Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:10:06 GMT

[quote user="Rachel Jayne RVN C-SQP MBVNA"]

I designed a "rabbit package" at my first practice, for £45 I think it was, they got:

Myxi & VHD Vacc
Advantage flea treatment
Bag of Excel food
Bag of herbage/hay
10% off neutering

It took a while to take off, but did do quite well if I remember rightly. It took me so long to persuade the boss to put it into place that I ended up leaving about 4 months after it was finally offered & on the computer etc.

We, well, I, did bunny clinics. Used the Intervet/Panacur forms as someone else mentioned, are really helpful for keeping you on track with the consult & if I remember rightly have a section, or might even be the whole page, that you can tear out & give as reference to the owner to take away with them as a record of their pet's examination.

The main selling point that I used to sell the idea to my then boss & to the clients when we finally launched it, is that it's not reserved to just people with new baby rabbits, it can be joined/started at any age. So was good to put lots of posters up/ask clients if they have a rabbit that we've never seen, to get them in, get the bun vaccinated & neutered & healthier!

[/quote]

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Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

NorthernLass — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:18:04 GMT

Great

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Rachel Jayne — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:24:33 GMT

I designed a "rabbit package" at my first practice, for £45 I think it was, they got:

Myxi & VHD Vacc
Advantage flea treatment
Bag of Excel food
Bag of herbage/hay
10% off neutering

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Jenzel — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:06:12 GMT

We do free rabbit health checks.

We discuss diet, behaviour, neutering, accomodation, vaccs, flystrike etc etc.

We got lovely tick sheets from panacur. Don't know if that was just for rabbit week but worth asking. I can't think of who provided this leaflet but it had list of veg they can eat etc which I though was brill.

We put free sample bags of excel in our packs and lots of leaflets. I would ring around and explain what you hope to do and ask companies if they do free goodies and leaflets.

I also think the competition is a good way to get rabbit owners in to begin with.

It takes us atleast 30 mins to do a full rabbit check as there is so much to get through!

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

NorthernLass — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:48:04 GMT

I would say hay hay hay hay, plus dried grass. Many people don't have enough grass available with a safe roofed/foxproof run.....

Definitely have a look at the RWA information and get some leaflets to hand out if you can (vets need to pay for these)

A HUTCH IS NOT ENOUGH

Size and quality of accommodation a big issue. Also exercise...See RWA campaign

Also Forsham Cottage Arks website for an idea of what a hutch and run should look like ie 4ft plus for a small bunny Rabbits should be kept in pairs: easier said than done I know, especially with rubbish advice from some pet shops

Could go on, but you get the idea. Lots of good ideas here tho' Great to hear you doing these. We do them as we go along, as we get quite a few bunnies in now due to the word getting around that we are able to give out advice etc

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:37:01 GMT

Sorry I have not read all of this, but ... and I am not slagging anyone off as I wont name names, but a well known petstore in my town advises new owners of rabbits............. to starve for 24 hours after they get them, as they will be "to stressed" to eat!!!!!!!!!!!! I only found this out when we had 2 in from said pet store that had been brought back to said store as they were unwell and .... guess? ..... not bloody eating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

ginny — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 19:35:24 GMT

Definately the diet issue!!

Also perhaps include some information about how important it is to not let a rabbit get too fat, and to get vet adv asap if the rabbit doesn't pass faeces or stops eating.

We don't do specific nurses clinics for rabbits as we see so many already!!

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

jodieandrews — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:15:10 GMT

To start off our rabbit clinics, we held a cutest bunny contest where we gave free health checks, advice and a goodie bag to all. Its a good way to get rabbit owners in and the reps are great at giving stuff for prizes! We now repeat the contest yearly in conjunction with rabbit awareness week. Special discounts on vaccinations etc to coincide with the contest also help encouage owners.

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Jeniflower — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:32:49 GMT

DEFINATELY DIET!!!!!

Also, flystrike. It may be worth mentioning xenex in addition to rearguard, it seems an easier application thus, raising the potential for better compliance! Have you thought about a rabbit handling session for the children owners? Would be great to highlight the risks of back-breaking.

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 22:25:51 GMT

Diet - grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass grass

Spaying - EIGHTY FIVE PER CENT of female rabbits DIE of uterine adenocarcinoma

Vaccinate - myxo is a horrible disease to die of.

Get people to listen about those three subjects and you'll prevent most of the problems we see......

Good on you for giving bunnies their own clinics

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

PHA86 — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:07:50 GMT

Perhaps you could get some literature for Panacur, Rearguard etc to put in your packs too?

Diet is the biggy one though, as everyone's said.

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Emma Purnell — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:51:58 GMT

I have a few leaflets I made for our practice, I will try to remember to put them up in the education section tomorrow

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Maisy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:47:35 GMT

All of the above for definite! A lot of things about rabbits are misunderstood: they don't need bowlfuls of rabbit mix, they don't always like being picked up, can be destructive if bored for instance. The RWA offer some great client leaflets so would be worth getting some of those in for your rabbit packs too.

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Honeybadger — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:18:36 GMT

I dont know anything about rabbit behaviour but maybe some info on that as we get many grumpy bunnies at work that are a nightmare to handle.

Re: Rabbit Nurse Clinics

Kim Buckley — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:16:10 GMT

Diet, neutering, vaccinations and warn about things like flystrike. A lot of people don't realise how much care rabbits need and think they are just an easy pet to get for their children.