Lucy’s recovery! Help!

[BunnyLiz]

I posted this in her spay post but I got tired of waiting for someone to see it.  When I glanced at her booboo when she got home, I noticed she has dried blood on her shaved part of her tummy.  Im thinking not normal?  Why didnt they clean that up before they sent her home?!  Can I use hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball to clean her up?  Or some other solution?  Should I be doing that on a regular basis to prevent anything? 

She ate some this morning around 7am, before we left for the vet.  Ate very little or no food at the vet, and hasnt eaten anything since she has been home.  Its 10pm now, should I be worried?  Whats normal for a spay and eating?  I have given her some pedialyte, which she hates.  I just now gave her some Critical Care.  But not much, only 15cc and she spit out at least 5cc.  She is 4.8lbs, how much should she be getting how many times a day?  Im guessing 30cc every 6 hours, am I close at all?  She does NOT do well with force feeding, it toke 20 minutes for the 15cc dose.  I decided to give it to her because she gave me a huge scare.  I was petting her because she was antsy and I want her to rest, but when I looked over her eyes where completely closed and Ive never seen her close her eyes all the way.  So I was poking her and talking to her and she had no reaction so of course I freaked out!  But once I unwrapped her blankie and picked her up she was alert, but it really scared me so now im posting here to hopefully get some replies lol.

[TARM]

Are you sure it’s dried blood and not betadyne or some other reddish antiseptic?

I still don’t know what to tell you about her eating, you said she’s not doing veggies so I think you’re pretty much doing all you can. Hopefully someone who knows how to deal with this will see your thread soon.

[BunnyLiz]

Im not sure what betadyne is, but im 90% sure this is old dried up blood. It really really looks like blood.

[KatnipCrzy]

It could be blood- I am sure they cleaned up the incision after the surgery but if she was fiesty getting into the carrier hse might have had a little oozing from a the skin.  Completely normal for this to happen- and you can clean it off with a little hydrogen peroxide.  Hydrogen peroxide works well to clean off blood.  After cleaning it tonight just continue to monitor the incision for any redness, swelling, drainage as you typically would after surgery.  I would not recommend cleaning the incision daily or routinely with hydrogen peroxide as it can inhibit healing as it is harsh on tissue- but I am sure that is what they used after the surgery and it would not be a bad idea to clean it if you can that way the dried blood can not irritate or itch, etc.

Cotton did not want to eat much the night of her spay either- she just wanted to lay around and she nibbled a titch on her veggies but not much.  That is pretty typical- so I would not be overly alarmed that Lucy does not want to eat.  I would at least give her til tomorrow am before getting too worried.  It is nervewracking- but Cotton started to eat better the next day- veggies, then pellets, then hay.  She did poopy butt the next day due to her interrupted feeding schedule- but it was not bad.

[BinkyBunny]

It is true that especially for females, it can take a bit more time to get a full appetite back so as long as she is nibbling on something in the meantime. Were you given any pain meds?

Here’s a great post-care link from the House Rabbit Society to help you know what to expect http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html#pre-post-care

Keep us updated on her progress and if something happens that is of urgency (or even if you don’t know if it is or not), please be sure to contact your vet first and not wait for an answer here. Especially with a post spay, it would be safest to ring your vet if you have any concerns.

[BunnyLiz]

No poos still, in about 24 hours. She is still peeing. I got her to drink some water on her own, but am still pushing pedialyte. She just ate 15cc of CC, ill give her the rest of the 30cc I mixed in a few when she calms down a little. I did get pain meds, she had that a few minutes ago.

[BunnyLiz]

Still no poos or any eating on her own. Its noon here now. Is this still normal? She seems active, moving around, curious and major attitude. Would reglan be any help here? I dont like this new vet, its been a nightmare so I dont think he will be much help. Im thinking of going to my past vet, who I absolutely loved but is SOO expensive. But it might come to that. This is killing me lol

[Sarita]

I think it’s best if you contact the vet with your concerns – I realize you don’t like him but he did the surgery on her and if you have concerns he is the first step for you to take for your concerns.

[BunnyLiz]

Yea ive already called my vet and left him a message but he hasnt called me back yet

[BunnyLiz]

She had some poos! Gross wet poos but thats better then nothing. Still hasnt eaten anything on her own though. The vet finally called back just a minute ago, and he just said that Critical Care is not needed but if I want to then 5cc of CC two or three a day would be okay. Geez thats not enough. So he was no help, but since she is pooing now hopefully she will turn around soon.

[Sarita]

Hmmm…welll, usually the first poo’s are like this due to the medications and anesthesia’s used. Sounds like you might want to go back to the 2nd vet from know on since he seemed a little more competent than this one.

[BunnyLiz]

O yes Im not going back there, Ill go back to the vet I absolutely love and trust. I was just hoping this one would work because he is more normally priced. The one I like is outrageously expensive, but at least I can relax with them.

[TARM]

Maybe this is what they mean by “you get what you pay for”. I’m so, so sorry this has been so hard for you and Lucy. I was hoping you had lucked out and found a fabulous vet who doesn’t pad the bill but it doesn’t look like that’s the case. :0(

[RabbitPam]

How is she doing now?
Is she attempting to eat anything on her own yet? Possibly some soft greens might be tasty by now.

