start the countdown

[Sofia]

So I just got off the phone to the vet, and I’ve FINALLY made an appointment for Boo to get spayed next friday. This has taken ages and it kept getting delayed but now it’s going to happen. I’ve never done this before and the vet told me that they don’t need to be fasted etc. But if anyone has any advice from previous experiences, it would be appreciated  also the vet said that rabbits have a higher chance to die from anaesthetic, which I already know, but it still terrified me.  Does anyone know the odds of a rabbit dying in surgery ? 

[Gordo and Janice]

Well from what I understand, it may be a higher chance, but it’s still a very, very low and unlikely chance. It is such a routine procedure. If your vet is rabbit savvy and has a lot of experience then I wouldn’t be over concerned. Of course it will always be in the back of your mind (mine anyway, because I fret about stuff like that). I don’t know the odds or statistics but I would imagine the actual statistics are mind blowingly overwhelming in favor of Boo being perfectly fine.

[Sofia]

Thanks! I didn’t ask the vet for the survival rate even though I should have because honestly, im petrified. I get so anxious over these things to the point where it ruins not only mine, but everyone around me’s day as well

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

It gives me a lot of confidence that your vet told you that she shouldn’t be fasted This is THE way to separate a bunny savvy vet from a vet who isn’t. This vet definitely knows bunny business!

Human, cats and dogs all have to go in sober because we can vomit, and that can suffocate us during anaesthesia. Rabbits can’t vomit, so that risk is out of the question. They actually need that energy for recovery too, so this is all good.

Operation techniques have improved so much during the last years. The House Rabbit Society reports this:
https://rabbit.org/faq-spaying-and-neutering/

“Spaying and neutering for rabbits has become a safe procedure when performed by experienced rabbit veterinarians. The House Rabbit Society has had over 1000 rabbits spayed or neutered with approximately .1% mortality due to anesthesia. A knowledgeable rabbit veterinarian can spay or neuter your rabbit with very little risk to a healthy rabbit. Don’t allow a veterinarian with little or no experience with rabbits to spay or neuter your rabbit.”

They cite the risk of death by anaesthesia as being 1 out of 1000 healthy rabbits. I hope this information helps you to prepare. Of course you’ll only be really relieved once she’s happily hopping around the house again, but that’s very understandable.

Hoping for a safe spay and a speedy recovery!

[Sofia]

Update – just dropped Boo off at the vets. I’m going to be anxious for the whole day and not going to be able to do anything because I’m so worried?

[Gordo and Janice]

Thinking about you and Boo…or Boo and you…hehe. Seriously, I understand. ((((((((((Positive Vibes)))))))))) all over that situation over there.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Awww, we’d all be the same bundle of nerves! Rooting for you and lil’ Boo Hoping for a safe surgery and a good recovery!

[Sofia]

OK, so boos home now. The vet said it was a great surgery with no complications. But now that she’s home I’m even more anxious than I was before. And I have a couple of questions.

I noticed she had a bit of wet poo (not cecotropes) on her tail. I took most of it off but there’s still some left. I’m scared that it could cause flystrike but I don’t know how to wash it off without picking her up and causing her pain. What’s the best solution here?

I did a treat test and I shook a bit of pellets in front of her, she showed a little interest but nothing compared to how bonkers she usually goes for them. Is something wrong or is she just a little woozy?

I am planning to keep her outaide in her she’d for the night as opposed to inside, is this OK?

If anyone has any suggestions for the tail problem, please reply, I’m desperate

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Great to hear that she’s home again and that it all went great ^_^

If she allows it I’d take a lukewarm washcloth and gently wipe her tail area with it.
The treat thing is totally normal, she’s probably still as stoned as a shrimp from the surgery ^_^ Try some tiny pieces of fruit or a favourite piece of veg, that’s probably more attractive to her now.
Wouldn’t know about outside, how big is the temperature difference? Rabbits don’t take well to temperature differences, especially not while recovering. Is there a special reason why you’d want her to be outside?

[Bam]

I think I’d like to keep her inside for the night. Hypothermia is a big risk with buns that have been under full anesthesia. A wound can attract flies. Is there any specific reason why you like her to spend the night outside?

The poop on her tail you could probably get rid of with baby wipes.

