Ecollar Question

[Jazlyn]

Hello everyone, my bunny Zel got neutered last Tuesday. I know normally you shouldn’t put a cone on a rabbit but the last time he had surgery, he picked like crazy and needed one. It really doesn’t bug him too much or put him into stress, I just have to help groom. The vet advised 10 days but I feel like that is too long. It has been 5 days now. Can I take it off now or should I wait the extra 5 days? It looks fine, but I’m not sure what to do.

[jerseygirl]

If he is coping with it so far, you may as well leave it on as per the vets advice. Is it one you can easily remove and put back on? If so, you could give him breaks from it while you’re around to supervise. But it sounds as if he’s not to bothered by it, which is great. : )

Some vets will use cone on rabbits and ive seen plenty member here have them on their rabbits post-neuter.  My boy buns never did. Didn’t even have stitches to bother. 

[Jazlyn]

Thank you so much. He does have it off for now, but I do think I’ll put it back on later. It is pretty tricky to put on when he’s swinging his head around to stop me, but once its on he doesn’t bug with it like last time.

[jerseygirl]

Some of the soft style ones are not bad. Some you can trim back the plastic kind a bit too, that help them see a bit better.

The most annoying thing I find with cones is when the animal bounds up to you and crashes into your legs! When my sisters dog was neutered, he did this constantly. He wasn’t that bothered by the cone, but we all got whacked plenty of times by it. lol

[Jazlyn]

I hear him constantly whacking against his box! Poor guy. My only problem with it is that the one they gave me isn’t clear, so I think I may trim it to give him some more sight.
I am not excited to get my other boy neutered, he does not like help. I can’t place him down in his cage after I’m done taking care of his sore hocks or he gets moody. I have to place him just outside of it and open it up so he can jump in himself. I can’t imagine what he’ll be like when I have to help him groom!

[jerseygirl]

Well, you do have the advantage of being able to run your concerns about him past your vet before his neuter, I guess. Maybe the vet will agree to forgoing the collar? Ive often wondered too, if it could be put on the reverse way and it still prevent them getting to the surgery site. So the wide part of the cone is facing down the body instead of in direction of the head. At least their field of vision wouldn’ t be obscured that way.

For the week or so they have to wear the cone, could you not worry about grooming? Or are they wool breeds? Sorry, I can’t recall!

[jerseygirl]

Lol! Nix that idea about the cone on reverse. I just realised how that would affect their front feet. Maybe it would work more with a soft cone, idk..

Or wear it like a skirt.

[Jazlyn]

I did end up putting it back on, I don’t want him to get to it while I’m not home.
I would just not worry about grooming but they really like to get dirty. Normally they clean themselves, but with a cone they can’t and they don’t stop getting dirty. Zel also gets very matted on his butt because he does have long fur.
I’ve actually considered putting a diaper on him or something instead of a cone but I don’t want him eating it or sitting in his feces while I’m at school.

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