Should I insist on metacam?

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

I’ve scheduled Jojo to be neutered next week, and when I asked the receptionist about getting antibiotics or metacam for after surgery she said that they don’t send anything home, and that antibiotics aren’t usually necessary (confirmed by the faq pages I found on here, I only asked about antibiotics because I was confused about what metacam was exactly). Now that I’ve read some more information about post-op care it seems like pain management is pretty important. She told me that I can talk to the vet when I drop Jojo off for the surgery, and I’m wondering if I should insist on getting some metacam to bring home? When we spay our female (probably the week after Jojo, I can only handle so much stress at once!) it seems like it would be a really good thing to have, since spays are more invasive. 

Other than that I have a good feeling about the vet. He’s the only one who sees rabbits (which is nice, since this practice understands that you need special training to be a rabbit savvy vet), and does a lot of spay/neuters (five last week, I guess) and the receptionist/tech told me that in the years she’s been there they’ve only had one rabbit die during surgery and that wasn’t a spay/neuter surgery. He’s also spoken to me about the fact that they need special anesthesia (which is why he won’t spay/neuter until they’re 6mo old). 

SO it seems like he’s experienced, and I’m going to ask about pain management when I drop Jojo off, but I just wanted some feedback form experienced bunny parents about how necessary it is to have metacam on hand after surgery.

[Sarita]

For the female yes – the male may bounce back pretty quickly but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask the vet politely if you can have a few syringes of metacam just in case for the male. He probably would be fine with sending it home with you.

[Kbana]

I haven’t had mine neutered yet but I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask for some to take home. Especially if your vet is a drive, going back to get pain meds if you need them can be difficult. It is totally within your rights as a pet owner to ask that you purchase some meds just in case. I would be worried if they denied you them. They may not routinely send anything home (and really the receptionist might not know with rabbits) but I think they’d supply them for you if you asked. It can’t hurt and better safe than sorry. Many members here have found that metacam really helped with their buns’ pain management after surgery. Good luck!

[bunnnnnnie!]

Definitely ask to talk to the vet directly – the person answering the phones gave me all kinds of incorrect information when I was asking about Zeus’s neuter. Now, if I have an important question, I just ask for the vet to call me. I don’t even bother asking the question to the person answering the phone, or if they ask what I wanted to know, I just say I have a few questions I’d rather just ask the vet directly.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I think it’s pretty cruel of a vet to not give pain meds. A spay is a big surgery. Imagine a human getting a hysterectomy with no pain meds!!! My girl needed pain meds for several days after her spay.

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

Okay, thanks everyone! I feel better now, and will definitely talk to the vet directly and make sure that I can purchase some pain meds for the buns. I also can’t imagine that the vet would have any problem with that, even if they don’t routinely send anything home like the receptionist told me.

LittlePuffyTail – That’s exactly how I feel. I was thinking about it and the idea of not having pain meds on hand (after the spay especially) made me worry.

[Elrohwen]

I agree with the others that I would definitely talk to the vet about it. It’s your money to spend on pain meds if you want, so I can’t imagine that they would refuse you.

My girl was spayed when I got her, but I had my boy neutered and he was definitely feeling cruddy for a couple days at least, so I’m very glad I had metacam available and he perked up quite a bit after getting meds. For a spay especially I would insist on it.

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

Rather than make a new thread I thought I would update here. 

I dropped Jojo off for his neuter today and spoke to the vet. He basically said no to the metacam. “We’ll play it by ear” is what he said, even when I said that I was concerned about Pep’s future spay. He said that pain meds after a spay/neuter aren’t necessary for rabbits, cats or dogs, and that rabbits are resilient. When I said that I was worried about the level of pain Pep might have afterwards, and that I’ve heard it’s good to have a couple of doses of metacam on hand after to help the rabbit feel well enough to move and eat he still said that we’ll play it by ear and that it’s not usually necessary. He told me that pain meds are more likely to cause complications than anything else, and said that when they send a bun home after giving it a bunch of pain meds the owner usually calls complaining that their bun is acting dopey and weird.

It’s making me feel uneasy because everyone seems to agree that it’s important to have pain meds on hand after a spay. Has anyone had their bunny spayed and not given metacam/pain meds afterward? Had anyone had adverse reactions when giving their bunny metacam after a spay? 

Before I schedule her appointment I’m going to do some research about metacam, and about possible holistic pain management(?). I might also call around to other vets in the area and see what their general practices are after a spay/neuter. However, every other vet in the area charges $450 vs the $160 I’d pay at this vet (one place wouldn’t even give me a ballpark figure, just said “it’s case by case and we can’t know until after we’ve seen the animal” which was just a way to force you to do a $100 wellness exam and pay upwards of 400 for the spay).

Idk guys, I just don’t want my bun to be traumatized and miserable after her spay 

[Sarita]

Well I can tell you that you wouldn’t need metacam for the day of the procedure but you may need it the few days after. They give very strong pain meds for the procedure.

I would say this vet would not be my first choice either for my rabbits. I want someone I can feel comfortable with and I’ve never had my vets deny pain meds for any of my rabbits for any reason.

I don’t agree that a vet is trying to make money either about seeing you and the rabbit prior to the procedure. In fact, it is a way for you to sum up the vet, ask questions and start a rapport with the vet – after all, this will be the vet (most likely) that will be seeing your rabbit in the future for any other possible illnesses not just spaying and neutering.

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

Yeah, good point. I guess it just seemed weird because everyone else was at least giving a general idea of how much it would be. I hadn’t thought of it from the perspective of wanting to establish a rapport – but when thinking about it that way it actually gives the impression of a vet that places importance on the prior visit and answering questions, etc.

