Recently spayed

[lucygoosey]

Lucy has been spayed! We brought her home today and she was a bit groggy. I took out all the ramps in her cage so it’s all flat and confined her to a small flat space. I chopped her tons of her favourite veggies and gave her some water and also put a heating pad under the blanket in the corner so she can lay on it. It’s been about 5 hours since she’s been home and she has no appetite but has been drinking fluids.

Is this normal? What are other people’s experiences with healing spays?

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

You have to make sure she eats something tonight — even if you have to smoosh it up and force it in syringe-style. Bunnies’ little digestive systems are so crazy that they can die within 24 hours if they don’t eat!!

[BinkyBunny]

It is normal for her not to have an appetite right after. But by morning she should be nibbling on things. It is great that she is drinking. That is a good sign. But if she’s not nibbling in the morning, ring your vet to ask what your next move should be.

If you don’t have critical care, then what digmex suggested can work.

Did the vet give you any pain meds? Not all vets do this so it doesn’t mean your vet did anything wrong, Just asking.

Here are some post surgery instructions from the House Rabbit Society

[cookie627]

i read the web site. it’s kind of funny when it said when males come home they are looking for supper!!!!!

[MooBunnay]

Almost allll the girls I’ve brought to get spayed and then recover at my house (like 6 I think) have not eaten the first night. For the first 24 hours I tempt them periodically throughout the day with their fave treat and make sure that goes down. Then, if after the first 24 hours they STILL aren’t eating, I try to stimulate the appetite by breaking up some cilantro and parsley to try to get them to eat – sometimes I even put it right in their mouth. Then I make a pellet mush if they won’t eat the cilantro (I just dissolve pellets in enough water to make a soup) and I put little bits of that into their mouth with a syringe.

[lucygoosey]

UPDATE:  

It is now day two and Lucy still will not eat anything on her own. I force fed her in the morning and just now in the evening. She has been moving around normally she even started grooming again but she just refuses to eat! I hear people say buns will stop eating if they are in pain but she’s stretching and grooming and hopping around so I don’t think the pain is that bad or am I wrong?

I’m a bit worried about her condition because I’m not sure whether I’m force feeding enough (around 15cc twice a day).

[Gravehearted]

if a bunny isn’t feeling well they often will not eat. it is a VERY good thing that you are still force feeding her.

15 cc twice a day like a very small amount to me. do you know how much she weighs? did you make a pellet slurry?
it’s best to multiple small meals – so perhaps assist feed her the 15 ccs at least once more a day. It’s best to check the amount to feed with your vet, but that may not be possible on a Sunday.

I’d also pick up some VERY fresh veggies – whatever is her favorite to see if that will entice her to eat. Radish tops are a good choice or something very scenty like dill or parsley.

Sending lots of healing wishes your way. If she’s not eating on her own by tomorrow, call your vet for sure.

[lucygoosey]

Lucy weighs only 3 pounds and the force feed is a slurry of pellets (I also grated some fresh carrots in there to make it like a reward). This morning she ate a bit of apple and I think a few pellets. I’m beggining to wonder if she’s not eating much because her teeth are now getting even longer (because of the super long delayed operation which has now been delayed AGAIN). I’m not sure what I should do with them as I’m afraid to trim them (and I heard it’s extremely bad to do it yourself) so I may have to take her to the vet. But right now I’m having a little disagreement with the bunny lady who I am fostering for as she’s suddenly changed the adoption terms. Long story short I am never adopting from her again.

[Gravehearted]

it could be the spay recovery or the teeth – or both, it’s hard to know. but regardless, it’s important to make sure to get some food into her, as you’ve been doing. I would take her into the vet for sure tomorrow.

Sorry to hear the bunny lady is changing things around on you – how frustrating.

[skunklionshow]

Jessica was not eating very well when she came home from her spay.  My vet recommended force feeding w/ veggie baby food.  The veggie & carrots were favs for Jess.  I had to force feed her for nearly 3 days, several times a day.  The vet gave me a nice big syringe for force feeding…it kind of looks like a baby enema syringe.  The vet told me to keep up the feedings until she was eating completely on her own.  The vet also recommended serving her favorites, even if they were generally "limited" foods.  She stated it was more important to get her eating regularly than worrying about if she was eating foods that should be limited.

From what I learned, some animals aren’t really up for eating after surgical procedures, even if its not a pain management issue.  Just think about when you feel yucky!  Its sometimes hard to eat when you feel gross. 

[BinkyBunny]

How is she doing now?

[Flo]

I can relate to your dilemma completely.  Flo was spayed three weeks ago and afterwards was not eating much, inactive ,in fact totally annoyed with us it seemed,she would turn her back on me.

Anyway after taking her back to the vet he along with myself noticed she had lost quite a lot of weight . He suggested force feeding with syringe and antibiotics mind u he was unsure what was wrong he was talking fatty neucrosis does that make sense to anyone.

Anyway on the postive side Flo improved dramatically in this third week not sure if she has just recovered from spay or whether the antibiotics helped but she is now eating more heartily and binkying around the place a far cry from her personality last week.  Took her to vet this morning again and all is ok.  He said he had actually been quite worried about her and thought she may not of made it although he never shared that with me at the last visit thank goodness otherwise i would have stressed even more.

A spaying is a big deal of an op for a rabbit so i dont doubt recovery for some takes time.

Hope your bunny is better soon.

 

[skunklionshow]

I posted force feeding food suggestion today…anyway here it is again:

Critical Care for Herbivores from Oxbow.

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