How to prepare for a long distance spay/neuter

[lavendertealatte]

I am hoping to take Bunster in the upcoming months to get fixed. However the most cost-effective and rabbit-experienced vets are hours away. My friend wants to take her bun to go to one about four hours away and I am considering going as well. There is another one that is 2.5 hours away, but more expensive. What should I expect and prepare for? Is it better to stay in the same city as the vet after the surgery for some time in case we should need further aftercare or is it better to head back home right after to a familiar place?

 

[doodlebugger]

That is a long drive. Our bunnies get stressed if they have to travel more than an hour. Will you be traveling while it is hot?

Our vet is an hour away. When our female bun got fixed, we brought her home that afternoon and she did fine for the ride home, but it was in the fall when it was cooler. The procedure took a few hours because they do the surgery, but then they keep the bun for monitoring to make sure that they come out of the anesthesia. She was there from 7 am until 4 pm when they released her. Then you have to keep your bun still for a few days while their incision heals. We kept ours in a very small cage. You will want to find out whether they do dissolvable stitches, or liquid bandage, etc. Traveling so far after surgery could stress them out, but they also might not notice if they are still drugged up. You could always call the vet's office and discuss this with them and they can tell you their procedure and what they advise. It's hard to know what to do because all bunnies are different and different levels of tolerance. I wish you good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Popsicles]

I agree with doodlebugger that is a long drive if your rabbit isn’t used to it. My rabbit regularly travels with me, so she’d be fine, so it depends if your rabbit has been on long car journeys before?
It completely depends how chilled/stressed your bunny is.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Good point. Bun has never been on a long drive before and I didn't think of the weather, it is indeed very hot right now in California. In contrast, my friend got her rabbit from hours away, so I guess it wouldn't be new for him. I don't think Bunster is more stressed than the average bun, but not super chill either. He was super scared of the vacuum cleaner the first time but after the first time he has done fine, for example. What does it mean you have to keep your bun still?

 

[Popsicles]

It means don’t let your bunny run around too much - if he has a a cage, keep him in that, or put him in a small pen for a few days. This is more important for a spay than a castrate.