Bugsy's been spayed

[nangobi]

Bugsy was spayed yesterday. All went well except that she attacked the nurse when I dropped her off - she put a horrible scratch down the nurses' hand. Nurse didn't mind at all - but I was quite embarressed.

Anyway, I'm rambling....when I picked her up they said that she should be eating by the evening and if not, they were there 24hours and to ring. Well, Bugsy didn't eat a thing but to be honest, I wasn't all that surprised considering, she just wanted to lie down quiet and doze. So I made her confortable in the carrier - it's very big and she can stretch out in it and she stayed in the kitchen all night. I left the food and waterout but even by 3am she still wasn't eating or drinking. I was getting concerned but have read some posts about spaying on the forum and it doesn't seem unusual.

Before I left for work she seemd to perk up a bit andwent to sit under the kitchen table which I hope is a good sign.I didn't bring her to the shop with me so I'll go and check on her later.

How long should wait before contacting the vet?

 

[Pipp]

I'd be very concerned if she goes 24 hours without eating, she's going to need to be hydrated and syringe fed. I'd call the vet.

I gather they didn't give you any pain medication for her?They don't very often, but I really think they should.

Hope she's okay. :? Let us know how it goes.



sas

 

[JadeIcing]

I would try tempting with veggies. Teresa refused pellets but ate cilantro when she came home after her spay.

 

[aurora369]

After Wildfire's spay she was absolutly miserable!

I got some pain meds from the vets (metacam) and it's supposed to betaken with food. Well since she wasn't interested in eating anything when it was time for her first does, she got a syringe full of pellet slurry.

I just took her regular pellets, soaked them in some water, mixed it up till it was really mushy and runny, then used a medium sized syringe to feed it to her. She wasnt' too impressed, but it did get her eating again.

I syringed her the slurry twice a day till I was satisfied that she was eating at her normal rate again.

Can you call the vet and get some pain meds? In addition with syringe feeding, pain meds will really help her get back on track.

Also offer her lots of tasty things. Stuff she may not get all the time, but really likes.

--Dawn

 

[nangobi]

I went home at lunch time and she was definitely in pain - grinding her teeth - so I took her to the vet. By3pm today she hadn't eaten or drunk anythng at all. They gave her an injection of painkiller, gave me some food to syringe into her and some Zantac syrup.

I brought her back to the shop and she suddenly started to drink! Obviously, the painkiller made a difference!She still hasn't eaten so I'm off home now to try the stuff they've given me. Interesting that someone said they tried cilantro -one of my customers is a bunny mum and she popped in to ask about Bugsy and said her rabbit ate loads of that after he was neutered - so I'll get some later on.

Thanks for the replies - here's hoping tomorrow brings better news.

 

[nangobi]

I've given Bugsy a couple of syringes of the' recovery food' and some of the Zantac. Some (60 mils at a time)around 7.30pm and now again at 10.30pm - but how often should I give it? She took it all into her mouth pretty easily but it requires a lot of handling and Bugsy hates that.When I went to get her for the last feed shebit my hand hard and she still grunts and gives little squeaks when you go near her. I don't think it's pain, more like she just wants to be left alone.

The only way to keep her still and stop her fighting with me or running away is to lean her on her back in my arms - and then she lies quiet and even appeared to fall asleep at one point but when I put her in the carrier, she was breathing very, very fast. She has to eat but I'm worried she's getting too stressed.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Just wanted to tell someone - feeling pretty sorry for myself - I've gota horrible cold and a temperatureand I almost fainted a few minutes ago so I'm off to bed now.

 

[Thumps]

Sorry my reply is short nangobi as I'm actually nursing my own bunny after his operation today. I'm glad to hear Bugsy was given pain relief, it can make such a big difference in how the yfeel. As for the syringe feeding, I'm feeding my Fiver every 3 to 4hours just so his tum doesn't go into gastric stasis.

I'm sorry Bugsey is hard to handle, is there anyone that could help you? How big is the syringe? I'm using a 2ml syringe with the end cutoff, that way I can make his pellets into a mash.

I'm sure someone will reply more fully. All the best for Bugsey, I hope she starts eating on her own soon. As long as she's having regular syringes of food and water, it will help to keep her digestive system going.

I hope your feeling better too.

 

[aurora369]

I would leave her be over night with a big tempting pile of tasty greens and hay.

They if she doesn't appear to be eating anything feed her in the morning.

I would try to feed about three times a day. You want her to be hungry, but also to keep her gut moving enough for her to not goin to stasis.


--Dawn

 

[nangobi]

Thanks so much for the replies.

This morning she struggled terribly. I wrapped her in a towel and covered her eyes but she still fought me a lot.At one point she got away and it took me ages to get her back - when I got close to her she lunged at me and bit me. I did eventually manag to get some of the food into her, not sure it was the full 60mils though.

I'll battle through the snow at lunch time and try again.

I've left some veggies (and asmall piece of apple - her favourite)out for her, hay and pellets - none of which she's shown any interest in at all.

