vets can give e-collars (the big cone things) for bunnies post-surgery if they’re having a problem. i wonder why the vet would not suggest that? it is harder for bunnies to eat with them on, but the better solution would be an e-collar and hand-feeding critical care, rather than doing continual surgeries.

My Fluffy had to wear a collar too as he kept chewing his stitches….

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If the cone doesn’t work, I’ve also read that a towel (or possibly diaper?) can be secured around the bunny’s body so they can’t get to the staples/stitches. I would imagine that the cone would be easier and more effective though, other that difficulty eating and drinking.

I can’t believe the vet said there was not more he could do!!  I’d be willing to bet the bunny is pulling out the stitches as she didn’t get pain meds!

Everyone else has given good advice and comments.  Definitely keeping the bunny from getting to the incision is important- either with ecollar (most fool proof way usually), bite not collar, or belly band.  Also the pain med issue should be addressed- if the bunny is in pain and trying to remove source of perceived pain?  or the bunny is on pain meds so the trauma she is causing is not hurting much at the time of chewing out sutures and pulling staples.

Also- there should be some internal sutures also- which sounds like they were destroyed at first incident.  But hopefully the second time the bunny only got a few skin staples out.  If any further damage was done to the internal layers of the abdomen- it does need to be fixed!  It could heal OK- but if it leaves a gap in the abdominal wall and creates a hernia that is very dangerous for the bunny- as the intestines can slip thru the body wall and then get strangulated, lose blood/oxygen supply and die.  That would result in another emergency surgery for the bunny if you can catch it in time and bunnies are so, so sensitive about GI surgery- that is NOT a good outcome.

Another possibility to the cone, and physical ways of preventing the bunny from getting to the incision- is to use stainless steel wire externally on the skin layer for closing the skin- and leaving little tabs (excess) on the knots- it will create a poky barrier.  Obviously THIS MUST BE DONE BY A VET- but I know that sometimes they do resort to this trick with small animals (hamsters, rats, etc to try to keep sutures in until it is healed).  Stainless Steel surgical wire does not cause a suture reaction (the body does not reject it sometimes like other suture materials) and can easily be removed when incision is healed.  (I had a cat that had an internal layer of wire sutures that showed on her x-rays- it was kinda cool actually).

But it does sound like a second opinion with another vet is needed- if some of the above things were out of the vets range of answers/possibilities- then they need another vet!!!!

Yeah – my bun kept chewing at her stitches post-spay.  My vet said that the cones don’t work for rabbits, but never specified why – but I just kept her wrapped up in socks/elastic bandages/leggings/etc until it was time for them to be removed.

I hope it all works out okay!

Oh man I wish I had thought of the socks idea for Fluffy! He was SO disapproving of his cone and overnight he actually got both his front paws stuck under the cone trying to get it off. A big soft sock would’ve been perfect for him…