So this morning I took my dwarf rabbit, Potter to the vet. Potter is about a year old and I’ve had him/her for practically his/her life. So the vet checked potter’s gender and apparently thinks he/she’s a girl. I’ve always thought Potter was a girl. The first time I saw Potter when I picked him/her from a litter I thought he/she looked “girlish”. So my first assumption was that it was a girl. However, I know better, so I checked right there. This was over a year ago now so I don’t remember all the details of what had happened but I’m pretty sure I saw a penis. So for over a year ice been calling potter a bit and now apparently he’s a girl? I know rabbits are hard to sex but I was pretty sure of myself.
So then she gives us an estimate on a spay and it comes out to more than $500! I get that it’s a smaller animal and all but 500? My cats spay was less than 200 (at a different vet) and we got an additional discount for multiple pets. This get charges about 70 for a physical and now 500 for a rabbit spay? That seems like a little much to me.
So additionally I’m very skeptical on this vets information as last week we took out new bunny, Ohana and since he (there’s definitely a penis)is a baby we give him alfalfa, not timothy. I know that’s what’s better for them as babies because I had Potter since he was about two months or so and I did my research then. Now, the vet told us he should be getting timothy so I questioned it. She came back with print out papers and said something like “oh yeah I guess you’re right it says here the young rabbits should get alfalfa…” then she told us how she thought rabbits should only get a tiny amount of pellets etc..
Today I took in not only Potter, but my ferret as well (my mom was with me we keep them separate don’t worry the ferret was in a carrier) and she didn’t know about canned ferret food and feeding raw diets to them and how kibble really isn’t nutrionally balanced and the more I questioned the more she said it was…
Now I’m not comfortable with this doctor but I don’t know if I should request a different doctor at the same hospital or what. It’s the only exotic vet close enough. The other exotics are like at least an hour away and my mom has already said she won’t drive that far to take them..
I don’t know what to do. I want to ensure my rabbits get the best care possible and I just don’t feel like this vet knows what she’s doing. And she’s supposed to be their best vet too!
If anyone can help me or give me any advice or opinions or anything that’s be great. Also, I’m sorry I don’t think I’ve done an intro yet but I dont have internet and I’m using all my mom’s phone data now..