Robbie’s Neuter

[Lightchick]

Went great, according to the nurses, and the brief phone call from the vet.  Again, I was not allowed to see the vet.  He’s sort of like the Wizard of Oz.  You’re not actually allowed to communicate with him, except through his minions.

Anyway, I’ve had Robbie back at home for almost 2 hours now.  He lays down, then repositions, then repositions again.  Poor guy can’t get comfortable, obviously.  And he wants no comfort from ME, the traitor who abandoned him in the evil-place!  

He’s eaten a few sprigs of cilantro and parsley.

The vet gave me Metacam (the same stuff they gave me for Lizzy’s foot), with a prescription for .32cc per day.

I have to go to work for a few hours in an hour, which is obviously less-than-perfect timing.  Is there anything I should do for the poor guy since I have to leave him for 3-4 hours?  He has water, herbs, hay, soft cushy floor, his carrier to hide in, his stuffed lion if he feels like beating something up in my stead…

Poor Robbie! 

[Beka27]

feel better Robbie!

have you been looking for other vets. i think that’s nuts that you cannot see the guy. i’d have a major issue with that.

[Lightchick]

Yeah, Beka, I have a major issue with it, too.

HRS’s website links to a list of other vets–not in Long Beach, but pretty close, so they’d involve torturing the rabbits with the car for a little longer, but not too bad. So I’ve done enough research to know that there are other options, but was already committed to Robbie’s neuter, and haven’t had time to audition these new vets.

And OH, it will be an AUDITION this time! If they don’t DANCE when I ask them to, I’m going elsewhere! No more of this very pleasant run-around from the perky and helpful desk-staff! (I do have to say, they have WONDERFUL people-skills, and a LOVELY office! I just don’t think that’s good enough!)

[Beka27]

it’s nice to know you could rely on them possibly for an emergency… but for regular stuff, it’d be great to have someone you’re more familiar with.

[jerseygirl]

Is it the same for all the clients? It’s only the vet + pet in the exam room? That’s bizarre! Bet he see’s miles more animals than other vets and just goes room to room, churning them through. I’ve been to chiros and physios like that. They leave you lying there in one room while they go tend to client in next room – back and forth Grrrrrrrrrr!

[MimzMum]

Gee whiz, that’s not my kind of health care, veterinary OR human. Could you imagine not being able to speak with YOUR physician? Maybe just passing notes about your condition through an interpreter? 0_o
Glad to hear the neuter went well, but yah, find another vet. This one sounds like a froot loop!

And I think Robbie will survive a few hours. Just be sure to check him thoroughly upon your return. I wouldn’t leave him anything to jump up on either.

He probably doesn’t want to verbalize his outrage, as he’d probably come out sounding like Mickey Mouse! ^_^

[Lightchick]

Oh, MimzMum, poor Robbie!  My ruff-n-tuff park bunny with a squeaky voice!  (I believe he’s sending you the stink-eye for that idea!) 

Although, he’s rather stuck in stink-eye mode, right now, so who can tell?

To update, Robbie ate all of his greens when I was gone, and took some more when I hand-fed him when I got home.  He’d visited the litter box while I was gone and pooped (good boy used the litter box, even though he’s ouchy!).  He’s still spending most of his time meatloafed in a corner looking pretty spacey, but he came out a moment ago and started nibbling the pellets I left for him, so I guess he’s okay.  He’s well-enough to do a half-speed scamper for a Papaya tablet, anyway!

I couldn’t figure out how to get the syringe in the side of his mouth to give him his Metacam.  Actually, to be totally honest, I couldn’t FIND the side of his mouth!  And he was annoyed with me for trying…he tried to grab the syringe and fling it away.  But a moment later, he went for the syringe again, got the end, and I was on-top-of-it enough to SQUEEZE the meds in while he was biting it…success!  And apparently the Metacam is nummy-tasting, because he stopped being mad, licked his lips, and asked for more!  So maybe I won’t have that argument with him tomorrow.

Definitely still unhappy and zonked from the meds, but getting better!

Thanks for nice thoughts for him!  Except for MimzMum–you’re still getting the stink-eye!  (Just kidding, of course!) 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Sounds lke he’s doing well!!

