There are estimated to be 1 million pet rabbits in British households making them one of the most popular pets in the United Kingdom. With a life expectancy of around 8-12 years they are a significant family member in most homes and getting exemplary health care for them is a priority for most people.
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So is it possible to get a rabbit specialist vet?
The short answer is yes.
To qualify as a veterinary surgeon in the UK you are required to complete a 5 year degree at one of the 11 veterinary schools in the UK, and on successful completion of your university examinations are then accepted as a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and able to practice as a veterinary surgeon. Additionally, veterinary surgeons who qualified outside of the UK are able to register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons if their university is accredited, or are able to sit additional examinations to enable them to work in the UK. All veterinary surgeons working in the UK are qualified to work with all species. However they can take additional qualifications to become an advanced practitioner and further qualifications to become a specialist.
What is the difference between a normal vet, an advanced practitioner and a specialist vet?
A “normal vet” for the purpose of this article is a vet who has no additional qualifications. This vet may have a lot of experience working with a particular species but has chosen not to pursue additional qualifications.
An advanced practitioner is a vet who has undertaken additional qualifications, often a certificate focussing in a specific area of veterinary medicine, and as a result the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have awarded them an advanced practitioner title in the area they have additional qualifications in.
A specialist vet is a vet who has undertaken specialist training; often in the form of a residency under the guidance of other specialists or other extended qualifications coupled with extensive experience, and has undertaken rigorous examination within their subject area. On completion of their additional qualifications and with assessment of their experience, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons aware these vets specialist status in their subject area.
You can read more about the difference between an advanced practitioner and specialist vet here.
How do I find a rabbit specialist vet?
To find a vet in the UK with specialist qualifications you can search on the find a vet tool on the RCVS website. This enables you to search the veterinary surgeons in your area and see what additional qualifications they have. The tool can be found here.
On the find a vet web page you first select ‘surgeon’ and then can enter your location and search for a specialist. The subjects to select when looking for a vet who may be a specialist for rabbits are:
- Zoo & Wildlife Medicine
- Exotic animal medicine
- Zoo & Wildlife Medicine (Small Mammal)
- Zoo & Wildlife Medicine (Mammalian)
If you would like to search for an advanced practitioner for your pet rabbit the RCVS find a vet tool can be used as above but advanced practitioner is selected instead of specialist. The subjects to select when looking for a vet who may be an advanced practitioner with rabbits are:
- Zoological Medicine
Summary:
- – Rabbit specialist vets do exist
- – Not all vets that treat rabbits are specialists
- – Advanced practitioners and specialists are different
- – To find a rabbit specialist vet you can use the RCVS find a vet tool
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