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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A My bunny just got neutered

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    • Sierra
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        On Tuesday, I got my 6 month old bunny neutered. He had become aggressive, beforehand, and while him and my kitty are very good friends, suddenly would get very angry if she would move away if he started “making the moves” on her. So we decided to get him neutered and to get him a girlfriend once he heals up. The problem is, we got him neutered yesterday, and since he’s gotten home he REFUSES to let me touch him. He jumps and grunts, and I don’t want him to hurt himself, so I just leave him alone. He’s a free roaming rabbit, for the most part, but he’s been in a small cage since he’s gotten home so that he doesn’t jump on the couch or bed and hurt himself. He’s eating, which is good, but he wont let me touch him and check to see how he is healing or if he’s infected or in pain. I don’t know how to tell externally. He is pooping. Some a more wet, as they smear, which I haven’t seen from his stools before. 

        My vet didn’t give me really any aftercare info, other than not to allow him to free roam and what to feed a rabbit, which I already knew, and had nothing to do with aftercare of a neutering. They gave him a paper bowl (like that people buy and eat out of) with a hole cut out the middle of it and stuck around his neck. He keeps getting one of his feet through the hole, and then when he walks, he falls on his face So I tried to help him out of it, and he freaked out and snapped at me.

        I don’t know what I am supposed to do. Can he have more space to roam after such a short amount of time of surgery?

        He has stitches inside that will dissolve and an adhesive medical glue on the outside that will dissolve after awhile as well.

        How long will it take him to heal? To where I can let him out?

        Is there something I can do to calm him down? He wasn’t given any medication, just lemon balm. 

        Are most rabbits this angry afterwards?

        I can’t let him around my cat, right? She keeps trying to get to him to play, but considering he would run in circles around her, before, and tried to “make the moves” many times, I don’t want him to get too excited if she comes into the bedroom where I’ve put his cage. But he seems lonely, and I don’t know how to help him.

        Somebody please help me, I don’t know what to do to help my baby.


      • jerseygirl
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        22356 posts Send Private Message

          It would not so much be anger as it is fear-based aggression. He’s likely a not trusting anyone too much at the moment, after being handled by strangers and staying at the vet. Not to mention having his bits taken off. The softer poops are likely related to the stress of it all but also could be from the medications from the procedure.

          Just give him some time.
          It’s not unusal for rabbits to remain quite hormonal for a few weeks after neuter also.

          My rabbits never had a cone after spay or neuter. Nor any fosters or rabbits I was bun-sitting after their ops. I don’t know why some vets use them. Rabbits need to be able to reach their cecatrophs and the cone hinders this. Plus, obscuring the vision field of a prey animal doesn’t make sense to me…

          I would ring and ask if you can forgo the cone as it’s causing him distress. If he had glue, not stitches, he would pull anything. You would have to keep a close eye he doesn’t lick there too much though.

          This information is from the House Rabbit Society on after-care:

          What pre- and post-operative care should one give?
          Some rabbit people give their rabbit acidophilus for a couple of days prior to surgery, just to be certain that the digestive system is functioning in fine form. But don’t change the diet it any way during this time.

          After the surgery, ask your veterinarian for pain medication, especially for a spay. If you choose, continue giving acidophilus until the appetite has returned to normal.

          Inspect the incision morning and evening. After a neuter, the scrotum may swell with fluids. Warm compresses will help, but it is nothing to be overly concerned about. With any sign of infection, take the rabbit to the veterinarian immediately.

          After surgery, keep the environment quiet so the rabbit doesn’t startle or panic, don’t do anything to encourage acrobatics, but let the rabbit move around at her own pace– she knows what hurts and what doesn’t

          Some veterinarians keep rabbits overnight. If your veterinarian lets you bring your bunny home the first night, note the following:

          Most males come home after being neutered looking for “supper”– be sure they have pellets, water, and some good hay (good, fresh alfalfa is a good way to tempt them to nibble a bit)
          Most females want to be left alone, are not interested in eating at all, and will sit quietly in a back corner of the cage (or wherever in the house they feel they will be bothered the least). Try not to pick up or bother her much for the first 4 days. Females take it harder.
          The following morning, or at latest by the next evening, it is important for the rabbit to be nibbling something. It doesn’t matter what or how much, as long as she is taking in something, so the digestive tract won’t shut down. If she isn’t, tempt her with everything possible, and as a last resort, make a mush of rabbit pellets (1 part pellets, 2 parts water, run through blender thoroughly, add acidophilus, and feed in pea-sized bits with a feeding syringe through the side of the mouth with them sitting upright). But this should not be necessary if you give them their favorite Italian parlsey, a piece of banana, dandelion green, cold, fresh greens, washed, and you hold it for them. They should start nibbling on it.

          Occasionally a female will pull out her stitches. Get her stitched up again, and then belly-band her by wrapping a dish towel around her whole middle and binding that with an elastic bandage wrapped snugly over it. If she can breath normally, it isn’t too tight.

          For the record, my own rabbits weren’t given pain meds after neuter. I did have some for the girls post spay, but not after my first girl was spayed. Luckily, she recovered quickly. Vets will often give a long-lasting injection after op. 

          A way to check the site without handling your rabbit is to try get him to stand for a treat. If he is in a cage or pen, he can use his front paws to hang on while standing up. Then you can take a peek at the area to see if all looks good.

          I personally didn’t restrict my rabbits too much after neuter, but made sure there wasn’t anything they could jump up onto. I would keep your bun away from the cat longer because if he gets too active or tries to mount her, that could affect the healing site.
          I think letting him out onto the floor under supervision would be alright. Give him something to keep occupied.


        • kittyjung
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            I got my boy neutered last month. My vet (rabbit savvy) didn’t give us any instruction either. Also, no pain medication. My boy got very bad shape the first day and night but bounced back the next day. He normally won’t let me hold him, so I couldn’t check his surgery. Sometimes, I held a carrot top to make him stand so I could see if any obvious sign of infection. I called the vet and she said I didn’t need to check the site.

            My boy was also free roam the whole house. But I limited him on the cage the first day. And I limited him to jump or run crazy up for 10 days. On day11, I let him play with another bunny (not completed bond). My vet said 2 weeks is good enough, especially if you are going to introduce another bunny. After neutering, my boy doesn’t have any sign of aggressive behavior since he never had. But I notice he looks sad. His personality isn’t the same.

            Hope this help answer your question.


          • Sierra
            Participant
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              I really appreciate this information!! Once I had posted this, I went and checked on him, and he managed to get his cone off, to which I just allowed him to keep off, considering he already seemed a lot happier by the results of it. I have also expanded his cage to a play pen, so that he has more space to play, and run. He seems so much happier, and has been letting me pet him already due to the environment change!! I really appreciate all of this information, it is greatly appreciated!!


            • Sierra
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                Is there a specific time frame any of you recommend before I bring in a new rabbit? The main reason I got him neutered was to finally get him a friend, because I know they like the company of other rabbits. And while my cat does a good job at being his friend, they wont often lay together, just mostly play and chase each other around the house. Or if there are any tips on bonding rabbits, I’d really appreciate that. I don’t want to bring in another rabbit that he doesn’t like, I want to make sure they’re a good fit.

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            Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A My bunny just got neutered