[Lightchick]

Ok, I have a behavior question, but it’s related, so I’ll just continue this thread…

Robbie’s feeling better today, but still obviously uncomfortable.  He’s eating and pooping and everything, I’m pretty sure he’s just fine.

Although I did try to flip him over to make sure everything was okay down there, as the vet (well, as the nurse) suggested.  It’s sort of dark-colored and red and 2 angry looking splotches.  It doesn’t look GOOD, but I’m sure after a surgery like that it WOULDN’T.  I don’t know what I’m looking for.  I know I’m looking for redness, swelling, infection…but I’m not really medically-trained and it looks pretty dismal already…and I’m assuming it’s probably just normal since he seems to be eating more and being more active? 

And then Robbie got very unhappy with me and flailed and I let him go, and got foot-flicked.

So the behavior question:

He’s obviously uncomfortable.  He sort of hunkers into the corner meatloaf-style for a while, then trundles over to the other corner, then picks at a piece of hay, and decides he hates the hay, and flings it away.  Then he picks at a pellet, and very quickly gives up on it.  Then he comes over to the door of the pen, which I have open and am sitting outside, and he looks at me, and grabs the pen with his teeth and shakes it.  Glares angrily at me.  Hops into the corner and hunkers into a disgruntled-looking meatloaf.  Gives up on that, and decides to tear up the towels that are the floor of his pen.  I scold him for ripping at the towels and he pins his ears back at me (neither of which he’s done since about the first 8 hours of living here).  Then he goes over to his stuffed lion and gives it a very thorough head-to-toe bath (He’s also never so much as acknowledged that lion’s existence before).  He has another go at the towel, and I open his phonebook and push it under his nose..  He normally ignores the phonebook entirely–now he grabs it, chunks of pages at a time, to close it, because I’ve opened it in his way.  (He’s actually very clever!  He taught himself how to turn pages!) 

And this whole time, I’m telling him I’m sorry he feels so crummy, poor Robbie, can’t get comfortable, hates his pen, hates me, hates life, so disgruntled–he’s mouthy at everything, he’s tugging and licking and pulling at things that he normally ignores, he’s snarly at me–obviously he doesn’t feel good.  Poor poor guy!

And then he goes into a corner and out of nowhere does a full-blown FLOP!  Head-first body-slam to the floor, practically had all four feet up in the air!  He’s NOT ONCE flopped (at least in front of me) since I’ve had him, and NOW he flops?!  And it wasn’t just momentary.  He just lay there.  He let me leave, get my camera, come back, turn the light on, and take pictures.  (He’s back to the angry meatloaf, now..but he stayed laid out for at least a few minutes.)

Buns flop when they’re comfy right?  Not when they’re dying?  What is up with him?!  This is very strange…

Also, he’s tooth-purring when I pet his nose, now.  When I’m allowed to pet him.  Like I said, he’s snarly and ears-back at me currently, but occassionally he’ll let me pet, and then he purrs.  Which he’s never done before, either.

His behavior is just…very different.  Not in a bad way, and I would understand the angry/uncomfortable behaviors, but along with the purring and stuffed-lion licking and flopping, I’m very confused…

[MooBunnay]

Just a quick note – this is a good doctor and relatively close to you: Dr. Robert Kaufman Harbor Animal Hospital 2078 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, Ca. 90501. 310-328-3733

The last time I saw him was about a year ago and he spayed my rescued bunny Grace that is blind and seems to have some issues from abuse or neglect – and he was the only one I trusted to spay her! Last time I went there I was allowed to see him…in fact, when I went in for a check-up he was slightly delayed because someone’s goose or duck had gotten attacked and he did an emergency surgery – so he was a nice guy. He is a little bit on the upper end of the average cost of rabbit vets, but not excessive in my opinion, and he checked over my bunny Raymond really well when he got injured.

As far as Robbie’s attitude, I’m sure he’s still just recovering, boys tend to spring back quickly though. He has been eating his veg right? Try to keep tempting him with hay. If the wound is just red and pretty swollen, and you can see the two incision lines (and perhaps a bit of dried blood in the incision line) that is in line with what I have seen as well in post-neuter. I’m not so sure about the dark red though, how dark is it? Is the entire area dark red or just the incision lines? Usually what I see is a fairly deep pink. The swelling should start going down soon.

Keep making sure that he is eating/drinking/pooping OK, as that is the most important part of recovery, as well as check about once a day on the swelling and color of the incisions.

