Normal behavior after neutering…

[Free2Dream]

Our 6+ month old bunny, Oliver, was neutered today. I brought him in around 8 and he was kept for observation until when I picked him up around 3:30. The vet tech said that he was very brave, woke up well and was even eating a little grass. (I don’t know if it’s normal to offer a bunny grass after surgery, lol. Maybe because it’s gentler than hay?)

Anyway, I spread out a blanket in his room so he can rest comfortably, but he is currently scrunched up in his cage with his butt in the air because he must be too sore between his legs to touch that area to the cage bottom. Poor guy.  The vet sent us home with no pain meds or antibiotics. Is this normal? I feel so sorry for him. I made his evening salad, but he is not interested in it right now. I left it out for him just in case. His eyes are bleary and the fur around them is matted with tears; I’m assuming that’s from the anestesia.

What should I expect in the next couple of days? I’m very worried. I hate seeing him in pain.

– J.

[Otti]

Hi J,

I just went through my bunny’s neuter so I’ll give you any advice I can.

Sammy sat pretty still for a few hours after I brought him home from his surgery… After 2 or 3 hours of sitting, he started to hop around occasionally – first short distances, and then further and further.

Within a few hours he also started grooming himself. He was licking his incision a lot, which worried me, and I even took him to the emergency vet because of it (over-reaction) but in the end because he had internal stitches and glue on the incision he couldn’t have damaged it anyways. When Oliver seems more comfortable, you might want to take a look at his incision sites, and if it looks like the skin is folded in on itself and the stitches are not visible externally, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to ‘ruin’ his incision by licking…

Sammy started eating again within a few hours… and was eating normally in terms of volume again by the following morning. I tried at first to give him raisins or a little bit of banana, and he would at least taste those, even in his ‘sitting phase’… you might want to try that. I’d also put his water somewhere close to him.

My vet did give me a liquid pain killer to give him at around 8PM (his surgery was around noon) when she said the pain meds given to him at the vet office would start to wear off… If your vet is still open, it might be worth it to call in and ask for pain meds… see what they say.

I gave Sammy the pain meds at 8PM on the day of his surgery and again at the same time the next day just in case (even though he was acting normal). Like I said, by the morning on the day after his surgery, he was pretty much back to normal in terms of eating and moving around.

The vet said to keep him in his pen for 2 days or so just to be sure that he didn’t hurt himself jumping around, but he was desperate to get out pretty quickly LOL Though I still kept him in his pen as I was told.

[Lintini]

My vet gave my males a shot of antibiotics and a 3 day pain killer shot. I too was worried and wanted more pain meds but they said I didn’t need them. You do want to get them eating right after so that is good that he nibbled some grass. The day after Indy’s neuter you wouldn’t have even known he was, he was back to his old self and trying to jump everywhere. For now just keep his cage very clean and litterbox clean, and keep offering his favorite foods. Do you have a water bottle and bowl available? Both are good to have out to get him drinking again as well. Try to take a peak when you can at the surgery site daily by holding a treat in the air so that Oliver will stand on his hind legs and then you can see. A bit of swelling is normal at first, you would be able to know right away if something was wrong. All my males bounced back the next day. It’s the girls that take a little longer to feel better. If he still looks in a lot of pain, it can’t hurt to call your vet and let them know and see if you can get pain meds. Mine cost 30$ so it’s not very expensive at all…I would have preferred them just to know my loves weren’t in pain. 

[Free2Dream]

I was really concerned about the lack of pain meds and antibiotics. I have been through surgery before myself and even with pain meds, the pain afterward can be excruciating. I hate to think that he’s suffering.

I just checked up on him and he has at least been drinking water. I sat down beside him and offered him a couple bits of papaya, which he gobbled right up. Then he hopped around a little (slowly, lol). He will only eat out of my hand at the moment, so I gave him some hay, romaine, and parsley, which he ate, but he didn’t consume a whole lot. Hopefully his appetite will improve by tomorrow morning… I know he can’t resist his pellets.

Thank you everyone for the support. <3 I am going to call the vet tomorrow to inquire about meds.

[Otti]

How long has it been since the surgery? If it’s only been a few hours his behavior now tentatively moving around and eating a little sounds perfectly normal to me! I’m sure he’ll be back to normal tomorrow!

[Lintini]

Sounds like he is doing very well then if you just brought him back a few hours ago? That’s really great that he is eating and drinking already.

[jerseygirl]

His eyes are bleary and the fur around them is matted with tears; I’m assuming that’s from the anestesia

This is probably from the ointment they put on the eyes. I think it’s to stop them drying out during surgery. So no bunny tears…though he might be crying on the inside lamenting the loss of his bits. ;o)
I hope he has a swift recovery.