Thumps: Hope all is going well with you and your bunny.

 

[Pipp]

Is she pooping and peeing?



sas

 

[nangobi]

She's pooping butpee until this afternoon. We had to shut our shop early today because of a blizzard so spent the afternoon at home. It's meant I could keep a better eye on Bugsy.

She took some more Zanat or whatever it's calledbut got too freaked out to take any of the recovery food However, she did take some apple from me - quite funny really, she chomped away on it for a while then tossed it at me and refused to eat anymore.

I haven't bothered her too much since then to minimise her stress but I'm about to see if I can encourage her to try some more tit bits and some water....... she took a bit of apple but nothing else.I'll leave her now and be a bit more patient.

 

[jordiwes]

Do you have any alfalfa hay around? That's the only thing my Jordi would eat (hand fed). Have you tried a warm compress as well? That might provide some comfort.

 

[polly]

I have found supergrass by burgess's really good and i know i might get shouted at but try a rich tea biscuit my rabbits get 1/2 one on a weekend as a treat but as rabbits have a sweet tooth they don't half like em. i also find my bunnies like a water bowl rather than a bottle when they are not well as it takes less effort.The other thing is go to your supermarket and just get veggie baby food to feed. Is the poos nice and big and round or small?

I have to say the vet shoud not be lrtting your rabbit out until they know its peeing and pooing and all of my neutered rabbits have had an overnight stay! as they have an injection they give if they need to reactivate the gut. hope this helps let me know how you go

 

[Thumps]

So true about the water bowl Polly. Although its far from an ideal food, but I've been giving our bunny Fiver a small piece of wholemeal toast and its something he does go for when he's poorly.

Did the vet suggest you giving Bugsey a probiotic? Sometimes it can stimulate their appetite. You can buy them from your vet in little sachets called Lacto B9. 1 sachet daily in around 30mls of water, butof course you'd have to check with your vet.

I really hope Bugsey starts eating soon or your able to get some syringes of Recovery in her. I'm sure if you had a word with your vet,they'd give you some advice too.

All the best for Bugsey xx

ps Fiver is doing ok thank you, still very sore. I made a thread about him here.

 

[nangobi]

Unfortunately, I couldn't go out anywhere yesterday to pick up any treats for Bugsy - thesnow was TERRIBLE - roads blocked etc. Not too sure how things are out there today so will probably try later on.

Bugsy did take some broccoli and a bit of apple yesterday and she's taken a bit of broccoli again this morning - but no pellets at all and only when I give it to her myself- she won't make any attempt to take it from the bowl herself. She won't touch the water in the bowl but she did take some water from her bottle when I held it for her. I'm going to get some more recovery food in her now.

Her poops are small, seem a bit wet and some of them are not round exactly, they have a little tail..?

Keep telling myself that it should be good sign that she ate something but time is going on.....

I'm gong to give some of your suggestions a try.

So good to have someone to talk to. Thanks so much.

 

[aurora369]

You can also try to hand feed her pieces of hay and pellets too. If she's eating from your hands thats a good sign.

Keep encouraging her to nibble on food and as long as something is going in and something is going out, thats a good thing.

The poop being a bit mush is normal for after a surgury. They should regulate themselves in a few days.

--Dawn

 

[nangobi]

I've found a better way of getting the recovery food into her - but if I hold her like a baby and stroke her head she relaxes (is that trancing) and I can get the syringe in withut her fighting. When she comes round she's really mad though!

She took a couple of veggie pieces from me earlier so hoping she'll gradually improve.

Still no interest in pellets and won't take any veg or water unless I give it to her - though the last piece of veg was thrown back at me and she got a strop and turned her back on me - made me smile anyway.

 

[polly]

Didn't realise you were getting so much snow down there, its not helpful either i have had rabbits doing those poos at least she is passing something, the probiotics are good that people have mentioned and the fact shes getting annoyed is good its worse if they don't care. keep at it i also find rabbits have a thing for raisons what food do you usually feed her?

 

[nangobi]

Hi Polly,

Didn't actually expect much snow yesterday - rain was forecast.It came down very heavy for this area but it's practically gone today - looks lovely at first but it's a real pain in the neck when you want to get out and about!

Bugsy usually eats: pellets andhay throughout the week with bits of veg and bit of fruit - carrots, broccoli,swede,apple, banana, grapes and we've just started giving raisins for a treat. Not too sure how much to give her a she's only 6months old but she has vbeg and fruit 2-3 times a week.

Can rabbits eat cabbage or cauliflower or asparagus? She went for a piece of cabbage stalk that I dropped in the kitchen once but Iwas afraid for her to eat it.

Amanda

 

[polly]

Hi Amanda yes you can give cabbage in small doses and cauliflower but don't know about asparagus. I feed my bunnies burgess super rabbit and if they are not eating the grown up stuff i give them a bit of the junior and dwarf as the pellets are a lot smaller and tastier as long as you mix in with your own food its ok the way you are going anything is better than nothing. Its nice to chat to another brittish member too as some of our stuff is different to the things the americans can get.