Last Updated on May 31, 2023 by
No matter what animal you own, an impending vet visit can be a stressful experience for both, you and your much-loved pet. It comes as no surprise that this is no different when your pet is a rabbit.
How Often Should A Rabbit See The Vet?
Rabbits should see the veterinarian at least once annually, in fact, it is recommended that this be increased to twice annually once the animal reaches 5 years old. As well as the recommended annual visits, your rabbit may need to see the vet due to another reason, such as illness or injury.
If your rabbit is ill and requires medical care you may see the vet quite regularly for checkups, as with if your rabbit injures itself. So it is important to maintain a good relationship with your veterinarian, and ensure that your rabbit is comfortable on the lead-up to, and during the consultation, this will make any future visits less stressful for your rabbit.
Do Rabbits Need Vaccinations?
Whilst, not a compulsory part of owning a rabbit in most countries, there are a lot of nasty viruses out there that can make your pet rabbit very sick, so it is highly recommended that you get your rabbit vaccinated.
This can be done from the age of 5 weeks old.
Vaccinations are quick and simple and prevent again life-threatening disease. Once your rabbit is vaccinated, you should keep up with their yearly boosters to keep them protected.
What Vet Care Does A Rabbit Need?
A healthy rabbit, would ideally only need to visit the vet once or twice a year throughout his or her life, however, things aren’t always that simple and with an average life span of 7-10 years, from time to time your rabbit may become unwell or injure itself which will require specialist care. The main reasons why a rabbit may need to visit the vet are if he/she:
- Stops eating
- Stops pooping
- Starts sneezing
- Becomes lethargic
- Starts drooling
- Starts panting with their mouth open
- Had diarrhea
- Starts limping
- Keeps their head tilted to the side or upside down
It is important that any changes to your rabbit’s normal appearance or change in character should be reported to your vet immediately.
How Much Does The Vet Cost?
This can vary from vet to vet and also what treatment it is that your rabbit requires, Routine check-ups can cost as little as $35-50 but more complex appointments, such as those that involve neutering, vaccinations, scans, x-rays, etc can be upwards of $200 to $2000 depending on the treatment your rabbit needs.
You should contact your vet before booking the appointment to discuss rough costings, also some veterinary surgeries offer payment plans for bigger procedures so that you can spread the cost over monthly repayments.
This does not apply to every vet in every country but it does apply to some, so it is always worth asking about.
