Remedial Neuter Questions

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 13sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 2 months ago by Lightchick.

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- 09/08/2008 at 8:27 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Hi all!
  
  I know you’ve probably answered these questions 1001 times, but I’ve never taken a bunny in to get fixed before, and I’m worried! Please tolerate my inexperience!
  
  So I made an appointment for Robbie the Park-Bunny’s neuter for next Thursday. The vet is approved by House Rabbits Society, and this is the same office I’ve taken Lizzy and Robbie both to for check-ups. Unfortunately, this office is sure that ALL of their 6 or so vets are exotics-savvy, and are unwilling to make an appointment for a specific vet. They insist on your picking a time-slot, and give you whichever vet is available. So I’ve been in twice (once for each bun), and had 2 different vets, neither of which is the one approved by House Rabbits Society–who will be the one performing the surgery. The first vet was better than the 2nd. But I had the most interaction with the first vet-tech/nurse, who was better than both vets! (The 2nd vet-tech, upon learning I’d just caught Robbie in a park, went straight back out the door and told the vet she couldn’t get Robbie out of the carrier to do the initial exam…which was a total lie, because she looked at him like he was vermin, and didn’t even try to get him out! If I ever get her again, I’ll demand to be helped by someone else!)
  
  So, I have mixed feelings about my vet. Even though they treat lots of exotics…its sort of like HMO-syndrome, if you know what I mean. Everyone is theoretically qualified, but you never know who you are going to end up with.
  
  So I made the appointment, and talked to the receptionist, who is NOT a vet or a nurse. He said, “this is more important in dogs and cats, but you probably want to limit his food-intake the night before.” Which is WRONG, right?
  
  And I have to drop Robbie off at 7:30am, and leave him until they call me, at around 4pm, the receptionist said. I want to BE there for the poor scared thing!
  
  (Unfortunately, I just read a blurb on Bunspace about a girl-bun going in for a spay, waking up half-way through, and immediately dying…so I’m freaked out! I know spays are more invasive, but still….)
  
  So, I’m sure the vet is probably fine, but they are absolutely NOT going to give me any information that I don’t specifically ask for…
  
  What questions should I ask?
  
  What should I do prior to the surgery?
  
  What should I expect from Robbie after the surgery? What are warning signs of a problem?
  
  What should I have on-hand just-in-case?
  
  Any other hints/tips you all can give me?
  
  Thanks for filling in the gaps! Don’t know what I’d do without this site!
- 09/09/2008 at 3:41 AM
  TARM
  Participant
  1253 posts
  Oh yikes.
  
  The vet I took Digger to was sort of like that but the rescue is 100% confident in all of the vets in the practice so I didn’t worry too much about which vet would do Digger’s neuter. He happened to get the premier bunny vet, which was luck because she was filling in for the regular surgeon who is supposedly just as good with bunnies.
  
  I had to drop Digger off in the morning and pick him up in the evening as well but I was not told to fast him at all. He stayed in his own carrier with his own bedding (super soft blankie, litter box, hay and water bottle
- 09/09/2008 at 9:15 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  They 100% should not be fasted, phone the vet and ask if the receptionist gave false info or if he requires it. If he requires it, I’d cancel the appt and find someone else.
- 09/10/2008 at 7:30 AM
  Ang
  Participant
  257 posts
  i worried about Moreland he was just nuetered last saturday the vet was a spay nueter clinic only doesnt even see rabbits regularly and offers no pain meds. i wasnt able to talk tot he vet before the surgery i was terrified. Moreland is back to normal already no problems whatsoever and he is happy as usual. i wouldent stress to much but make sure you can at least ask questions to the vet. thats all i wish i was able to do.
- 09/10/2008 at 9:49 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Angelina, did you end up getting Metacam like K&K suggested in your thread? Was he groggy when you got him?
  
  Anybody, I know you’ve probably answered these questions 1000 times before, but…
  
  Should I try to coax him to eat afterwards, or leave him alone?
  The operation is done via laser, the vet says. Does this fuse the wound shut, or are there stitches involved?
  Should I be worried about him being able to jump in/out of his litter box? Will the pokey-hay aggravate him?
  
  Arghh, poor Robbie Rabbit…
- 09/11/2008 at 1:16 AM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  Oye! I’ve never been to a vets office where I was FORCED to see whatever vet they chose. This is off. The receptionist was wrong about fasting, but that is not uncommon – you should verify this with the vet and if the vet says yes a bunny should not eat the night before, then RUN!!! And start looking again for another vet.
  
