Huppie is in post-op care, panicky me

Dear All

Yesterday Huppie was spayed and thanks to advice from here it was done by an expert - not our usual vet! It was a damn good job she had it done because her womb was full of pus and probably had been for a very long time and may have eventually killed her :shock:

Anyway, I took her home about 5 hours after she woke up. It was very funny because she ran around like a mad thing (no jumping though) until she realised she was exhausted and then sprawled out on the ground. I managed to get her to eat some carrot which is her favourite thing. She has done a few poos and a little wee but not much of either. She has also eaten very little. I believe that is normal for the first two-three days but I am worried that she isn't eating enough. How do I know what enough is?

She is sleeping more than usual and is cleaning herself a lot but she doesn't seem to be licking or chewing her tummy. I have to give her 0.7ml Baytril for 10 days, twice a day. It is longer than usual because of the pus apparently. I also have to give her 0.35 ml Metacam twice a day for 5 days as pain relief. If she stops eating I have to force feed her 10 ml juvenile postoperative powder stuff and call the vet. I so hope she doesn't stop eating. How you are meant to force-feed powder I don't know - mix it with water I suppose!

Anyway, I am crapping myself that I am doing something wrong or missing something in her behaviour or that she isn't eating enough but aside from sitting with her 24/7 I don't know what else I can do!

Thanks for your help and advice - I will keep you posted!

Emma

P.S. This is a re-post from an old thread I had on a few things about my vet. Sorry! (http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?p=2579653#post2579653)

are there instructions with the powder? I imagine you make it into a liquid and syringe it.

If she's eating and pooing even if only a little bit she is probably fine. Just make sure she has plenty of the fod she likes and water always at hand (a bowl is sometimes easier than a bottle)

Hubby just spoke to the vet for me and the powder should be mixed with some water and syringed just like you suggest. It isn't necessary but won't hurt if she seems like she isn't eating much, although I should only give her 10ml. Apparently the powder is a nutritional food supplement. She should be fine as long as she carries on eating, pooing and weeing - even if just a little bit. Apparently it can go on like this for a couple of weeks, poor thing

oh well, I am probably being an overly protective mum:lol:

fingers crossed!

Sending vibes for a speedy recovery for Huppie.

I'm sure you'll make a fine nurse. They are worrying little things. Wishing ehr a speedy recovery.

thanks for your nice words!

I have just had a nightmare with her. She was fine with her medicine this morning but this evening she was really skittish and was very hard to hold and she was really upset by the syringe. I tried to do everything the same way as this morning but she wasn't having any of ut! I am really upset. She is in her hutch now (she has the run all day - it is 21:30 where I am so it isn't too early for bed) but she is all grumpy.

I have ten days of this and the healthier she gets the more stroppy she is going to be - she never likes being picked up at the best of times. Poor Huppie only likes a stroke and some restful cuddles - never the picking up type though.

Oh Lordy.

See this is me really in panic mode now

Just had to vent but if anyone has any advice it would be much appreciated

I hope she forgives me!

Emma

Sending you big hugs, and quick healing vibes for bun, hopefully her appetite will return so you dont need to syringe feed her, fingers crossed.x

Mine will eat their Baytril on their pellets. Thankfully when my girls were spayed, I didn't have to do too much as they ate themselves and I didn't have to syringe.

I don't know if this is ok with bunnys, but with other small & furries, you can put the baytril on something they really like (with hamsters, mice and rats it's usually baby food) so they don't realise they're taking it. I wonder if it would be worth you trying the baytril mixed in with some softened pellets? This way you wouldn't have to pick her up to syringe feed her it. Another option (taken from my vet nursing book) would be to wrap her quite firmly in a towel, so she can't kick or scratch you, like you would with a cat. Also, try to stay cool and calm around her, if you're wound up, she's more likely to be wound up too.

if your bun isnt sitting all hunched up and has legs out the back...is eating ,pooing and weeing.is interested in a treat then shes fine! i know its horrible when they have an op you panick about whether they are ok or not!
hope bun is back to normal asap

Good news and HELP!!!!!!

Hi all

The fantastic news:
This morning I went to the hutch and Huppie had pood as much as normal, although they were a bit small. She had also finished her carrot, a small piece of cucumber I gave her, nibbled on a slice of apple and eating quite a few of her pellets. Hoorah! She also jumped straight out of the hutch and resumed her normal hopping routine. Hoorah!

The bad news:
Unfortunately I still have to give the painkillers and antibiotics because she had pus in her womb and the infection needs to be cleared up.

The problem is Huppie was a very neglected rabbit for the first 5 years of her life - I have only had her six weeks and before that time she had never even been vaccinated! I rescued her from a friend who rescued her from a friend who was moving. This means she HATES HATES HATES being picked up. I have managed to do it to look at her bum but to do this I can put her on her back against my chest for a couple of seconds and all is well. But this morning she is growling when I try to pick her up - she hasn't growled since the first week I had her! I can't say I blame her every time she has been picked up in the last couple of days it is to have something nasty done and if someone tried to force-feed me I'd kick up an enormous fuss! How do I pick up her up now? God help me, 9 more days of this!

Emma