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Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotic Practice

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Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotic Practice

The Rabbit, Exotic Animal and Wildlife Service offers veterinary care for small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and wildlife.

ging cases. Should a patient need to be hospitalized, we have four individually tailored wards – rabbit ward, wildlife ward, avian ward and reptile ward. We also have a grass paddock to allow grazing for our rabbit inpatients. Our patients are very varied and range from hamsters and guinea pigs, to leopard geckos and iguanas, to budgerigars and golden eagles. We recommend 6 monthly health checks for your pet, where your vet will perform a full clinical examination and discuss the importance of husbandry to help keep your pet fit and healthy

This page is monitored Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. We regret we cannot reply to questions regarding patient advice and would ask you phone the hospital to speak, or book an appointment, with a vet.

11/06/2025

Welcome to the new cohort of final year veterinary students, who have begun their clinical rotations with our practice.

For the next 12 months, over 150 students from the Dick Vet, some of whom are pictured below, will spend time with us, gaining practical experience and consolidating their knowledge in a supportive learning environment, in preparation of joining the workforce following graduation in 2026.

Our practice clients may see some of these students, dressed in burgundy scrubs, in the weeks and months ahead as they work alongside our qualified clinicians; we are grateful to them for helping us train the next generation of vets.

Good luck to all our students in their final year 😀

31/05/2025

On , we are sharing the story of a little parakeet with a big problem.

On arrival at our Practice, the petite bird was bright and eating, but with a swollen abdomen after laying an egg a few days previously.

On gentle palpation of her abdomen, a large egg was found. There was also swelling and inflammation where she had been trying to lay the egg.

She was admitted to our specialised avian ward, with additional warmth and UV lighting, and given pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication, calcium and warmed fluids.

Conscious (awake) X-rays showed a single large egg in her abdomen. With pain relief and gentle lubrication, she was able to pass the egg on her own, avoiding the need for a general anaesthetic and potential surgery.

To prevent further egg laying a hormonal implant was placed under a brief gas anaesthetic the next day and she was sent home on pain medication and has made a complete recovery.

Egg binding can occur in parrots for a number of reasons. Sometimes the egg is oversized or misshapen, as in this case. Sometimes it occurs secondary to low dietary calcium, or other nutritional deficiencies, lack of UV lighting or nest box provision, or due to underlying conditions.

Recognising that there is a problem early is important so that pain relief and prompt veterinary treatment can be given. Birds are good at hiding illness, so we would always recommend seeking veterinary advice if you have any concerns about your pet parrot as well as annual health checks.

We are proud to be the largest Exotic Practice and Hospital in Scotland and have a dedicated team of vets and nurses with the specialist qualities, clinical skills and knowledge to provide the best care to our avian patients.

For more information, visit https://edin.ac/43SgIbC

29/05/2025

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) Gold Award for our rabbit-friendly practice and hospital.

The award recognises the exceptional service and specialist knowledge of our team of vets and nurses, who work tirelessly to ensure the very best care of our rabbit patients.

Our practice - the only one in Scotland with Gold Rabbit-Friendly Status - provides a first-opinion service for local clients and a veterinary referral service for more challenging cases.

We are proud of our facilities, which include a dedicated rabbit ward with day patient kennels, companion enclosures so patients can bring a friend along for moral support, and long-stay enclosures that allow a little more space for exercise.

Should a rabbit patient require further diagnostic investigations, our hospital has an on-site computed tomography (CT) scanner and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, as well as X-ray and ultrasound facilities. We also perform in-house blood, urine and faecal analysis and offer advanced diagnostics such as endoscopy, video-otoscopy and ocular tonometry.

For more information about our Practice, visit https://edin.ac/43SgIbC

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund

23/05/2025

As part of Vet Nurse Awareness Month, we wanted to introduce one of the newest nurses to join our team.

Meet Aïcha, who worked hard to achieve her career ambition of becoming an exotic nurse at our practice.

“I’ve always had a deep passion for science and exotic animals. Volunteering at a big cat sanctuary in Namibia, and taking part in public engagement within a zoo, solidified my desire to pursue a career working with exotic animals.

“I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to provide care and compassion and spend time with these incredible creatures. I feel that some exotic animals, particularly reptiles are misunderstood, which fuelled my desire to advocate for them, ensuring that exotic animals receive the same level of care and respect as other pets.

“After completing my training, I worked in first opinion practices and exotic clinics, which cemented my career path. Soon, my career goal was to work at the Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotics Practice, as it has an amazing reputation due to the expertise of its staff, along with the multi-disciplinary approach of the Hospital and amazing clinical facilities. So, I focused on achieving my goal and initially secured a job as a rotating nurse here, before joining the exotics team last year.

“I feel privileged to care for exotic animals – it really is the best job in the world. I love learning about each patient’s personality and how I can make them comfortable. Whether I’m syringe-feeding a rabbit, monitoring the anaesthetic of a bearded dragon spay, assisting in x-raying a parrot or helping with a hamster ultrasound, the variety and challenge of the role, and the constant opportunity to learn, make me excited for the start of each shift.

“I also enjoy sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm with students, to help ensure that vets in the future are confident and knowledgeable when working with exotic animals, and I am always excited to continue my own learning.

“I am so happy to have found my tribe and my perfect job. I’d encourage everyone to follow their dream and grasp every opportunity that presents itself.”

29/04/2025

As today is World Animal Vaccination Day, we thought it timely to update you on a NEW rabbit vaccination available for your pet.

There are reports of a new 'highly virulent' strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease 2 (RHD2). Whilst we have not had any confirmed cases, we want to be proactive in offering your rabbit increased protection.

