Spaying & Neutering: What to Expect Post-Surgery

Chances are that you reading this post because you just scheduled you Bun's spay/neuter and want to know what to expect post-surgery so you are fully prepared to help your Bun make a full recovery. If that's the case, we're glad you're here!. If you haven't already read our post about preparing your bunny for the spay/neuter, you can find it here. The steps covered in the preparation phase are very important and will make the recovery phase much easier to endure.

We have been through many spays and neuters with our Buns over the past eight years, and hope that you will benefit from some of our experience. First, to allay all concerns, the vast majority of rabbits fully recover from their spays and neuters without any special assistance from their humans, beyond the timely administration of their pain medications and, perhaps, a special treat or two to entice them to eat on the first or second day. We have not needed to intervene beyond this, but it is important to speak with your vet and ask for any warning signs that would necessitate a return trip to the vet.

Because their procedures are very different, it's important to emphasize that bucks tend to recuperate much more quickly. Spaying is an invasive procedure, so does tend to take a slower approach to recovery and moving around. Whereas most bucks are eating within 12 hours of returning home, does tend to take 14-30 hours before they are ready to venture beyond whatever cozy spot they claimed upon returning home.

When you arrive home, your Bun should be placed in a clean, sanitized space that he loves and feels safe in. We prefer to put light- colored towels or blankets in this area for bedding; it is easier to see signs of fresh urine and poo balls (good things) or spots of blood or discharge (not such a good thing) on light-colored bedding. If the space is an exercise pen, you will need to fold in a couple of panels to make the space smaller. Most veterinarians do not want rabbits to run around and binky for several days following their procedures, due to the risk of re-opening the site of the incision. Feel free to sit with him/her for a few minutes to reassure your bunny (and yourself!) that all is safe and well. After this, give your bunny some peace and quiet to rest and sleep off any remaining effects of the anesthesia. Give him a few hours to rest and then take a peek at him/her. You may get a surprise and find your bunny already eating or drinking happily. Check for signs of fresh urine or poo balls, if you can do so without disturbing your Bun.

If you have taught your rabbit to enjoy fresh herbs as a little treat, it's a good idea to place a couple of nice-sized pieces of his favorite herb within easy reach so he can nibble without hopping around, as he/she will be a bit sore "down there." Don't be alarmed if they aren't eaten immediately. Replace them with fresher pieces every hour or two, so they look and smell appetizing when s/he does get the urge to eat. The important thing is for the digestive system to continue functioning so s/he doesn't go into GI Stasis. Offering food and syringes of water, Sherwood Appetite Restore, or EmerAid Sustain from time to time is a good idea if s/he is awake. If your bunny just wants to snooze, leave him/her alone and check on in another hour or so. Sleep is very good for healing.

If you see signs that your Bun has been eating, drinking, urinating, and passing poo balls before you go to bed that night, your rabbit is already well on the road to recovery. If you haven't seen any of these behaviors, especially if you have a doe, do not be alarmed. They often wait to move around until after the rest of the household has gone to bed for the night before eating, drinking, etc. Hovering nearby can make it worse. If you are very concerned, offer some Sherwood Appetite Restore, water, or EmerAid in a syringe or in a small bowl close by to where they are sitting. Your doe may lick a bit off the tips of your fingers, but don't force the issue. She needs to be ready and will resist until she is.

Your veterinarian should have prescribed several syringes' worth of liquid pain medication (usually Metacam) for your rabbit to be used once per day over the next several days. The morning after the procedure, it's important to give your Bun the first dose. Please try to keep this medication dosage at a consistent time to help your bunny remain as comfortable as possible.

To give medication to our Buns, we like to get them accustomed to the taste of Sherwood Appetite Restore prior to the procedure. Most rabbits LOVE the taste because it's banana-flavored. We mix the pain medication with the properly mixed dose of Appetite Restore and water from the directions on the back of the package. (This is based upon your rabbit's weight, which should be included on your bunny's spay/neuter discharge paperwork from the vet's office.) After adding the pain medication to the Appetite Restore bowl, we draw it up and squirt it back into the bowl several times to make certain all of the pain medication is out of the syringe and mixed in with the Appetite Restore. We then draw up a small amount and offer it to the bunny to sniff. Most of our Buns eagerly accept it and want more, but we need to insert the syringe into the corner of the Bun's mouth before depressing the plunger on rare occasions for slower bunnies. (We syringe-feed the entire amount of mixed Appetite Restore and pain medication if they are resistant, so they receive more fluids and all the pain medication.) If they take the first bit happily, we can usually offer them the bowl, held in a safe position at an angle to give them easy access while they lap it up. After the first couple of days, they look forward to this "treat" and hop over to the bowl to clean it out while we leave them to enjoy it on their own. Continue giving your rabbit the daily pain medication on schedule for the remaining days.

We recommend removing soiled bedding and replacing it with clean bedding diligently for the first week after surgery, along with cleaning and sanitizing the litter box and other areas of the cage/pen as best as you are able. This will help reduce the possibility of your Bun developing an infection. Your bunny is not going to want to be handled very much during recovery, but it is wise to try to gently check the incision site daily for signs of swelling, redness, discharge, blood, etc. If your bunny is improving each day and is showing more interest in life, you don't have reason to be alarmed.

You should place a call to your veterinarian to voice your concerns if you notice any of the following:

• if there is fresh blood on your rabbit's incision site or bedding

• if your rabbit continues to be groggy/lethargic after 24 hours of being back at home

• If your bunny refuses to take any food or water after 24-30 hours of being home and there is no sign of fresh urine or poo balls in his/her cage space

• if you find your Bun unresponsive/unconscious

• if you see signs of swelling, discharge, redness or heat at the incision site

• if your Bun is grinding his/her teeth in pain

• if you suspect your bunny is running a fever or seems to be chilled (A rabbit's normal temperature is generally between 101-103 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Your vet may have other suggestions or timelines for when it would be wise to contact him/her so be certain to ask about these warning signs when picking your bunny up from the procedure.

We we have not answered all of your post-spay and neutering questions, please email us at hcbhollands@gmail.com with your additional questions and we will update this post.