speutering aftercare

[Sabine]

Benny and Raylann are going to get spayed/neutered tomorrow and I am wondering what to prepare for their aftercare. I was thinking of keeping Benny inside in the already set up cage for a day or two but not sure what to do about Raylann. When we got her she wasn't really happy in the indoor cage and I found it hard to handle her in there. I've had Coco spayed in summer and didn't really have to worry about temperatures. I heard that they may feel somewhat chilly after the anesthetic so I have three options and wonder what is best:
a) put her back into her own cage and maybe use a snugglesafe pad for comfort
b) put her into Benny's cage, which is smaller and better insulated + maybe a snugglesafe
c) set up a new indoor cage that we haven't sorted yet (big dog wire cage with blankets and littertrays on the ground)

What might be the best option? Also I remember the vet saying the last time I shouldn't use any bedding but fleece blankets instead. We did at the time but it didn't work very well. Coco kept pulling them away and peed on them all the time. I expect no better from raylann as she is only starting to get litter trained. Any advice on that?

 

[Flashy]

She will definitely need to be inside, and also with a heat source.

I used fleece with mine, but also gave them ay to sit on too, and allowed them to make their choice. I have actually written an article about all this that I give out when I adopt rabbits out from the RSPCA. If you want it, let me know

 

[Sabine]

Flashy wrote:

She will definitely need to be inside, and also with a heat source.

I used fleece with mine, but also gave them ay to sit on too, and allowed them to make their choice. I have actually written an article about all this that I give out when I adopt rabbits out from the RSPCA. If you want it, let me know

Yes please I would like the article

 

[Sabine]

So the deed is done. They are both next to each other in seperate cages in the livingroom. Benny bounced right back, started eating straight away and rearranging the fleece blankets I put out for him (waste of time)
Even Raylann was surprisingly interested in her environment, sniffing around but hasn't touched the food or water yet. She is quiet but not to bad, keeps moving positions every so often. I wonder will they get worse, when the painkiller wears off...

 

[Flashy]

What time can you give their next painkiller tomorrow? In the morning?

 

[Sabine]

I didn't get any painkillers. I don't think they give more than the initial injection. I didn't get anything for Coco either. I actually should have asked

 

[Flashy]

They really will desperately need them, especially Raylann. Can't think I would want my uterus removed with only one days worth of painkillers. As you know rabbits respond to pain by shutting down, and it makes their recovery far harder, so I would suggest getting them some painkillers ASAP tomorrow morning, that way they shouldn't suffer too badly, although it will obviously be uncomfortable. My girls get 5-6 days, and my boys get 3 days, unless there is a problem and they need it for longer. Metacam at the very least.

 

[Sabine]

Are these painkillers you get over the counter?

 

[Flashy]

No, you have to buy them on prescription from a vet.

 

[Sabine]

I'll give her a ring tomorrow and check it out. I'm surprised she didn't offer me a prescription though because as it tirnd out she used to work as a vet for a rabbit shelter in England so I'd consider her quite rabbit savvy. Is there anything that speaks against using painkillers?

 

[delusional]

We never got any additional painkillers with Daisy or Mango, and they did okay.. Mango was a bit quiet for a day or two, but didn't seem in too much pain, but Daisy actually took it like a bloke and after the first few hours was back to her usual self.

We didn't have any with any of the boys, either..

 

[Flashy]

In the past 18 months I have had 7 bucks neutered and 5 girls spayed. I gave them all painkillers and they all recovered fine. I had two for the rescue and got them 3 days after their respective neuter and spay and both of those had problems and took far longer to recover. I've never had any of mine chew their wounds at all, but yet the centre do, all the time, and one of those two came to me with a very infected testicle, and chances are that wouldn't have happened had he had pain meds. In my experience it has always been easier on the rabbit and they have recovered quicker having pain meds than without. The 'withouts' I have always had the pick up the pieces of.

 

[Sabine]

Are there any side effects of the pain killers or why are they not prescribed routinely?

 

[Flashy]

Most vets do not believe they need them, and most are not savvy enough with rabbits to know that they need them. As for side effects, I believe long term use upsets their tummy (not in a diarrhoea sense, in the sense of some sort of ulcer, I believe, but that is long term use, not short term use), and I believe Randy says the kidneys can struggle, also on long term use. That's all from memory though.

 

[Sabine]

like with paracetamol in humans?

 

[Flashy]

I think para in humans does the liver (or at least it does with an overdose), and it is the aspirin and ibuprofen in people that can cause stomahc problems (Metacam is also an anti inflammatory too which may be why it acts as they do) but there is a medication that can be given if that is something you are worried about. Why not ask the infirmary people? They can give you more educated info so you can decide whether or not you want to give them pain relief.

 

[Sabine]

Thanks, I'll do that. I'm just not sure if i can tell the vet what medicines I want but I CAN TRY AND DO SOME RESEARCH AT LEAST. Thanks for all your help again

 

[Sabine]

Raylann's first day out in the big run in the garden. her scar is barely visible and unlike Coco, she didn't chew out any stitches. We witnessed some major binkies

 

[kherrmann3]

Aww, she looks happy. I got "the butt" from Berry-Boo for over a week when she came back after her spay. She was mad... Lucky for you, you can't see her little scar! She's so fluffy!