How can I help my rabbit gain weight? Is it possible for her to gain weight before her spay surgery?

[gelliebean]

I've had my rescue bun for about two months now. She will be estimated 6mo at the beginning of december. She was a feral/abandoned rabbit that I found beside a parking lot. She was really thin when I first got her so in addition to all her medicine, I was feeding her critical care to get some weight on her. I still give her some occasionally, but she's still too skinny. She's getting spayed on Dec 7th, and I'm worried she's too thin for surgery. I had to book her surgery basically when I first got her, if I cancel the appointment she will not be able to get spayed until a couple months into next year.

How can I help her gain weight? She's been eating a lot of oat hay, oat heads, and extra pellets to help her gain weight. She's also been eating alfalfa hay up until now. Last time I weighed her was Nov 15, and she weighed 2.7lbs (1.2kg). I can easily feel her hips and shoulder bones.

I should mention as well that her usual vet specializes in rabbits and other exotics. This is where I took her for her first checkup. I'm running low on funds right now, but I'm determined to get her spayed so I'm taking her to a different clinic to save $200. This clinic is where my dogs go, they do not have a bunny specialized vet so they don't do checkups there, but they have experience doing rabbit spays.

How can I help my 6mo rabbit gain weight fast?
How long will it take for her to put on weight?
If she goes into surgery too skinny, will this put her at risk?

 

[Happy Hollands]

Always consult your vet before making sudden diet changes. Try incorporating 1 tsp. oats and a few black oil sunflower seeds into her daily diet, as both are caloric and yummy treats. Every rabbit is different, but it should make a noticable difference within a month. I'm not sure if her weight will affect surgery (or recovery time), but the main thing is that she is healthy and the vet feels confident she will be strong during and after the procedure! The only thing it may affect is the anesthesia dose, but it may be best to postpone the surgery until she is at a healthy weight.

 

[Diane R]

I really don't think you should try to fatten her up. Spaying is actually easier when they are slim, more difficult when there is more fat around the uterus.

 

[Happy Hollands]

2.7 lbs. is quite small for even a dwarf breed. Do you know what breed/mix she might be? She is considered underweight if you can feel her spine and hips the way you described it. However, I just saw you mentioned that the next available appointment would be a few months into 2021... I would try to keep this appointment, worst case the vet will refuse to do the surgery until she's a healthy weight Best of luck!

 

[gelliebean]

2.7 lbs. is quite small for even a dwarf breed. Do you know what breed/mix she might be? She is considered underweight if you can feel her spine and hips the way you described it. However, I just saw you mentioned that the next available appointment would be a few months into 2021... I would try to keep this appointment, worst case the vet will refuse to do the surgery until she's a healthy weight Best of luck!

Doing further research she looks like a havana mix? It's hard to say because she is pure black with a heart shaped pattern around her face (it's super cute but only apparent when you're looking up close). I included some pictures of her. The full body picture is from exactly one month ago. I also got recommended black sunflower seed oil by another rabbit owner, the adult pellets I'm moving her onto are the Sherwood brand and those are higher in fat so hopefully they help as well. The vet also gave me critical care because at the time I got her she was even more underweight than she was now, she's definitely gained some healthy weight other than her just growing into a bigger bunny. I might start giving that to her again.

 

[#SirThumpsAlot]

I like the disclaimer to always consult with your vet, but as pet owners you don't always have the time to do that before making a change, for that I will share my experience.

I have found that our little guy loves cabbage, he will eat as much as I put in front of him. From my research he should only have around a cup per day for his diet, I could see increasing this slightly if he needed to gain weight for health reasons. If you need your little one to eat I would try fresh greens, Cabbage, Kale, Spinach these are all greens I have found our little guy loves and is safe for him to eat in limited amounts.

In fact, we actually keep him fed with Imperfect Foods, you should check them out. They deliver fresh produce straight to your door all while helping to combat food waste! Together we can make a difference and your little one may just gain the weight you're looking for.
You can use our referral code to claim a $10 credit here: http://imprfct.us/v/tyler_2475

Wishing you and your little one the best!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I’m in a similar situation with my rabbit (except she’s already spayed but underweight)! If you can feel her hips and ribs prominently, it’s definitely a good idea to help her gain a bit more weight. What I’ve been doing with Athena is feeding her 1/3 cup of Timothy pellets, 1tbsp raw oats, and of course unlimited hay and water.

don’t try to make her gain weight too quickly as that can cause problems, but just increase her food amounts. it won’t take too long to safely get her to a good weight, especially if she’s close. About 1-6weeks, depending.

I also would keep in mind that this may be something (feeding her increased amounts) you’ll have to do for the rest of her life, as it is with my bunny. But it will depend on how your rabbit does!

I hope her spay goes well!