Okay, bitter orange cream question...

[bunnyinabox]

So we got Meatloaf neutered and he's doing pretty well 24 hours plus later...

But I've been watching him, trying to figure out ways to tell if he's bothering his staples(yikes) or just preening/grooming himself. How would you tell the difference?

I've been looking for signs of blood on his bed(where he does most of his preening, and since he's got white fur, I've been looking at that too.. Haven't seen anything unusual though.

...Also, I don't want to apply the bitter orange stuff on him if I don't have to. He can be jumpy and goodness knows I don't want to stress him out further by holding him/restraining/touching him while he may be sore... and still has staples(the thought of staples spazz me out)

He's got an appointment to get them removed on the 7th and I'm just hoping things go smoothly and he leaves them alone until then! D:

 

[LakeCondo]

I'd rather use it than have to rush him to the vets. It's so much better than the collar, which many vets still use.

 

[bunnyinabox]

Uh alright, any ideas on how to do it? I mean... I know how to use it, but more like, how to apply it? Should one of us pick him up and hold him so the other can put it on, or should we try to hold him still on the ground..?

I just don't know, and I'm afraid of hurting him.

The lady that gave us the bottle said to use whatever method we found best but at the time it sounded easy, theoretically.

 

[FreezeNkody]

So you're bun had open neuter? I'm new to the neuter thing, Tebow has to go in a couple weeks, it does make me nervous because he's 2. (girl i got him from lied to me about everything with him) And I asked for a closed neuter... which I was told was ideal for rabbits.

 

[bunnyinabox]

Right, I'm new to the bunny thing, and if nothing else, dang I'm trying! :/

Um, I'm not really sure what type of neuter he had. All I know is she was the only vet in the area that really dealt with rabbits.(with an actual vets office and not a pig stye)

They also said he had one incision and not two?(been looking through videos on youtube and I'm still a bit confused on that one)

Sorry she lied about a lot of things with Tebow, I don't know why people do that.. but he's in good hands now. :3

 

[FreezeNkody]

Thats what I say. He's got horrible potty habits. I was told he was neutered, I checked he's got a set. i really don't even know if he's 2..lol

 

[LakeCondo]

I wouldn't pick him up, as he could squirm out of your hands. I think i'd probably sit on the floor & hold him still. You probably don't have to use much or put it in the perfect spot.

But I have no first-hand experience, so I hope someone who has will respond.:sunshine:

 

[HolyHandGrenade]

Maybe if he flops on his side while you're nearby, have someone help keep him in that position so you can dab some on his tummy really quick? The only time I have been able to peek at Monty's spay wound is when she's laying on her side, relaxed. She left the wound alone for 3 days, then chewed it open. I just had to have her re-stitched this morning and now she's stuck in a collar for 14 days.

 

[bunnyinabox]

Maybe if he flops on his side while you're nearby, have someone help keep him in that position so you can dab some on his tummy really quick? The only time I have been able to peek at Monty's spay wound is when she's laying on her side, relaxed. She left the wound alone for 3 days, then chewed it open. I just had to have her re-stitched this morning and now she's stuck in a collar for 14 days.

Oh my goodness, 3 days, really? D: We're approaching the third day and boy is he still guarded.. I can peek sometimes while he's preening and he'll always stop and stare at me like,"What are you doing?"

I mean, I can't tell if the area is pink, or if it's his skin because they shaved him a bit.. I've never seen a shaved rabbit though. No signs of blood so far, and he's acting fairly normal. No obsessive licking in that area or anything.. Hoo boy. ._. This is nerve wracking.

 

[woahlookitsme]

My boss always told me to not put any kind of no chew or bitter spray on an open incision. It will only make it itchy or burn. . . especially if alcohol is one of the main ingredients.

 

[tonyshuman]

The one versus two incisions thing may mean your vet did a pre-scrotal neuter. In this, they cut where the spermatic ducts come together and remove both testicles through that one incision. They do this some in dogs, I think. In a normal one they cut on each scrotum and remove that way. There are different benefits to doing it different ways.

 

[bunnyinabox]

My boss always told me to not put any kind of no chew or bitter spray on an open incision. It will only make it itchy or burn. . . especially if alcohol is one of the main ingredients.

Even if it's around the incision, and not in it? And yes, isoproply alcohol is the second ingredient(22%)..

See, that's what I've heard about the bitter cream, so you can understand my hesitation to use it... maybe I'll keep holding off and use it as a last resort instead of a prevention.

 

[woahlookitsme]

The one versus two incisions thing may mean your vet did a pre-scrotal neuter. In this, they cut where the spermatic ducts come together and remove both testicles through that one incision. They do this some in dogs, I think. In a normal one they cut on each scrotum and remove that way. There are different benefits to doing it different ways.

The one incision is how I have mainly seen neuters done in dogs.

If he isn't messing with it and it isn't bleeding or inflamed I see no need for it. He would always just tell me not to recommend it because I had in the past but he said in his practice he hasn't seen it help and usually just make it worse.

 

[Geoff]

Looking at a bunnies neuter incision shouldn't be that difficult, but if you feel uncomfortably holding your rabbit, then you might get some help from someone with more experience. Most rabbits tolerate gently picking them up, supporting the rear legs, and setting them on their rump on a soft surface (towel on a table for example) feet facing away from you as you support their rear end in your cupped hands and rest their back against your chest. Then you can look over and down at the incision area and inspect it. You don't normally need to move legs around to much, but most will also tolerate this if they feel comfortable and secure in this position, which they will if you are holding them properly.

I rarely use any external sutures/staples when I neuter rabbits just for this reason- rabbits tend to 'pick or lick' at anything on their skin that is abnormal, often to the detriment of a healing surgery. Staples tend to be a bit better tolerated than most sutures do, though, as they are smooth and don't stick up and are of a non-reactive material. If you do glimpse the surgery site and it is intact, particularly 3-5 days out, then everything is probably OK.. most damage done by a bunny to its surgery site is during the first 24-48 hours. After that they do tend to be less concerned about the peculiar structures sticking out of their skin, though they still may lick the area some. I rarely if ever use cones/e-collars in rabbits as they do not often tolerate these well and they are difficult to keep them on in a rabbit. But if you need to, try to use soft collars (not the stiff e-collars often used in dogs and cats) so the rabbit can still get around OK and move about its enclosure without twisting and yanking on its neck.