Missing Spay Scars?

[slayant]

My wife and I adopted a female rabbit, Cinnabun,from the local city shelter two weeks ago. Included with theadoption paperwork is a certificate stating that she was spayed on2/05/07. Yesterday, I brought Cinnabun to our vet for aphysical checkup, and when she checked Cinnabun's tummy, she couldn'tfind a spay scar. The vet had someone else confirm that thereweren't scars on her tummy.

I called the local shelter today and the vet remembers spaying Cinnabunand assures me that she is indeed spayed. She also said thatsome rabbits heal really fast and leaves no scars. Is thisusual? Is there a non - intrusive way to check if she isreally spayed or not?

 

[stephiemarie78]

well i had the same problem with coco when i adopted her they didn't feel it so they shaved her and they found a scar.

 

[JimD]

I have the same issue with a bun I got from the shelter.

When we adopted "him" the shelter gave us paperwork indicating that he had been neutered. He was about 3-4 months old.
A couple of months later we discovered that he was very much a she. No mistaking it.
We went back to the shelter and asked them about it and they said thatthere must have been a mix-up with the paperwork and they were "prettysure" she had been spayed.
There were no scars to show that a spay had been done. The shelter saidthey would just go ahead a perform the procedure to ensure it had beendone....if we wanted. I grabbed my bunnie and ran, very fast, to thenearest exit.

I talked to my vet and she said that sometimes someone who is very good at palpitating can feel for the uterus.
She said that she couldn't positively confirm spaying and recommendedan ultrasound as a noninvasive procedure to check.....but the cost isdouble that of a spay.

It seems likea lose-lose situation at best.

~Jim

 

[Runestonez]

Our vet Claire spayed/neutered all ourcats. We had/have 6 there is not one scar to beseen. Even our girls who were done by a different vet don'thave a visible scar! Some vets are very good at what they doand if the wound heals well...no marks.One of thegirls at the Humane Society was complaining about it once...if youcan't see a scar you have to feel for it...and if you can't feel itthey have to do an x-rayor something to that effect(? I thhink that iswhat they said) to confirm! Maybe it hassomething to do with the fact that our vet uses surgical glue insteadof stitches?

 

[Haley]

I dunno, 1 month seems awful fast to heal! Mytwo foster girls were spayed 2/17/07 and I can definitely still see it-the hair is just starting to grow back.

Did they shave her tummy? It should be evident then, since it was supposedly a month ago.

I guess the alternative would be either an xray (but I wonder if that would show) or to open her up and see?

 

[slayant]

The wifey and I verified that Cinnabun is indeeda she Her tummy was shaved when she was"spayed". However when my vet and I took a lookaround her tummy, all we could find is smooth pink skin.Since it has only been 6 weeks since the operation, I would expect tosee incision marks or something. I'll try to take a closerlook tonight with a flashlight.

 

[pamnock]

This is a good reason why tummy tattooing is soimportant. Removes all doubt as to whether or not the doe wasspayed

Pam

 

[gentle giants]

What is tummy tattoing?

 

[slayant]

Would've been great if the vet left a tatoo onher tummy. A tummy tatoo is a mark left on the tummy tosignal that the rabbit/(or any other pet) has been spayed.

 

[Baxter]

How long does it take for hair to growback? I adopted a bun as well and she was done on Jan 17/07and she has all her hair! Is that normal or should I beworried too!!

 

[naturestee]

Is it possible to find the uterus on an ultrasound? That would be a good non-invasive way to check.

 

[pamnock]

A sonogram can be very helpful, but may beinconclusive. They may be able to identify with certainty ifthe uterus is intact, but may not be able to tell for certain ifit's missing, or they just can't find it on the sonogram.



Pam

 

[JimD]

pamnock wrote:

Asonogram can be very helpful, but may be inconclusive. Theymay be able to identify with certainty if the uterus is intact,but may not be able to tell for certain if it's missing, or they justcan't find it on the sonogram.



Pam

That's basicaly what our vet said, too.

And the cost is something to be considered as well....oh my.

~Jim

 

[naturestee]

Is it that expensive? I've never hadto pay for one. My vet did one for free on Lily once becausethe machine was on anyway, but my vet clinic is nice like that.

 

[Bassetluv]

Baxter wrote:

How long does it take for hair to grow back? Iadopted a bun as well and she was done on Jan 17/07 and she has all herhair! Is that normal or should I be worried too!!

That sounds pretty normal to me. My girl Anna was spayedwhen I adopted her, and I picked her up 3 days later. Aside from a verysmall area that was shaved and a very small mark where the incisionwas, I would never have known she'd undergone surgery...she was eating,drinking, pooping, and attempting to run about and play even though shehad just come from the vet's. Her fur grew back in very quickly, and Idoubt I'd be able to find a scar on her now.