[Beka27]

Please update when you can this morning. For the day of surgery, these behaviors sounds within the norm. Many vets don’t give boys take-home pain meds, but it is very likely that your vet gave one of the long-lasting pain injections before he left. So when you call, you can clarify on that. Spays are much, much harder on girls, so meds are necessary. If his neuter went as expected, the incisions should have been minimal and he should be back to normal, probably today or tomorrow.

[Free2Dream]

Thanks for the replies! I really appreciate it. <3

Oliver perked up last night around 10 PM. (Right when we were getting ready for bed, of course.) He finished his dinner overnight and consumed an average amount of hay and water, and this morning he was waiting at his gate for breakfast as usual. He is getting around much better, too, so I did not call the vet. He is acting almost *too* normal, lol! He bounded up to me when I got home from work, so he’s not having trouble getting around, either. It’s a relief to see him feeling better.

I’m so glad that we got a boy… I would be a nervous wreck if my bunny had to endure being spayed.

[Beka27]

Spaying is a bigger procedure, but even then, the ladies are pretty much normal within a week or so.

The alternative (cancer) is much worse than a routine procedure on a young, healthy rabbit.

[Lintini]

Glad to hear he bounced back so quickly and is doing well

[Nibbles_NZ]

I was a nervous wreck too when my boy got neutered. I couldn’t imaging having a girl either so I know what you mean. I’m glad he doing good. My Vet didn’t send me home with any pain meds either but I didn’t get Baxter until the next morning. He was completely normal other than moving a litter slower. You will be very happy you had him neutered and so will he! Good luck!

[DawnT]

I had three boys neutered the same day, when they came home they just sat in their cage looking all goofy.  Two of the boys didn’t bother their incison where as one did and that was Bubba.  He actuall yopened the wound where the glue was but not enough to see the stiches.  The boys hardly moved so I put their water food right next to them so they didn’t have to move.  My son came home from school and looked at them sitting there cages and told them “to man up your mother came home from the hospital and nursed you two with 5 staples in her belly.” 

I was told this was weird but Oreo the mother of the boys nursed them until they were almost four months old.  When she came back from the hospital after her spay she went to the corner where she nursed the babies and started to nurse them with five staples in her belly.  I walked over to over and coaxed her away from the babies with a small piece of banana and caged the bpys at that time.

[Sheng]

My baby name LC 9 months old. Last Tuesday he had neutered. But before that he had a check up with he’s vet and gave us scheduled for the procedure. My husband brought him at 9:30 am the veterinarian told him they will test his blood first and if no problem they will do the procedure 12noon and we can pick him up in the afternoon. So after my work we pick him up. Around 5:30 pm the vet explain to us what procedure and his blood test result. He is normal for the test but a little nervous and his mouth is a little dry. But the vet said its ok that’s why they proceed in the surgery. His testis is small and flat. The things get inside of his testis show us. She gave him medicine for anti infection. His eyes have cream to prevent dryness because even if she gave him anesthesia his eyes still open.. When we got home he licked his wound very much I think it’s normal we just gave him space. He sleep all night until after day he eat a little grass but not drinking water in his bottle. When I got home after work I need to give him medicine I pick him but I notice his guts is so big and redness. We called his vet she told us to go back to check it. When the vet saw it, he bite himself but no infections thanks God, she vaccine him a steroid for pain reliever. When we got home I give him a cup of water instead of bottle. And he started to drink water and eat his favorite salad and pellets. After 2 days he is now normal like nothing happened.

[MrBun&Daisy]

i just dropped my baby boy (always mommy’s baby) off at the vet this morning for his neuter. i’ll be nervously awaiting to hear he’s out of surgery. They didn’t give me a time frame other than him being probably ready to go by 4pm. how long is the surgery itself does anybody know? until then i’ll be reading up on what to expect when he comes home! I have a girl who needs to get a little older and gain some weight before her spay and I cant imagine how nervous i’ll be with that one!!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Hi, guys and Welcome to BB! This is an older thread, from 2010. We ask that members not reply to old threads to avoid confusion. Feel free to start a new thread on this topic.

[LYN]

My 2.5 to 3 year old lopear bunny was spayed about 2 months ago. Since then she has not done her usual playing in the morning and evening where she rolls around a nylon tube and jumps over it and runs through it for usually at least an hour each time, having rests every so often and then going at it again. Her eating and toilet habits are the same, but not as social as before and not as playful. Is there something i should be doing, or just giving her more time?

[Azerane]

Hi Lynn, this is an old thread from many years ago. To avoid confusion we ask that members don’t reply to old threads, but please feel free to start a new thread on the topic if you would like some help with your question

[Author]

Messages