[Lightchick]

THANK YOU MooBunnay!!! I will check in Dr Kaufman first on the list!

Yes, he eats his veggies. Eats his pellets, too, but slower than normally. Haven’t really seen him do more than pick at his hay. He got excited when I gave him his new hay this morning, but then his interest fizzled out.

Honestly, it’s hard to say the exact shade of red/pink. His pen isn’t in the best area of the house for exams…I have to get into his pen with him, because there’s no place else to go, and he wiggles, and the light isn’t great…And I’m petrified of his bursting something open struggling to get away from me!

Thanks for telling me what I should be seeing, though! Now I know better what to look for next time! Maybe I’ll take a flashlight…

[TARM]

Wait. You mentioned that you took pictures…but you didn’t post them??? What’s up with that???

[Lightchick]

Argh…’cause then I have to get them off the camera, and scale the size down, and get them on Photobucket…

*Sigh*.

Ok, gimme a minute!

[Lightchick]

Like my arm needs twisting to show off pictures of my cute bunnies!

Here’s the disgruntled Robbie-Flop.  It’s not that exciting on its own.  The all-4’s up in the air was very exuberant for a newly-neutered bun, though!

Note that his tail has somehow managed to be outside the pen.  And that he’s still giving me the evil-eye.  And that the phonebook is closed.  He did that all by himself!

Bonus picts!  I don’t feel like reviving Lizzy’s thread, as she’s back to her old diva-self and her heel-wound is healing nicely.  But here is Miss Diva luxuriating in her hutch for the first time in 2 days!  She was SOOO happy she could go home and not hurt her little raw foot!  And she has her cow.  Which I caught her licking today.  She acts all tough, and then goes and licks the cow!

Ha!  She does have a soft-side!

“Finally, I can sleep!  Mom–would you lay off the camera!  We’re…oops, I mean I…I am trying to sleep!”

[MimzMum]

Hmmm…methinks he couldn’t stretch his legs out like that, much less fall over with a WHUMP if he were in much pain. My first thought was hormones are going wonky right now. Plus is it possible he might be cranky from the Metacam? I know that painkiller does a number on my dog’s insides!
Mimzy was very quiet after his neuter. But he’s a different bun entirely in a lot of respects. Just not excitable. I expect life is going to be a little topsy turvy for Robbie for a bit, then hopefully he’ll begin to feel more mellow.
The redness worries me, but hey, that’s what I do best. ^_^ If you have concerns, it can’t hurt to phone the doc.

[Lightchick]

I was wondering about the hormones… He is very much, “I LOVE this! I HATE that! Come PET ME NOW! Never mind, don’t TOUCH me!”. I thought it took a month for the homones to be balanced…I thought that meant they would start to shift slower, though…

Yeah, I would never get the doc, if I called. I’d just get the receptionist. I think he’s moving along fine physically. I’m just trying to make sense of what’s going on in his whacked-out bunny-head…

[MimzMum]

If I didn’t know better I’d say he has PMS. *ducks new stink eye* j/k Well than, just keep an eye on those sutures. You DID see TankandRangersMom’s post about when Digger had his neuter, right? That’s a classic shot of something gone off with recovery.
I think as long as they feel good enough to give rabbitude, they must be doing good. ^_^ If he became hostile towards you and that didn’t stop, I’d see that as a red flag.

[Lightchick]

I missed T&RM’s thread! Maybe it was when I was out of town…I’ll go look for it. Except Lizzy is busy freaking out over a sweatshirt I left on HER COUCH, and she doesn’t know what it is and suspects she must do battle… She’s awfully distracting, my fanged-marshmallow!

Seriously. Rabbits. Who knew?

[MimzMum]

I know. The hubby was ‘so surprised’ at how QUIET the two buns were in the car yesterday. I said, “What did you expect? Howling and clawing? They’re not dogs or cats!”
He said he heard one of them batting at something like it was knocking on the door and he had to look around to see who might be trying to mess with him. Realized it had to be a bunny scratching. Poor clueless man! ^_^

I think her thread was under Digger’s Neuter or something like that. Pretty sure it’s here in the diet and care, but it may be in Q & A’s.
Aha..the evil sweatshirt arch enemy! En Guarde! You stinky, flat cretin you! lolz…

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