Animal Hospital of High Park

My bunny was not doing well, and so I took her to the High Park clinic as it was the closest location to my house.

The only vet available was Dr. Lane, and because this was urgent, I had no choice but to bring her there. My bunny wasnt eating so I thought something got stuck in her throat or maybe a hairball, but she did have an appetite as she attempted to eat the solid food we were feeding our other rabbit. The nurse first checked her and had to seek the Dr. for help in checking her. The Dr. came in and had to explain to the nurse how to properly hold a bunny! My bunny was dehydrated and thus was "suffering" as the Dr. advised us. I explained how she was not eating or drinking and that I think she had something in her throat. He took her to another room and put a camera in her mouth. He just went a little beyond her teeth. He did not even bother looking into her throat where I said I think the problem is. He said he could not see anything wrong with her mouth.

He then took her back into the original room we were in. Her mouth was cut and bleeding and when I told him, he shrugged his shoulders and said "that happens." No apology, he did not even bother to check it. He then said she needs to be rehydrated and receive a painkiller and then she would need to stay overnight for a few days for observation so he could find out what was wrong with her. He came back with a list amounting to $2000 for 3 days. He said he should be able to figure out what it was as he needed to do blood tests and x-rays, but that he can't guarantee that she would get better. He did not explain what he thought she might have, or even let me know if he thinks she might have swallowed something. I asked him a question about 3 items on the list, and he said "I'm not charging for this", and I said "OK", and he arrogantly said "thank you". But, why was it on the list, and why could he not explain what it was? The Dr. kept coming in and out of the room with new figures and an option for euthanasia. We could not afford to pay a minimum of $2000 and she was suffering as the Dr kept repeating and they didn't want to put her through anymore trauma. I kept telling the Dr. I need more time to think (I also wanted to get another opinion). He then told us that we could just give her some rehyration vaccine and painkillers and take her home, but then he said that would just be "buying time." My mom made the decision to put her down (primarily because of costs). Dr. Lane said he would give her anesthetic and then put her down. He did not explain the process (IE. how she would experience it, would she feel pain etc). Neither did he give me the option to come hold her while he put her down. He just took her away, and I said I needed more time to think, he said "there'll never be enough time." He didn't even bother to come back and explain how she was during the process. The nurse ended up returning my bunny in a white box. Dr. Lane was insensitive, uncaring, unsympathetic, and only cared only about the money. Furthermore, I later read his profile and he used to breed rabbits.

I later found out that most people who visit here get a guilt trip into spending money on unnecesary treatment from all the doctors there. I also found out that my bunny just had digestion problems simple treatment amounting to about $30 (pumpkin tins, vitamins and rubbing her stomach) would have saved her.

The full visit cost $300 (check-up + euthanasia). If I didnt trust this vet, and simply did some extra research online, my bunny would still be alive! Do your pet a favour and go somewhere else!