Fluffybutt’s getting fixed tomorrow morning…

[gossamer]

So, Nyx is two years old (a sable lionhead). I haven’t been in the financial position to get her fixed until now (it was supposed to happen in May of this year, but then my car broke down). Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning, but the vet’s office didn’t give me any special instructions or anything, so I was wondering if there’s anything I need to do to prepare? They didn’t say if she’d be staying overnight, and they didn’t mention anything about her diet beforehand, so I’m kind of a loss here. Nyx is very, very skittish around anyone other than me (if I’m out of town, she hides in her box every time Mama comes in to feed her and won’t leave until Mama does). I want to make this as painless and un-frightening as possible for her.

Should I be doing anything in particular with her food, for example? Should I take some extra food and whatnot in case she does have to stay? Should I bring along her hidey-hole box? It’s like her comfort object, she runs to it every time someone else comes in my room, whenever there’s a loud noise, whenever there’s a thunderstorm…

Please let me know if y’all have any advice! I’ll appreciate any help :]

[Irina]

Hello gossamer! My bun Shadow was just spayed today, so I can tell you what I know:
– the procedure is usually a day surgery, so unless something goes wrong, you will be able to bring Nyx home sometime tomorrow afternoon.
– you should put a bowl of pellets and some hay in the carrier Nyx will be in, and bring a bowl that can be filled with water as well
– at my vet, the rabbits stay in their carrier before and after surgery, so a soft blanket or towel on the bottom is helpful. Since carriers are usually fairly small and dark, I don’t know if a hider box would be needed (or if it would fit in the carrier)

I would also ask your vet if Nyx will be getting pain medication with the procedure- it is recommended. I also received three days worth of pain medication to give my bun after the surgery- which I would also request.

I hope that helps! Good luck!

[gossamer]

Thank you so much!

[BinkyBunny]

These links may be helpful
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/opcare.html (great pre/post op care)
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html#pre-post-care

I also agree that getting a few days of pain meds is important…especially for spays.

Sending easy surgery and quick healing vibes!

[gossamer]

Thank you much! She went in at nine this morning, and they had her out and recovering in a nice quiet little pen by 10:30. I didn’t bring her home until 2 this afternoon, and honestly until about 3:30–when I had to leave to go to work for two very, very nerve-wracking hours–she sort of just sat in one place and dozed. She looked like she was shivering at one point, so I put her little blanket around her and she stopped. She has a warm water bottle in with her now. She won’t drink water yet, though, which is kind of concerning, but she did eat some greens out of the water bowl when I left them draped over the edge. The vet told me to give her 0.3mL of children’s ibuprofen (the liquid kind) twice a day, starting at 7pm tonight…and that was an adventure. I think about half the dose got in her mouth, and the other half on the fur immediately around her mouth. She licked most of it off, though, so I hope that will be okay. Right now she’s just kind of sitting by her hot water bottle and looking around. Every now and again she eats a dandelion leaf.

Again, thanks for your help! I’m hoping she recovers quickly and well *fingers crossed*

[LittlePuffyTail]

Glad to hear the surgery went well. Sounds like she’s doing really good since she was already eating.

((((Continued Recovery Vibes))))

[gossamer]

She still seems to be doing well. I’ve only got a few concerns (of course):

–She doesn’t seem to be too interested in her hay. I know she’s been eating at it because I’ve seen her, but when I bring her her dandelion & mint leaves salad (those are her favorites) she acts ravenous and starts eating out of my hand before I even put it in her bowl.

–I still haven’t actually SEEN her drink water. I usually know she’s drinking because I can hear the bottle making that obnoxious noise, but she’s got a dish right now, and even though her pen is right beside me I still haven’t caught her drinking from it, and I couldn’t tell that the water level was any lower when I changed it (I change it twice a day because she sheds so much that her fur gets in her water bowl).

–She’s definitely pooing and peeing. I put down a blue sheet when I brought her home so I’d be able to SEE if she was pottying like she was supposed to (she’s not very well litter trained) and yep, it’s happening. There have been a few mushy ones, though, and those concern me, because I’m afraid her incision might get infected. Should I maybe give her less of the pain medicine? Could that be causing it?

–Speaking of the incision, I checked it today after I’d given her the medicine. It looks pretty good, but a tiny little part of it looks angry-red, and it didn’t look like that late last night. I can post a picture, with my mom’s help, if y’all think it’s something to be worried about?

Otherwise, she seems much better today, and she already seems less aggressive. I’m just waiting for when she’s all healed up and I can finally, FINALLY brush her fur! She never let me before, and since she’s a lionhead, she’s incredibly fluffy and sheddy. I sweep up so much fur that I could probably make a child-sized sweater every day…

[LongEaredLions]

-She may not eat hay for a bit, but she should start nibbling some soon. After surgery, bunnies usually eat veggies, hay then pellets.
-When you give greens, wet them down. I would put the sipper bottle back in the cage(as well as the bowl) as that is what she is used to drinking out of.
-Poos are usually a bit wacko after surgery, mushy poos are no cause for alarm, as far as the risk for infection goes, keeping the cage very clean should help.
-Is she licking or biting the incision? A picture would help if you can get one without too much stress. If you are worried, maybe ring the vet.

Sounds like you are doing a good job and she is recovering very well!

[gossamer]

Thank you!

She’s not licking it or biting it that I can see, and I’ve been watching her basically all day today. In fact it doesn’t seem to be fazing her much at all…she has a little box in her pen that she could (theoretically) jump up on, but before her surgery, she never jumped up on it. She always used the little ramp. If the ramp wasn’t in there, she ignored it entirely. Then earlier today I caught her hopping up on the box like she’d always done it! I took it out for now, since the vet told me not to let her do too much jumping up on things, but I’m hoping she still likes it when I put it back.

I did try to take a picture earlier when I asked my mom to look at the incision, but Nyx was NOT pleased about that happening twice in one day. She started kicking really hard and trying to twist away, so I let it be. Mama said it didn’t look infected to her, and when I saw it again it wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it was. I’ll keep an eye on it and if I think it’s getting icky I’ll call the vet.

I cleaned her pen very well today (even though I did right before her surgery) to take care of the mushy poo situation. She hasn’t had any since, so I’m hoping that’s over. I really did not want her to get poopy butt…she doesn’t take well to the cleaning part of.

Oh! She’s drinking water! Boom.

Thanks for all your help! This paranoid mama appreciates it ;]

[LongEaredLions]

Sounds like she is recovering really well!
As far as paranoid goes, it is better to be extra watchful than not and then bunny getting ill.

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