Why choose CJ Hall Vets for your rabbit or exotic pet?
Quite simply we are unique! We are London’s only specialist rabbit and exotic pet private clinic.
Any vet can treat any type of animal, but you may be surprised to hear that vet training in rabbits, rodents, birds and reptiles (confusingly termed as ‘exotics’ by vets) may only account for a couple of days within the 5 year vet degree. It is therefore essential to choose a vet practice that has expertise in treating these unique and special animals.
CJ Hall Vets is one of only 13 specialist rabbit and exotic pet clinics in the UK. Everything about our practice from the staff to the facilities is dedicated to rabbits and exotic pets. This means that you can be assured that whenever you attend or whoever you see at our practice, you will receive the best care possible for your pet.
FAQs
I’m confused as I’ve seen other vets advertised as ‘exotic vets’ or even as a specialist?
Our head vet and practice owner Matthew Fiddes is a rabbit, avian and exotic pet specialist (RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo & Wildlife Medicine). This is the highest level of vet qualification in the UK and demonstrates the highest level of vet expertise and international acclaim in the field. This is a small elite group of vets - there are only around 40 out of the approximate 25,000 vets in the UK. The term vet specialist is protected by our governing body, but this doesn’t stop other vets misusing it! To call yourself a specialist, a vet must be on the RCVS list .
Vets use the term ‘exotic vet’ to refer to any vet that will treat exotics. The term ‘exotic vet’ therefore shouldn’t be confused with exotic vet specialist!
In that case, do I always need to make an appointment with specialist Matthew?
No! Unlike most UK vet practices, CJ Hall Vets is dedicated to rabbits and exotic pets - we dont just have a single vet that will see them as need be, it's what all our entire team do day in day out. Due to our high caseload and specialism in exotic pets, all our vets are experienced in treating these special animals. We simply couldn’t have vets who didnt know what they were doing with exotics as they wouldn't last a day! Our senior vets, including Matthew, are always on hand for advice or advanced skills if required - something that a vet at a non-specialist practice would have to refer your pet to another practice for. The best analogy we can give is when you attend a human hospital appointment where routinely you would be seen by a consultant, registrar or houseman who are all qualified professionals that are working in a specialised field. Continuing that analogy, we are sure you would agree you would be wary of attending if the department didn’t have a consultant / specialist - not the case at CJ Hall!
Is it more expensive to see a specialist?
As with other specialist centres, we provide referrals for patients from other GP vets. Unlike most specialists however we do take new patients directly without referral. At the present time we are experiencing exceptionally high demand for our services and so we only have referral appointments available (we are trying to keep slots for those patients that need specialist care the most where treatment beyond that at GP vets is required.) To book one of these appointments either you can get your GP vet to refer you, or you can book directly with us (as we are increasingly being told that it can be difficult to find a vet to treat certain pets). For basic treatment or routine issues you may find it cheaper and quicker to been seen at a local vet.
Appointments for new clients with rabbits and exotic pets are £150. After the initial appointment, fees are as per our usual schedule (see pricing). This consultation fee is higher than a GP vet and reflects the extra time taken to review previous treatments plus our increased expertise and facilities. As a small independent we do strive to keep costs down as far as possible - we do believe this fee is very competitive compared to other local specialists. Equally we do find our procedure costs are also competitive and in fact we have some clients that find an operation is cheaper with us than even at a non specialist! Our pricing section gives some indication of price bands and you (or your referring vet) are welcome to ask us for a treatment estimate. Also bear in mind that specialist treatment may get the best and correct treatment promptly, reducing costs in the long run.
We are happy to work with all major insurers for rabbits and exotic pets.
What to know more about UK vet specialists?
Why not check out the British College of Veterinary Specialists