my boys are getting neutered need advice

2 of my boys are going vets on monday to be neutered, just wanted to check things out. i have been told that from 7 tomorrow night they are to have no food of any sort and no water from 7 on monday. they got to be vets at 8.30 on monday. does this sound about right?

im affraid thats wrong. bunnies should never be starved before surgery! its life threatening! is your vet rabbit savvy?

Oh dear, I'm sorry to say that is not what you should do. Was it the vet who said you should do this or a nurse/receptionist? I would recommend you look around for other vets to get your boys neutered at as rabbits should deffinately not have no food at any time, they need to eat almost constantly to avoid getting poorly, a rabbit not eating goes downhill very quickly and rabbit savvy vets should know rabbits need to have their usual food/water available right up to their appointment and food/water with them as soon as they wake up in order to make a quickest recovary as possible.

they have always been really good with all my animals, dog, guinea pigs, chinchillas and rabbits. had a rabbit neutered a year ago but can't remember not giving it food, alot gone on this year and really can't remember. did phone vets again today to check and did ask about the gut ect and was told it was not a problem.

Even a non-rabbit savvy vet should know not EVER to starve a rabbit.

What they are describing will force them into stasis and could kill them, I would cancel the appointment and find a good exotic or rabbit-savvy vet (rabbits are classed as exotics so normal vets dont usually know much except the basics).

Quite apart from the danger of them doing this, the reason animals are starved before GA is so they dont throw up, and it is impossible for a rabbit to throw up, they physically cant. A vet that doesnt know that I wouldnt even trust doing vaccinations.

Apart from ignorance this also shows a disinterest in learning, doing what is right for the animals and its downright lazy - I wouldnt take any animal there.

Perhaps when you used to go there it was a different vet?

Hiya - I agree with the others, I'm afraid that advice is very, very wrong! A couple of years ago a new receptionist at my vet told me to remember to starve one of my bunnies the night before surgery, which I queried with her at the time but she was just a bit vague and told me to check with the nurse, but when I got home I phoned to speak directly to my vet, who was horrified - she made arrangements to ring everyone who had a bunny booked in for surgery to make sure they knew to feed and water as normal, and the receptionist didn't last much longer... It is something that needs to be taken seriously as a bunny that hasn't eaten for 12+ hours is already at risk of becoming very ill even before they've done any surgery!

Personally I would either cancel and find a different vet to do it if you're sure the advice was directly from the vet, or feed as normal and query it with the nurse when you take the bun into the surgery on monday morning...and see what s/he says and whether they agree with you that it shouldn't be done (and agree to re-train whoever told you that) before deciding whether to leave your buns or not. Many practices will remove food for half an hour or so before surgery just to make sure there is nothing in the mouth etc, but definitely not ever overnight!

Good luck xxx

Santa said:

Hiya - I agree with the others, I'm afraid that advice is very, very wrong! A couple of years ago a new receptionist at my vet told me to remember to starve one of my bunnies the night before surgery, which I queried with her at the time but she was just a bit vague and told me to check with the nurse, but when I got home I phoned to speak directly to my vet, who was horrified - she made arrangements to ring everyone who had a bunny booked in for surgery to make sure they knew to feed and water as normal, and the receptionist didn't last much longer... It is something that needs to be taken seriously as a bunny that hasn't eaten for 12+ hours is already at risk of becoming very ill even before they've done any surgery!

Personally I would either cancel and find a different vet to do it if you're sure the advice was directly from the vet, or feed as normal and query it with the nurse when you take the bun into the surgery on monday morning...and see what s/he says and whether they agree with you that it shouldn't be done (and agree to re-train whoever told you that) before deciding whether to leave your buns or not. Many practices will remove food for half an hour or so before surgery just to make sure there is nothing in the mouth etc, but definitely not ever overnight!

Good luck xxx

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I totally agree. If the advice was from the vet I would be running as fast as I can in the other direction.

both times it has been from the receptionist, different one each time. my hubby is gona phone tomorrow and ask to speak to vets. have just checked with a receptionist from pdsa and she agrees with all of you. i thought it was strange thats what made me phone them today. there is a number of vets there and in the past have saved my dogs life who was paralysed through a back injury, a guinea pig i use to have who other vets wanted to put to sleep. they have dealt with my chinchillas, really seems strange that they are saying this. like i said last year my other rabbits were neutered and came through fine but i can't remember if they had food or not. hubby will phone tomorrow and see. did you feed your rabbits just hay before opp or veggies as well.

Sky-O said:

I totally agree. If the advice was from the vet I would be running as fast as I can in the other direction.

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definitely - even if its from the receptionist I would be very concerned as it shows lack of interest and communication between vets and rest of staff AND suggests they do not neuter many buns - otherwise the receptionsists would know what to say.

Personally I would cancel the op. (telling them why - but not letting them dissuade me from cancelling), then start a thread on here for rabbit savvy vets near to you - and book in with them.

There are all sorts of things that can go wrong with a non rabbit savvy vet (lack of pain killers, op. taking longer than it should do so higher risk, not so experienced at monitoring rabbits under GA etc etc . . ). Its not jut the vet you speak to that needs to know their stuff but any vet nurses that will be healing with the aneasthetic and the aftercare, and other vets who may be on that day . .

my jed has just has his done on friday and he didnt fast at all for it and he is perfectly fine.

personally id be questioning the person that told you to do that as i agree with the others. obviosly the person that told you to do that dosent have a clue what he/she is on about

samijofood said:

my jed has just has his done on friday and he didnt fast at all for it and he is perfectly fine.

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No rabbits ever need to fast for any op at all as they cannot vomit and fasting is very dangerous for them as it play havoc with gut bacteria. Obviously they have to have food removed a few minutes before to make sure they do not have food still in the mouth or throat when they have to have the anaesthetic etc.

My Rabbit was neutered last week and the vet and vet nurse told me to make sure i don't starve him and bring his own hay in, they also told me not to feed pellets as he should have a natural diet and then sent me an email with all info on what he should be getting and to help me cut pellets out, They even cancelled the op the first time as he had suspected snuffles as they wanted to be on the safe side.

I would query it but i still wouldn t let them operate, tell them you've lost confidence in them and you will be getting them done elsewhere

I've just arranged to have my boy neutered. The receptionist said, "You know NOT to starve him don't you? & please bring in some of his food to start him eating again".
I'd expect that from any vets admitting a rabbit for surgery.