I’m sorry it’s been scary for you. I understand that females recover more slowly than males. If the wound was cleaned and there’s no new discoloration (ie. bleeding) she’s probably coming along. Sometimes it varies depending on what type of anesthesia was used.

Definitely call your trusted vet and describe her appearance and behavior. It’s OK to bring her in to the better vet, even if she didn’t perform the surgery.

[skunklionshow]

I was directed by my vet, post-spay, that if she hadn’t eaten the morning following her spay that I should call.  I b/l she was spayed around 12pm and taken home around 6pm.  I ended up having to bring her to the vet the next day around noon.  They did fluids and directed me to do critical care.  My vet suggested mixing the cc w/ ensure.  I’m sorry that I can’t remember the dosage.  All I remember is that it was a huge syringe & I was directed to give her a full syringe daily, if not more.  I believe that he also gave me motility meds.  My girl was back on the food track w/in 3 days.

I hope that our comments were helpful.  It’s so difficult post-surgery.  I think we are totally freaking all the time about the eating.  Any updates.

[BunnyLiz]

TARM- I thought id get alot for what I paid lol. It was about $250 for this vet, and over $500 for my awesome vet. Now I wish I had just gone the expensive and trusted route, would be giving me some peace of mind now.
Pam- She doesnt eat veggies. She refuses every green and fruit. Have tried and tried again, talked to my vet, asked Dana, had her teeth checked but all point to a simply stubborn rabbit.
Skunklionshow- Thats was her timing as well, but my vet doesnt seem concerned that she isnt eating. He says well thats normal for a spay. Of course I know differently though. I am giving her fluids, but she is drinking some on her own. She normally drinks a TON of water, she isnt drinking as much as she needs to be so I am doing pedialyte. If she isnt munching tomorrow im sure a vet visit to get reglan will be in order.

Lucy is a little active, hopping in her cage from loaf spot to loaf spot, but nearly as active as normal but good all the same. BB box came today (tomorrow is Hammer’s birthday so I ordered a bunch of stuff lol) and I gave her a willow ring which she has munch a tiny bit on. But she really is starting to hate me. She didnt like me before, but now she lunges when I walk by and bites and honks when I touch her. This is making things more difficult lol. Its a 30 minute process to get her out of her cage, feed her 20cc of CC, and back into her cage. Omg I just looked up and she is EATING hay!!!!! Sitting in her litter box, munching some new alfalfa hay! She is a weird bunny, hay before pellets. YAY! I feel much better now. *happy dance* Anyways she has more normal poos now, small but shaped and dry. Though she has lost all sense of litter habits.

[BunnyLiz]

YES! She ate some pellets this morning, so relieved. Good thing she is getting back on track, Im bunsitting for a friend for 9 days starting tonight.

[KatnipCrzy]

Yeah Lucy! (Good bun for eating and getting better- naughty bun for worrying her Mom so much!)

Julie

[TARM]

Oh good! I’m so glad she’s eating for you.

[Beka27]

I missed this. I’m glad to hear she is eating now and beginning to recover!

[BinkyBunny]

Oye! Scary. I am sorry for what you have gone through. Sounds like she starting to pull out of it. Sending continued healing vibes!

Keep us updated.

[RabbitPam]

So glad to hear she’s doing better. How is she today?

I understand about a stubborn, weird bunny. Spockie seemed to hate hay some of the time, and barely tolerate it at other times. It drove me crazy.

[BunnyLiz]

Lucy is doing awesome! She seems to be healing fine and eating more to make up for lost time haha. I dont know why, but she is tolerating me now. Before the spay nobody could really touch her. She would honk and lunge or simply run away from hands. I dont know why she did it, none of us have hurt her of course, I just hoped it was hormones. But now I can pet her as long as I talk to her and lay my hand down near her for a minute. And she does enjoy it even, ive felt teeth purrs. I thought our relationship would be worse because I was forcing stuff in her mouth all the time and holding her to check her belly. Of course as soon as she sees two hands its over, to her that means being picked up. Now my mom is a different story, for some reason my mom isnt allowed to even put her hand in her cage, so petting is out of the question.

[BinkyBunny]

It can take several weeks for her hormones to die down, so she may continue to get better. Also, does your mother normally approach her differently, like approach in while she is in her cage or some place where your bunny may feel protective of?  I would have your mom offer her something yummy (yet healthy) each time she approaches her.  That way she may associate your mom’s scent with something postiive. 

 

[RabbitPam]

That’s good news!
Sammy is the same way about two hands vs. one, and also about getting easier to touch post-spay and as she gets older.
Your Mom might also be wearing a perfume or lotion that Lucy finds repellent. Have her follow BB’s advice with treats, and also have her give them outside of Lucy’s house, so they meet happily in neutral turf.

[BunnyLiz]

Well Lucy hasnt really been outside of her cage yet, waiting awhile for her to heal. So we both pet her (or in my moms case try) while she is in the cage. If only Lucy liked treats lol. This is the wierdo bunny remember?! She will take a raisin without joy every now and then, but 2 out of 3 times she doesnt want it. My mom does wear a strong perfume sometimes, I can see where Lucy would hate that. So ill pay more attention to the next time, if she is wearing it or not.

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