the following questions to be sure your rabbit is in competent hands:
Questions to ask
- How many rabbits does your clinic see in a week?
- How many rabbits are spayed/neutered by your clinic in a week?
- What is your protocol for treating GI Stasis?
- How can I as an owner prevent GI Stasis?
- Do you offer emergency pain medication to rabbit clients to have at home in case of an after hours emergency?
- Does a rabbit need to be fasted before surgery? (Run away if they say yes! Rabbits should never fast before surgery.)
- Which antibiotics are deadly to rabbits? (Answers: Amoxicillin, Lincomycin, Clindamycin)
- Do the veterinarians at the clinic attend conferences, continuing education courses, or read any journals dedicated to rabbit medicine?
- For questions specific to spay/neuter visit the house rabbit society FAQ page
Tips
- Don’t choose a veterinarian solely based on location. A skilled veterinarian is worth traveling for!
- Just because a clinic’s website says they see exotic pets doesn’t mean that their veterinarians are rabbit-savvy. Rabbit medicine is not part of the curriculum at veterinary schools in the United States. Being rabbit-savvy is a true specialty.