We now advise TWO vaccines each year. We still advise that all pet rabbits receive their current annual 'Triple' vaccination of Nobivac Myxo-RHD Plus vaccine. This protects against myxomatosis, RHD strain 1 and RHD strain 2. We now also recommend a 'top-up' booster of Yurvac RHD. This helps to cover for classical RHD strains and variant strains of RHD2.

The vaccines cannot be administered at the same time and we recommend a gap of at least two weeks between vaccines. If possible, giving the vaccinations six months apart would allow for your rabbit to have a routine health check twice yearly.

To book an appointment, please get in touch with our reception team on 0131 650 7650

26/04/2025

Today is World Veterinary Day, a day to celebrate veterinary surgeons worldwide and thank them for their dedication to animal health and wellbeing.

We are fortunate to have a wonderful team of vets here at the Dick vet rabbit and Exotic Practice. They, along with the rest of the exotics team, are devoted to the wellbeing of the patients in their care, to educating and mentoring our students, and to advancing knowledge through their research.

11/04/2025

Today is National Pet Day, a perfect time to celebrate pets and the unconditional love they give us.

We love all kinds of exotic pets at our practice. From goldfish to geckos, rabbits to rattlesnakes, and chickens to chinchillas, our Specialist-led vet and nursing team is dedicated to the health and welfare of the animals under their care.

Why not take the opportunity to pamper your pets a little more today, maybe with a special treat or toy, some quality playtime or, if they enjoy them, some extra cuddles?

Whether they have fur, feathers or scales, how will you treat your pet today?

13/01/2025

Our undergraduate vet students learn about the health and wellbeing of lots of different animal species over their five years of training at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

For the next 10 weeks, fourth-year students will spend time with our Exotics team and learn more about the diseases that can affect rabbits and a wide range of exotic species.

Building knowledge and experience working with these animals is an important part of our students’ training, to ensure that the next generation of vets are well-equipped to treat rabbit and exotic animals.

The first week of their learning focused on rabbits, and students learned about the most common conditions that can affect this popular pet species.

In the coming weeks, students will learn about rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, wildlife and African pygmy hedgehogs, with a mixture of lectures, practical classes and tutorials.

This helps prepare them for their Final year, where students spend their time on clinical rotations, enabling them to consolidate their learning and gain practical experience in various veterinary services.

For more information about the Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotic Practice, click here: https://vet.ed.ac.uk/clinical/small-animal/rabbit-exotic-practice

For more information about studying veterinary medicine with us, click here: https://vet.ed.ac.uk/education/undergraduate

07/12/2024

Day 6 of Advent Animals – the Bearded Dragon.

Bearded Dragon facts:

- These lizards can change their skin colour to communicate mood: an annoyed Bearded Dragon may display a darkened “beard”

- Bearded Dragons are omnivores, but move towards a more herbivorous diet as they get older, enjoying leafy greens.

- Despite being a land-dwelling species, if needed, Bearded Dragons are good swimmers, with their powerful tail helping to propel them.

05/12/2024

Day 5 of Advent Animals – the Degu.

Degu facts:

- Degus are rodents, belonging to the same family as guinea pigs and chinchillas (all from the histricomorph family).

- Degus are mainly diurnal (active during the day), unlike many other rodents that are nocturnal (active at night), such us hamsters and mice.

- They are highly social and thrive in groups. For this reason, they should never live alone.

- Like guinea pigs and chinchillas, it is key that their diet is mostly made up of hay and grass. Sugary food should be avoided, as degus are predisposed to developing diabetes.

04/12/2024

Day 4 of Advent Animals – the Pufferfish.

We treat all creatures, great and small at our clinic and yes, that even includes Pufferfish who sometimes visit to undergo dental treatments!

Pufferfish facts:
- As is well known, these little fish are able to inflate their body into a round, spiky ball when they feel threatened

- Their front 'teeth' form a beak-like structure which they use to crush the hard shells of their prey. Their 'teeth' grow continuously, just like the teeth of a rabbit or rodent, or the beak of a bird or tortoise/terrapin.

- Despite their slightly clumsy appearance, they are excellent swimmers (when not inflated!)

03/12/2024

Day 3 of Advent Animals - the Ferret!

Ferret Facts:

- They are champions in sleeping: in fact, they can spend up to 20 hours a day napping in their warm cosy beds!

- They are quite the contortionist: with their extremely flexible body, they are the wizards of escape.

- When they are not sleeping, they are extremely social animals, enjoying play with jumping, twisting and bouncing as a sign of excitement and happiness.

Address

Hospital For Small Animals. Easter Bush Campus
Edinburgh
EH259RG

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

0131 650 7650

Website

https://vet.ed.ac.uk/clinical/small-animal/rabbit-exotic-practice

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Our Story

The Rabbit, Exotic Animal and Wildlife Service provides gold standard veterinary care for the more unusual pets. Our Veterinary Surgeons and Nurses have undertaken further training and qualifications to specialize in Exotic Pet veterinary medicine. We provide both a First Opinion service for our local clients and a Referral Veterinary Service for veterinary surgeons needing assistance with challenging cases. Should a patient need to be hospitalized, we have four individually tailored wards – rabbit ward, wildlife ward, avian ward and reptile ward. We also have a grass paddock to allow grazing for our rabbit inpatients. Our patients are very varied and range from hamsters and guinea pigs, to leopard geckos and iguanas, to budgerigars and golden eagles. We recommend 6 monthly health checks for your pet, where your vet will perform a full clinical examination and discuss the importance of husbandry to help keep your pet fit and healthy This page is monitored Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. We regret we cannot reply to questions regarding patient advice and would ask you phone the hospital to speak to, or book an appointment with, one of our vets.