Spaying – Post Surgery Care

[LucyLop]

Hello Everybunny!!

I am new member to the forum, but a longtime BinkyBunny visitor! I have 1 bunny, Lucy, a blue tort Holland Lop. (That’s her in my profile picture)

When I first got Lucy, after a lot of research, I found an awesome vet; she had house rabbits herself at home and said that rabbits were the reason why she became a vet in the first place. I thought it was a match made in heaven, because she worked with a lot of companion rabbits and seemed to understand how important it was to me that Lucy is in the right hands. Afterall, she is a part of our family J  Unfortunately, when I went in to get the pre-op blood work done to make sure Lucy is in good enough health to get spayed, I found out that our vet had moved out of state! I was super bummed! I had to start from the beginning again, and try to find another vet. I have done a lot of research and have tried my best to be diligent in finding a qualified,  experienced veterinarian who has had a lot of experience working with rabbits. I met with the vet and went over all of my questions and concerns regarding the procedure, and got an overall sense of the way that their clinic handled these procedures. All of her answers to my (many, many) questions sounded in line with what I have read online, and what I was hoping to hear. The doctors answer to one of my questions, though, was unsettling to me, so I thought I could throw it on here and see what some of the more experienced bunny owners think.

I was asking the vet about how they will support Lucy in the hours after her surgery, where she will be kept, and how often the vet/techs will be checking in on her.

The part that stood out to me about her answer was the fact that she said Lucy would be in a cage, with a sheet draped over it and they would “try to put her in a separate row of cages than the dogs and other animals.” Lucy isn’t used to being in a cage, but I am not too worried about that, I am worried about her being in such close vicinity to barking dogs and yowling cats, and all the potential ruckus. I am worried that this could be stressful and traumatic for Lucy. Is this how it is usually done? Or should I try to find a vet who can make special accommodations or keep my rabbit separate from the other animals during recovery? Am I just being overly worried? I just love her SO much and she is SUCH a good little girl, the thought of her being scared and stressed out makes me feel terrible!

This is my first bunny, and I really do try my hardest to provide her with everything she needs, and protect her from unnecessary stress. I just don’t know if I’m being overprotective and need to not worry so much. I was just hoping that some of you more experienced rabbit owners could share you thoughts on this. Any advice is welcome, I am always excited to learn more and become a better bunny mama!

[Wick & Fable]

Having her in a cage is actually not a bad idea, as movement needs to be limited after the spay so she does not rip her sutures. Honestly, I’m unsure where Wick’s vet put him specifically after his surgery, but his vet typically has birds and such. No responsible vet would let a rabbit run around a free-roam area after their fixed surgery, so a cage is normal and recommended.

I have doubts that many people know what animals were in the vicinity of their rabbits directly post-spay/neuter, as it depends on what the vet’s current appointments and arranged visits already are.

If the vet for some reason needs to house a lot of loud animals that day, it may be something you inquire to re-schedule for another time.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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