[Sofia]

I want to keep her outside because we are currently having a heatwave here. If I were to keep her inside then she’d be in my room. I can barely sleep because it’s so warm in there, let alone her as she has a fur coat on. At least outside she has some air coming in to keep her cool. It’s still quite warm outside but she sleeps there every night anyways so I’d say she’d be used to it. Also in my room there’s a big sofa that she usually jumps on, but the vet told us to try to keep her from jumping on furniture etc. as it can pull the stitches out. I don’t have an X pen or a cage so she would have to roam around my whole room (which is bunny proofed, but she can still jump on stuff). I’ll try and get the poo off as best as I can, but I don’t know how to prevent the fly getting at her wounds. There doesn’t look like there’s a lot of open flesh or anything though.

[Sofia]

I also noticed she always sits with her butt like up? Like she doesn’t want to sit on it? Is this normal as well?

[Bam]

Oh, I see, she’s used to sleeping outside ? That will probably be best for her then, and it’s quite correct that she shouldn’t be doing any jumping for 1-2 weeks (2 to be safe -after 2 weeks her internal stitching will have healed).

You will have to check for flies during daytime, that’s prettty much all you can do. I hope you can get the poop off. I use corn or potato starch (massage it into the sticky poop, then pick/ brush out), but I don’t think that’s a good idea with a bun that’s just had surgery.

Many swift recovery vibes for (((((Boo)))))

[DanaNM]

Not sure if someone mentioned this, but if she doesn’t start eating on her own, you should syringe feed her. It’s normal for them not to want to eat right away after waking up, but keep offering.

Did your vet send you home with pain meds?

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Sofia]

She’s eating pellets and veggies, but not hay. And you can’t really syringe feed hay. And yes I got pain meds for tomorrow and the day after. How do I get her to eat hay?

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Yay, glad to hear that she’s eating again You may try to tempt her with herbal hay or to hide small pieces of fruit in her hay. Maybe if you mix a bowl of hay with a small piece of banana it’ll become more interesting.

[Sofia]

Thanks Ellie for the banana idea! I tried it and she ate a bit of it and then went back to sleep?. It’s very reassuring that this is in fact normal.

[DanaNM]

If she’s eating pellets and veggies that’s great, I just meant if she wouldn’t eat at all. You can keep offering her extra yummy veggies to encourage her to keep eating. Her appetite for hay should come back soon.

If you have critical care on hand, you can also offer some on a plate, just to give her a little extra boost as she recovers (it’s got lots of good nutrition in there). My bunnies love the stuff and will lick it up.

My bunnies will take hay from my hand instinctively, so you can also try just offering her fresh pieces to tempt her.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Sweet! Nice to hear that it worked! Hope she’ll keep recovering

I’d mix up a small batch every time, just enough for one sitting so that the fruit doesn’t go off. You mentioned hot weather, so better safe than upset stomachs.

[Sofia]

Thanks for all the advice guys! When I came over to her shed this morning, she was in her litter box, eating HAY!! I nearly cried tears of relief ? she still hasn’t had any water yet though (not that I’ve seen). But I don’t know if I should give it to her through a syringe, as I barely got her to have her pain meds

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Woohoo, eating hay is great! 

Does she drink water from a bottle or a crock? It may be painful for her to stretch out to drink from the bottle.

If Breintje isn’t keen on drinking I make hay tea for him. It contains some extra nutrients from the hay, and Dutch vets often prescribe it to stasis bunnies or basically any bunny who is a bit poorly. It smells quite nice to humans too, kind of sweet like hay lying on a field to dry.

You make it by cutting up a handful of hay into small pieces of 2-3 cm and collecting it in a large glass/mug. Then you add boiling water and you let it steep for at least 15 minutes. The tea should be a yellowish brown by then, and smell quite sweet. Pass the tea through a sieve. Pour out a small amount into a crock for your bun and let it cool down (room temp or a bit above). The rest you can store in the fridge for max. 24 hours. Change the tea in the crock every couple of hours, because nutrient-rich=great for bacteria too.

Hope that she likes the tea, some extra fluids and nutrients would do her a lot of good.

[Sofia]

She drinks from bowl, that sounds great I’ll definitely try it!

[Author]

Messages