Ask for a Proper Look Inside Those Lop Ears
Ask the vet to examine both of your Holland Lop's ears with a scope, not just a glance at the outside. A Holland Lop's ears fold downward, and that folded shape narrows the ear canal, traps wax, and hides redness or debris that would be obvious in an upright-eared rabbit. Ask what the vet finds in each ear, whether any wax build-up needs attention, and what signs at home — head shaking, scratching at one ear, a slight head tilt, or going off food — should bring you back in.
Ask how often the ears should be rechecked for this individual rabbit. Some Holland Lops keep clean, open canals for long stretches, while others build up wax quickly, and the first appointment is when that pattern starts to be established for your rabbit.
Ask About Teeth in a Small, Round Head
Ask the vet to check the incisors and to assess the back teeth as far as possible in a conscious rabbit. Holland Lops have a short, compact skull, and that head shape is associated with crowded teeth and misalignment more often than in longer-faced breeds. Ask whether the bite looks even, whether there are any sharp points forming, and what the vet wants you to watch for — selective eating, dropping food, a wet chin, or smaller droppings can all be early hints worth reporting.
Ask how much of the diet should be long-strand hay. Chewing hay is what wears a Holland Lop's teeth down evenly, so the dental conversation and the feeding conversation are really the same one.
Ask What a Healthy Holland Lop Should Weigh
Ask the vet to weigh your Holland Lop and tell you the healthy range for this individual, not just the breed in general. Holland Lops are a small breed, and a rabbit that looks round and cute can be carrying weight that strains its hocks and makes grooming its rear end difficult. Ask the vet to show you how to feel the ribs and hips so your home checks mean something.
Then ask for feeding quantities in handfuls and eggcups rather than percentages: hay as the constant staple, a small measured portion of pellets, and greens in moderation. Ask which treats the vet would simply leave out, because a small rabbit reaches its daily excess far sooner than a large one.
Ask About Vaccination, Neutering, and Bonding Plans
Ask which vaccinations the practice gives rabbits locally and whether your Holland Lop's paperwork shows any doses already done. Ask when the vet recommends spaying or neutering a Holland Lop and how its small size affects anaesthetic planning and recovery feeding. If you hope to bond your lop with a companion rabbit later, say so at this visit — the vet's neutering timing and your bonding plans belong in the same conversation.
Ask about parasite prevention and flystrike checks for summer, especially for a rabbit whose folded ears and compact body make some areas harder for it to groom thoroughly itself.
Ask What Should Bring You Back Quickly
Ask the vet to spell out the same-day warning signs for a Holland Lop: refusing hay, a drop in droppings, a head tilt, discharge from an ear, or sitting hunched and quiet. Ask which phone number reaches a rabbit-savvy vet out of hours, because not every emergency service has the same small-pet experience.
Keep the ear findings, the weight target, and the neutering plan recorded together after the visit, since KinsLe Pet Passport gives that information a single home you can hand to any vet, boarder, or sitter looking after your Holland Lop.