  Here is a great link about the kinds of questions you should ask as well as if you scroll down you will see the pre & post operative care
  http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html#good-questions
- 09/11/2008 at 12:43 PM
  Ang
  Participant
  257 posts
  i wasn’t able to get him the metcam or anything for the pain. i just sat back there in his room the rest of the day with him while it was quiet and he was fine. didnt seem to be in pain was just out of it from the anesthesia. he is fine now, he seemed to be weird yesterday but he is fine today. he was having a moment i guess. didnt want to come out of his pen at all was being a scardy cat but i think something spooked him like the lawn mower or something. he is good though.
  
  i wouldn’t stress.
- 09/11/2008 at 12:43 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Awesome! Thanks, BB!
  
  2 of the vets there are approved by House Rabbits, so the office isn’t totally sketchy. Actually, the facilities are very nice, and they’re all very friendly (except for the vet-tech who sneered at Robbie. She’s on my LIST!). It’s just that they emphasize their familiarity with all exotics, and act surprised and a little put off if you imply that any vet there may be any better or more qualified than any other… I know. It’s weird.
  
  I will look the article over, then once I’m less clueless, I’ll try to get ahold of the actual vet. (I do know that the first vet in the practice who House Rabbits approved is the one that does ALL the spay/neuters, so at least I know who to get ahold of!)
  
  Thanks again!
- 09/11/2008 at 12:44 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Thanks, Angelina!
  
  (Moreland is ADORABLE, btw! I love his coloring!)
- 09/11/2008 at 1:07 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Scarlet Rose, if you’re available, I have a question!
  
  I checked out the House Rabbit page that BB suggested (I’d actually read it awhile back, but was good to be reminded), and it says to feed the rabbit acidophilus for a couple of days before and after surgery. I’d never heard of this before, and did a search of this site, and found a thread about somebunny else’s neuter where it was discussed.
  
  My question…in it you mention you give your buns 1 tablet a week routinely. If I’m supposed to give it every day for awhile like the House Rabbits article suggests, would the dosage be less than a tablet?
- 09/11/2008 at 2:18 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Sick of me yet?
  
  Just an update. Called the Vet Office. The very nice receptionist (a different person than I spoke to last time) said that I should definitely NOT fast my rabbit (which I already knew). When I asked to speak to the doctor, she wanted to know what my questions were. So I gave her a few, and she said the doctor was at lunch, and would call back.
  
  Maybe I mis-heard her, and she said “somebody” would call back. She took my list of questions to the doctor, and she was the one who called me back with the answers. So I STILL haven’t gotten to talk to Robbie’s doctor, and can’t have anything resembling a normal conversation about, “what can I expect? what do you suggest?” I have to have very specific questions ahead of time to get filtered through the lovely woman answering the phone.
  
  I thought I was going to actually talk to the doctor, so I didn’t ask all of my questions.
  
  According to the vet, acidophilus isn’t necessary, but won’t hurt if I want to do it anyway. And I don’t get to talk to the doctor before the surgery, but he’ll call AFTER the surgery to tell me how things went and when I can pick Robbie up. So I’ll never actually see this infamous vet…who is the one on the lists and the main reason I go to this office!…in person.
  
  I’m keeping this appointment, but definitely looking into a new vet. This is totally ridiculous. You’d think I was trying to get in touch with the Queen of England!
- 09/11/2008 at 10:11 PM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  I know that acidophilus is not absolutely necessary. Some use it as a precaution and since it doesn’t seem to harm, then it’s one of those “just on the safe side” things as far as I understand.
  
  As far as dosage goes, I just emailed Scarlet. Since I have not used acidophilus before, she will have more knowledge about this.
  
  EDITED: I found this article by Dana Krempels regarding how much to give.
  
  http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2008/8/Lactobacillus-acidophilus-prior-spay.htm
- 09/13/2008 at 2:59 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  Hello! Sorry I did not make it here last night (my night off). I was busy baking cookies for my local HRS to sell and was I ever on a roll! Anyhow, I give them to my two as a treat/preventative especially if I know they are going traveling as it seems to help them to want to eat after travel stress. I was also going to post the Dana Krempels article, but I see that Binky Bunny already beat me to it!
- 09/14/2008 at 5:56 PM
  Lightchick
  Participant
  1017 posts
  Thanks, Scarlet Rose & BB!
  
  That article also had within it a link to another Dana Krempels article that was very helpful! Thank you thank you!
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