I guess that’s something I need to consider, and start saving up to be able to afford a vet I can trust and be comfortable with. 

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Sally didn’t have pain meds and she bounced back quicker than my male did with his neuter. But if you feel uncomfortable with him you can always find a new vet. I was comfortable moving forward with Sally’s spay because the people who did her also do all the other rabbits for the shelter so I knew they knew what they were doing and it eased the nerves I was facing with the procedure itself. So she didn’t have pain meds but did amazing.

[Stickerbunny]

Stickers had pain meds after her spay and without them she wouldn’t have eaten anything for a few days – which would have risked stasis. Even with them, she was tooth grinding and feeding her was a hassle of shoving her favorites into her face, she wouldn’t budge to even grab a piece of food she was hurting so much. Powder didn’t get pain meds since the vet doesn’t like to give them to males if they don’t need it… but he refused to drink water for three days and was moping and sleeping with his tail up and his butt against the a/c vents to try to make it hurt less, so he certainly could have used it.

[Deleted User]

Henry had no meds coming home – didn’t even know that he may need any, on collection he said that Henry came out of the procedure well and was happy with his behaviour. Henry was fine. Just goes to show how every bun can react differently, so I guess that is what your vet is waiting to see? Would you believe I have Metacam leftover from my dogs last treatment (had no idea it could be used for buns?) I can’t imagine a vet would do the wrong thing by your bun? Also I wouldn’t shove/force feed food to get my bun to eat – they will eat when they are hungry and feel up to it, and if they don’t eat you can use that as a sign that things may not be going ok? But I totally get your worry….. Wishing Jojo and you all the best.

[Roberta]

Nermal never got additional pain meds.. When I asked about it I was told that the pain medication they use lasts 3 full days afetr the procedure.. I was sceptical and had a friend who is a vet nurse on standby but honestly, Nermie Nomnoms did not need additional meds.. She was obviously uncomfortable but the was no grinding or loafing and she was eating again by midway through the next day… I did have to syringe some water to get her started though… As for the boys, Starsky was back to his wicked ways withing a couple of hours and Pascal seemed normal by the following morning.

[Stickerbunny]

Posted By AndHenry on 11/14/2013 11:22 PM

Also I wouldn’t shove/force feed food to get my bun to eat – they will eat when they are hungry and feel up to it, and if they don’t eat you can use that as a sign that things may not be going ok?

Some rabbits won’t eat following surgery and if you don’t feed critical care or some other method of getting them to eat, they can enter stasis. Should always consult a vet when a rabbit stops eating though, or doesn’t start back, before force feeding.. especially if you aren’t comfortable syringe feeding.

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

Thanks everyone! Jojo is doing great after his neuter. He seemed groggy and like he didn’t feel the best all last night but he happily ate some basil and spring mix with baby spinach. He seemed to feel a little better this morning before I left for work (and my gf will be home soon to check on him throughout the day). For him pain meds wouldn’t have been necessary, which is good!

As far as the vet goes, I’ve been looking into a new vet for the buns. I’ve found two options that seem really great and just need to do a little more recon and then pick one. The vet I’m currently going to only has the bun guy there two days a week, vs the new vet where the bunny guy is the main dr. and is there 6 days a week. Also, even though I don’t think my current vet was malicious or would do anything to hurt my buns, he didn’t take the time to explain to me why he wasn’t comfortable with the metacam. I definitely want a vet that I feel comfortable with, and who will take the time to make sure I understand the ins and outs of my buns care (also they fast the buns for 4+hrs before surgery?? Jojo ended up only being “fasted” from the time I left he house with him until his surgery though, since the receptionist didn’t tell me about the fasting..)
I’m going to call the new vet today or tomorrow to speak to him directly. The receptionist told me everything she knew yesterday, and said that she would have had me speak to the dr. directly but he was out sick, so I could call back to go over my questions with him. She was really helpful, and assured me that if he decides not to send pain meds home with Pep he would take the time to explain his decision, and make sure I understood and was on board. Overall I’m just getting really good vibes from this place. Also this guy owns house rabbits of his own, which is really cool.

[Sarita]

Glad Jojo is doing well.

It sounds like you are on the right track for finding a full-time rabbit knowledgeable vet you will be comfortable with and it sounds like he loves rabbits too since he has some of his own – that’s always a plus to me.

[Stickerbunny]

Fasting a rabbit? Why? o.O My vet said we could put hay in the carrier for the buns, so they could eat right up to their surgery time… they can’t vomit, so they feel no need to fast them at all.

[MoveDiagonally]

As Stickerbunny said, fasting for rabbits is not necessary because rabbits can’t vomit. I would check out the HRS’s Spay/Neuter FAQ:
http://rabbit.org/faq-spaying-and-neutering/

They have some questions you can ask listed there that might help you in looking for a new vet.

[Sgt.Pepper and Jojo]

Yeah, I’d read that FAQ and so I thought it was really weird when the vet asked me if I had fasted Jojo. I was like “No.. you’re not supposed to fast rabbits.” 

I found the new vet I’m looking into through HSR’s veterinary listings, and the receptionist told me about the special fluids they give them during surgery to aid their digestion system because it’s so important that they don’t go into stasis. She explained about how rabbits don’t get fasted because they don’t vomit which is a risk with cats and dogs etc, which I knew from reading the FAQ but it’s reassuring that even the receptionists at this vet are quite knowledgeable.

[Author]

Messages