Getting him neutered (first time owner)

[Dface]

Hi Im a first time rabbit owner and my bunny Sampras is now 8 months old. I had hoped to neuter him sooner, but he had an infection and was on antibiotics for an entire month. 
However, since coming off the antibiotic(2 weeks ago) his eyes have continued to weep, and the vet suspects it is blocked tear ducts. 

The vet says that if I want them to be cleared that he will need to be put under anesthetic  for the procedure. I know its advisable to leave rabbits under anesthetic for as short amount of time as possible, but would it be too much to suggest incorporating neutering him into it while he is already under?
And how closely should a rabbit be monitored post surgery to make sure nothing is going wrong?
Sorry if these seem like stupid questions!
Any and all advice welcome on this !

[RabbitPam]

NOT stupid questions, and I think it’s a logical suggestion. I’m actually surprised the vet said he needs to be under anesthesia to clear the ducts, since it’s pretty common I used to use a tube of cream that would clear and dry up a weepy eye, but maybe this is much more severe.

First, by all means ask your vet if it’s possible. Bunnies are at risk under anesthesia like the rest of us, and yes, things can go wrong, so there is a risk. But it doesn’t sound like it would be an unusual risk, so see if your vet is comfortable with that.

I also think you could get a second opinion for your own comfort and the sake of your bunny’s best options. Is your vet an “Exotics” vet? They specialize in small animals (rather than dogs and cats), and birds, so they are more experienced with rabbits. If your vet is more general, see if you can locate a vet near you that mentions specializing in exotics. Then get him looked at. It’s an extra expense, but you may be more comfortable with the new vet, or reassured that your current vet is doing well. Either way, you will have more direct info. regarding your bunny’s health and what to do next.

[Mikey]

Those are questions youll want to ask the vet. It really depends how bad his tear ducts are and how comfortable the vet is doing both at once. I know neuter surgeries are pretty fast paced. My vet said for neuters (not spays) she can do four in an hour, so i assume from start to finish the surgery is about 20ish minutes at the most

[Dface]

Thank you for your replies!
I live in Ireland and most people don’t really bother to bring their rabbits to the vet, so vets remain relatively inexperienced. Which means I often like to hear other rabbit owners opinions on things and not just blindly agree with vets.
Having said that I do trust these vets as they have treated my other exotics very well, we do have an ‘exotic’ vet but I have had very negative experiences with her and my pets, and honestly would not be comfortable with letting another pet go under anesthetic with her (two of my rats did not come back from her.)
Thanks again though!

[Author]

Messages