Just had my girl spayed – advice please!

[Tigerlily]

Hello! My first post here, but I’ve been a lurker since I adopted my buns in September.

Yesterday I got my mini-rex Cerise spayed. I was really unimpressed by the vet – no aftercare advice, no reassurance, no pain medication prescribed! Luckily I had some leftover from when I had my male neutered at a different vet. I won’t be going back to this one even if they’re more convenient.

She has a huge sticky bandage on her belly right now that she keeps licking at. I tried to see a way that I could get it off but it’s really stuck fast in all of her hair so I’ve left it for fear of hurting her more. Is this normal? I can’t check for healing or signs of infection and it’s bothering me.

The biggest thing is that she hasn’t eaten. She’s done one tiny poo but simply won’t eat. I’ve left her all of her favourites, plenty of hay, pellets and water but I don’t think she’s touched a thing. She’d been hiding all night and was shaking when I picked her up this morning so I wonder if they gave her anything for pain at all. I syringe fed her some of the painkillers (which she ate keenly) and a little apple compote but she wasn’t really interested.

If she hasn’t eaten by this afternoon I’ll be straight back to the vet, but is there anything at all I can do for her in the mean time?

[Bam]

She must eat, so you should syringe feed her if she doesn’t. You can soak pellets in water and feed the mush. But in order to try and get her to eat by herself, fresh fragrant herbs are often popular as a first food after anesthesia. pellets is as a rule the last thing they go back to. Whatever she eats now is fine, so if she wants banana or some other fruit or baby fruit smoothie, you can give her that.

I’m sorry she wasn’t given any painkillers. Great that you had some left! Pain relief often help with appetite.

In my opinion the bandage should not be stuck like you describe it. It means the incision has leaked/is leaking more than it should. I’d contact the vet (or another vet) about that. Don’t try and remove it yourself unless you are instructed to do so by a vet, and don’t let her chew at her bandage. If she is persistent about chewing, she should wear a cone/E-collar.

[Tigerlily]

Thanks so much for the advice, I appreciate it. I’ve given her a few (very tiny, the medicine one is all I have) syringes of mushed food and some fresh herbs from my garden but she still seems uninterested. She’s also gone and ripped off half of her bandage, but from what I can see it’s just gauze underneath and there’s no fresh blood so that’s positive. I’m going to rush out and buy some other varieties of hay to see if I can pique her interest but otherwise, if she hasn’t pooped in the next few hours I’ll take her back to the vet.

[Tigerlily]

She’s just done a grand total of 3 pellet poops, they look pretty regular. Is that a good sign?

[Vienna Blue in France]

Well if she’s trying to lick at her bandage, she’s more alert than mine was after being spayed, so thats a good point.

You do have to use your imagination of all possible things that will set off her appetite. I had to go and steal roses from a neighbours garden, because i had tried everything and she didn’t want to eat. When she ate the rose petal (safe for bunnies!!) i had to go and get more. Then gradually she ate ‘normal stuff’

How about dried raspberries or strawberries? Raisins? Breakfast cereal? Anything is allowed in these critical 48hrs….

[Vienna Blue in France]

(Mine had a sticky bandage, but it wasnt heavy sticky, just so it stuck to itself going around her waistline)

[Tigerlily]

I will have a dig in my cupboards, I know we have oats and raisins somewhere! I didn’t think of that, thanks ^^

It’s nice to see another member in France – I’m located in Lyon myself.

[Sirius&Luna]

All the advice you have been given is great! Just wanted to say I hope she starts eating soon. 3 poops is definitely a very good sign!

My vets kept Luna in a bit longer as it took her a while to start eating, so be reassured that it IS normal for girls to take a while to eat, but it also is important to do everything you can to encourage them to eat.

Small pieces of carrot could work? Or mixing a bit of apple juice into a pellet mash so it’s sweet. I’ve also heard if you keep poking their face with food, eventually they’ll get annoyed and bite it to get it away, and might realise that actually it’s quite tasty and they want to eat it!

[Bam]

Glad to hear she’s produced poop!

I thought by “sticky bandage” you meant the bandage was all sticky with wound liquid, so I’m very glad I misinterpreted you =) Self-adhesive bandages are great, but sometimes you need scissors to get them off (or razor sharp bunny teeth). Buns tend to dislike bandages. It’s licking and chewing at the wound itself that needs to be prevented. Pain meds can make the bun less interested in the wound, but some buns need to wear a cone for about a week.

[Tigerlily]

Last night she perked up quite a lot after finally ripping off the rest of her bandage, I think it was really bothering her. She was happy enough that she managed to drink a fair bit, and even had a little hay and a few rocket leaves. But this morning when I woke up she was back to hunching and hiding and hasn’t done any more poo, so back to the vet it is for us.

I tried shoving a strawberry in her face until she got mad, but her sweet gentle heart just wouldn’t bite!

[Tigerlily]

The vet has taken her for an overnight stay. I have to say I’m really uncomfortable about this. Is it normal that she’d be kept in overnight for stasis?

[Sirius&Luna]

My vets always keep all bunnies overnight after their neuter and spays, it’s because they have nurses there overnight who can give them more attention than you could.

I also left a stasis (/caused by poisoning/complicated situation) bunny at my vets overnight, so its not unusual for vets to admit them I don’t think, but I do really really trust my vet.

I know you’re not particularly confident about this vet though (or is it a different one now?), so go with your gut. If you think she will do better at home, and is more likely to eat with you monitoring her, then I would bring her home. The good thing about a GOOD vet is that they’ll be giving her fluids, pain meds and be able to force feed critical care if needed.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Tigerlily. Lyon is my second French home. I was there for a while too !!
Oh poor Cerise.
Is this the vets that you weren’t happy with or another one?
It is good also that they keep her in, if they keep a very close eye on her.
But as Sirius says, if you are happy and capable of giving the meds, then see if you can bring her home…

[Bam]

I’m so sorry she’s had to be hospitalized. As the others have said, good vets often keep stasis buns overnight. In their care she can be kept at a good temp and get sub q or even IV fluids if she needs them, and they can also syringe feed Critical Care. If she needs antibiotics for her wound she’ll get that.

Sending her many good healing vibes ((((Cerise))))

[12345ABCDE]

Buttercup was kept overnight for stasis so I don’t think it’s too unusual!

[Tigerlily]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, I really appreciate it all! I was a worried mess yesterday.

We had a call from the vet this morning saying she’d eaten and started pooping over night and she was fine to go. He said that it was just a “hysterical pregnancy”. I’m not too sure on that diagnosis but I’m just happy she’s okay! She even let me have a little cuddle when she was home, usually she doesn’t like to be handled at all.

[Bam]

Wonderful news!!! ?

[12345ABCDE]

Aw, so happy to hear she’s okay And what a beauty!

[Luna]

Yay! Glad she’s ok .

[Vienna Blue in France]

She may become more cuddly in the next few months as the hormones wear off…… mine did.

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