Rabbits have very different teeth to us.  We have a set of “baby” teeth which are replaced by adult teeth that have to last the rest of our lives.  Rabbits only have a single set of teeth which are not replaced, but continue to grow up to 12cm in a year!

Overgrown teeth can cause eating and grooming issues for your rabbit.  Molars which overgrow can produce “spurs” which rub and cut into the delicate flesh of the tongue causing wounds which can become infected and are very painful.

Making sure your rabbit has access to the right diet is very important to help keep your rabbit’s teeth under control.  You can download our leaflet HERE for more information on keeping your rabbit’s teeth healthy and if you need further information and guidance, why not book in for a complimentary dental assessment!

Fly Strike is an often fatal condition affecting rabbits and is caused by the green bottle fly laying their eggs on rabbits.

They are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces and the odour of rabbit scent glands.  Eggs are laid around the rabbit’s rear and hatch within hours into maggots that eat the rabbit’s flesh as well as releasing dangerous toxins.

This activity is especially prevalent during the Summer months and is a serious problem for domestic rabbits.

So what can you do to avoid this happening to your rabbit?  Download our leaflet HERE for further information on the causes and how to prevent flystrike and if you need further advice on any aspect of caring for your rabbit, get in touch!

As part of #RAW2019, we’re taking the opportunity to raise awareness of the care needs of our rabbits in general.  We’ll be visiting different topics throughout the month to help owners with the care of their rabbit.  We’ll also be giving away a little rabbit goody bag for anyone who books in for a complimentary rabbit MOT during the week, but spaces are limited!

We are taking part in this years’ Rabbit Awareness Week #RAW2019 from 1st to 9th June 2019.  As part of the campaign we are offering rabbit owners the opportunity to book in for one of our complimentary rabbit MOT health consultations and receive a great little goody bag.

This years’ focus of #RAW2019 is “Protect & Prevent”, raising awareness of a new variant of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 2 (RVHD2), first reported in the UK in 2015.

The virus causes internal bleeding and often has no symptoms so it is VERY hard to spot early on and is often fatal.  The only way to protect your rabbit from this disease as well as RVHD1 is with vaccination.

It is transmitted in several ways:

• birds and insects and their droppings.
• the wind.
• soles of shoes, car tyres or other pets’ feet.
• an infected rabbit or their droppings.
• owners’ hands or clothes.

To fully protect your rabbit against the three viral diseases that are endemic in the UK; Myxomatosis, Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 2, you would need two vaccinations at least two weeks apart.

 For information on this new disease, download our leaflet HERE

Spaces are limited so it will be on a first come, first served basis.

Finally, in our month of celebrating our fantastic team of RVNs, we celebrate Hayley who is our Head Nurse and has been qualified for 7 years.  Hayley leads and manages the nursing team as well as undertaking a nursing role and runs a very successful Senior Cat Clinic.  Read Hayley’s bio HERE #whatvnsdo

If you’d like Hayley’s support with your cat, be it advice on behaviour, diet or general health screening, get in touch and book in for a complimentary consultation with a free blood pressure and urine test.

It’s been a year since Amy qualified and in celebration of #whatvnsdo, read what she’s been up to over the last year in her bio HERE

The first introduction we’d like to make in celebration of #whatvnsdo is Helen.  Helen is our most recently qualified RVN and is busy putting into practice everything she has learned over the past two years, and starting to develop her consultation skills.  Read her bio HERE

As part of Veterinary Nurse Awareness Month, we’d like to introduce our RVN’s to you.  As a training practice, we pride ourselves on the standard of training they receive.  We wanted to share with you how hard they train, how hard they work and how important their role is here at Rowan Veterinary Centre.  Download our leaflet HERE to find out more about just some of the things they do to ensure that your pet receives the best care.

Outside of the consulting room, most of the attention and medical care your pet receives is at the hands of a veterinary nurse. It is this we celebrate each May, as Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) gives us an opportunity to talk about their role in caring for your pets. In any given day a veterinary nurse may find themselves taking x-rays, medicating patients, doing consults, maintaining equipment, monitoring anaesthetics, dressing wounds, answering phones, and the list goes on!

The title “Veterinary Nurse” is not yet protected in law (meaning anyone can use it), but it is advised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons that it should be taken to mean only Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVNs). RVNs have undertaken a rigorous training programme, sat examinations, and are subject to a Code of Conduct, which includes a disciplinary process if a grievance should arise. They continue to study, and log professional development hours to maintain their Registration throughout their careers. Some RVNs undertake specialist training in a range of topics, especially the care of exotic pets, feline medicine, anaesthesia and dentistry. There are several different routes to becoming a veterinary nurse, and BVNA can provide advice on the career and studying, if you are interested in pursuing this career.

The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) represents RVNs and promotes responsible pet care to the general public through Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM). This is a chance for us to celebrate with our clients and the public, all the great things they do.  Ask about what your RVNs do, and their special interests. You may find they can help you with a pet problem you have been having. Also, RVNs usually have pets themselves, and love to talk about them just as you do!

Did you know we have three RVN’s at Rowan Veterinary Centre, with another due to qualify this year?  They offer a range of complimentary consultations dealing with senior cats, overweight pets, parasite prevention, dental advice, to name just a few.