Urgent - they say i should fast my rabbit for over 12 hrs

hello

I know i should not have left it this late to read the instructions carefully, but i have been rushed of my feet with something else important the last couple fo days.

Lavender is being spayed tomorrow and and we have a letter from the vets. We just checked over it and it says to fast the pet from 7pm! She is dues at the vets at 8.30am and there is no guarantee what time she will be done. We are told to phone after 3pm.

Now, I am pretty sure that we should not fast a rabbit for over 12 hrs. My child doesn't even need to fast that long before an operation. It is also past 7pm anyway. I am going to phone the out of hours number - which will put us through to Pets Now who the local vet is registered with. I am pretty sure we have been given wrong information. I just did an internet search and it said that a vet receptionist might give out the wrong information because that is what they would say for a cat or dog.

I don't see how you would fast a rabbit because we would have to take out all food and bedding and surely she would even eat her litter chipping and we can't stop her eating her cecotropes!

Ok, hubby has just phoned vets now anyway and they said definitely don't fast. Can anyone confirm this is correct? Do i not fast her at all? Do i need to make sure that the vet will take certain precautions considering she has not been fasted. My husband will insist on speaking to the vet and not just teh receptionist in the morning to complain and ask for reassurance. I am really annoyed to be given the wrong information!!!

Can anyone give me some information about how to care for her following the surgery. i want to get her back outside as soon as possible as she will be happier and it will be a bit disruptive for all, having her inside with the kids. But obviously we want to keep her in for as long as necessary. What do people advise?

We are going to have her in the kitchen and we have a cage which she can go in when we are using the kitchen and we need her to be contained. What is the advice regarding bedding? We thought we would give her blankets. When should she use straw etc again.

Thanks
Lynsey

I don't have loads of helpful advice but i just wanted to quickly reply and say please don't fast your bunny, they shouldn't be fasted at any point. Try to keep the bedding soft and comfy

Very definitely do not fast a rabbit before surgery. Just feed her as normal, no fasting for any length of time is necessary.

It's a good job you questioned it as it would be a bad thing to do. The rest of your plan sounds pretty much spot on, though no doubt others can offer more detailed advice and suggestions.

Water bowls rather than bottles are often suggested as a good idea for a day or two.

Hiya - yes the emergency vet has informed you correctly - a rabbit should not be fasted before surgery. They cannot vomit so the food does not affect them in the same way as cats, dogs etc and it can be very dangerous to prevent a bunny from eating. Mine always eat as normal right up until I take them in.

Is it a generic pet factsheet you have been given or is it for rabbits? If this is advice specifically for rabbits I would ask the question again at your vets tomorrow morning. Personally if they repeat the advice that you should fast your rabbit overnight before surgery I would turn round with my pet and walk out again. If you have been wrongly advised on the care sheet (or they accidentally gave you a dog/cat one) I would also kick up a fuss and insist they change it, because it could be fatal to a bunny!

After surgery she will be cold, as the anaesthetic lowers the body's ability to regulate its own temperature, and weak/tired. When you pick her up, check that she has been given a gut stimulant and a painkiller (vital that she's had painkiller at least!) and ask what time she had the op, so you know how long she's been awake for. Keep her warm and quiet and give her a bowl of water to drink from, poorly buns often find it easier than to drink from a bottle. Try and keep hay in a rack or in one place rather than on the floor (put her on vetbed, soft towels or similar) so it doesn't poke her wound. She may not want to eat tomorrow evening, don't force it, just give her some tempting things and try and encourage her to drink. If she doesn't start eating by the following day she will need to go back to the vets where it's usual to get given more pain relief and a gut stimulant.

All the best, hope tomorrow goes well xx

it is definately not correct to fast a rabbit. YOu have to for cats & dogs but not bunnies. I very much hope that they got the letters mixed up as bunnies shouldn't be without any form of food (usually hay) for more than a couple of hours as it can cause liver problems & a slowed digestive transit...possibly leading to stasis.

I'd make a bit of a scene at the vets because it is quite important. Thankfuly the vet has their head screwed on but the receptionist obviously has a few lightbulbs missing.

Please do not fast her !!

She will need to be indoors for at least the first night after her spay.
She should be eating and pooing within 12 hours of the op.
Towels or Vetbed are a suitable post op bedding and she should be fine to return to her normal substrate after a couple of days.

Please make sure you ask the Vet if a gut motility med and pain relief is given after the spay

She may prefer to have water from a bowl rather than a bottle when she first comes home. Some of her favorite Veg and some hay should be readily available to tempt her to eat.

I was going to add that vegetables seem more tempting food wise after, especially leafy greens and parsley. If she's looking mis, put the greens right by her and some water in a bowl too. Keeping her hydrated is important as it seems to bring them back to their normal selves faster & encourages eating. If she's not eating by morning you'll need to take her into the vets again who'll give you a syringe and critical care which will help her along.

Frank has been in for his neutering operation today and the receptionist made a point of telling me not to fast him.

I also got a letter in the post with generic pre-op advice for cats / dogs so I just ignored it :roll:

As for bedding and housing, i would bring her in for a couple of days, offer her her fav veggies and plenty of food.

Keep an eye on her but keep her quiet, she will be off it for first day or so.

Give her towels as bedding so nothing gets caught in her wound, she can go back on sawdust once her wound has been checked by the vets, usually couple of days after op.

All the best xx

Just to add to all the excellent advice already given, I always give mine a probiotic, like prorumen or fibreplex until the stitches come out. Also dandiloin seems to be a great tempter to eat when all else fails with mine.
Good luck with her op.

in all the bun that my vets spay or neuter, there is never been any pre-surgery preparation , nor did I hear this kind of story at the SPCA when they did their buns

please don't vast her, thats not good, petal got done last week and she'd had her breakfast before she went in and i took her some more food and her fav with me for the vets to feed her, i hope her op goes well for you.

I am guessing they have sent out a regular form/letter and not crossed out the parts that needed to be. if this is the case i would take the letter and explain this as not all people have internet and forum access to ask, luckly you did. Some people will just take the word of whats on te letter and do what it says.

Hope the spey goes well :wave: