Nurse-led rabbit clinics

Rabbit ownership has increased by approximately 0.2 million rabbits in the last 3 years (equivalent of 8.3% of cat or dog populations), and at the start of 2022 there were 1 million pet rabbits in the UK (Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, 2022). However, it is reported that only 2% of patients registered with vets are rabbits, compared with 64.8% dogs and 30.3% cats (Sánchez-Vizcaíno et al, 2017). This indicates that there is a large deficit in the numbers of rabbits being seen in veterinary practices and, therefore, support being given to owners regarding husbandry, education and welfare (including veterinary care) cannot be assessed and addressed. Nurses have a key part to play in encouraging rabbits into the veterinary practice, as their skill set can be applied to rabbits as much as cats and dogs.

Any owner should be encouraged to do research if they are considering taking on a pet. A study by Winnepenninckx (2020) showed 65.5% of rabbit owners gain their information from online sources, despite the fact that information available online is not always reliable. It is for this reason nurses and veterinary support staff can play a key role in owner education. Ideally, this should be done before the animal is acquired, but veterinary practices are usually only aware of the new addition at registration. Education from the veterinary practice after ownership still shows benefits for pets compared with no education (Nicholas, 2018).