More rabbits will have access to better medical care in more places thanks to a Richmond-based program that trains practitioners.
This year, 54 veterinary professionals and students from across the Bay Area and beyond came to the House Rabbit Society (HRS) to learn rabbit medicine and surgery. While rabbits are the nation’s third most popular pet, they are considered exotic pets in veterinary schools and thus skills in their care are not sufficiently taught.
“In most veterinary schools, students receive only a brief overview of rabbit care, and in-depth training is often limited to elective rotations in exotics,” the HRS states.
Under the supervision of Dr. Christine Austin and RVT Grace Santos, HRS trainees work hands-on. They learn handling, anesthesia specific to rabbits, spay and neuter surgery, dental care and post-operative management.
“Each week, our facility is filled with professionals and students eager to learn, whether it’s mastering safe handling techniques, understanding rabbit-specific anesthesia protocols, or gaining confidence in spay and neuter surgeries,” said Amber Tadena, HRS’ executive director. “This growing interest in rabbit medicine is truly inspiring, and we’re proud to provide a training ground that doesn’t exist elsewhere.”
Of the 54 participants this year, seven are veterinarians, 12 are practicing registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) or assistants, 24 are RVT students, six are vet students and five are pre-vet students. Some traveled from as far as Texas, Washington and Arizona, with one coming from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Locally, participants came from UC Davis, UC Berkeley, clinics in Oakland, San Jose, Lodi and Palo Alto and a San Francisco mobile vet expanding into rabbit services.
Dr. Dayana Sharma has logged more than 100 hours in training at HRS and says she now feels comfortable doing spay/neuter surgeries on rabbits.
“I’ve always wanted to learn more about rabbit medicine and do more rescue work, which encouraged me to reach out to HRS, and I am so glad I did,” Dr. Sharma said.
The training takes place most Wednesdays. Sessions begin with short demonstrations, then move to supervised practice. Instructors watch over each learner, guiding their hands and building confidence.
HRS accepts applications from veterinarians, RVTs, vet students, and also pre-vet students. To schedule a training day or learn more, email [email protected]. For those who can’t travel, HRS is also building a resource library of protocols, dosage charts, and video lessons.
