Spaying

Just booked Lilly in for her spay on Friday. In and out same day. Harvey will not be staying at the vets with her, but I'm going to let him free range in the garden with me all day (hopefully he won't notice she's gone as they usually completely ignore eachother when free ranging :roll: )

The vet said I should keep them apart for a week after :s is that right? Wouldn't that break their bond? I thought it'd be ok to put them back together straight away especially considering they have never been rough together?

What are other people's opinions on this?

*Funny*Bunny* said:

Just booked Lilly in for her spay on Friday. In and out same day. Harvey will not be staying at the vets with her, but I'm going to let him free range in the garden with me all day (hopefully he won't notice she's gone as they usually completely ignore eachother when free ranging :roll: )

The vet said I should keep them apart for a week after :s is that right? Wouldn't that break their bond? I thought it'd be ok to put them back together straight away especially considering they have never been rough together?
What are other people's opinions on this?

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Even being apart for the day whilst she's being speyed could break the bond but I can appreciate it's not easy taking him in with her. If you have to take her in alone keep him out of their normal accommodation for the day (so that he doesn't claim it as his).

I believe your vet has not given you the best advice :? You certainly need to keep her somewhere warm & free from anything she can jump on or in i.e. litter trays until her wound has completely healed. No ramps either. This might mean BOTH buns are restricted for a short period but it won't do them any harm as it's only temporary. I believe she will recover better and quicker if she's somewhere familiar and with her bonded partner.

Keeping them separated for a week will almost certainly break the bond.

Has he been neutered as well? As long as he isn't harrassing her and you will be around to keep an eye on them I personally can't see any problem. I'm pretty sure I left Mini and Mischa together after Mini's spay. In fact I'm certain I did as Mini dislocated her hip at the same time and Mischa did a lot of protecting of her. There wasn't an issue, in fact I think it helped as he really looked after her. I would, though, see if you can take them both in, or at least take him when you pick her up so he will smell of the vets slightly as well. The car ride home in the same carrier may help to reaffirm the bond.

Fluffers said:

Even being apart for the day whilst she's being speyed could break the bond but I can appreciate it's not easy taking him in with her. If you have to take her in alone keep him out of their normal accommodation for the day (so that he doesn't claim it as his).

I believe your vet has not given you the best advice :? You certainly need to keep her somewhere warm & free from anything she can jump on or it until her wound has completely healed. No ramps either.

This might mean BOTH buns are restricted for a short period but it won't do them any harm as it's only temporary. I believe she will recovery better and quicker if she's somewhere familiar and with her bonded partner.

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This is what I thought too! I'm at my parents for the week so thankfully I have a bit more freedom as to how they are kept (indoors, outdoors, free-ranging, garage etc) so I can choose the best accommodation for her to heal best

He'll be out in the garden (if it's nice weather) or in the living room with me (if it rains) whilst she's away with no access to any of his cages. He'll be getting lots of cuddles, play and parsley to distract him from missing her or "claiming" any areas as his

Elena said:

Has he been neutered as well? As long as he isn't harrassing her and you will be around to keep an eye on them I personally can't see any problem. I'm pretty sure I left Mini and Mischa together after Mini's spay. In fact I'm certain I did as Mini dislocated her hip at the same time and Mischa did a lot of protecting of her. There wasn't an issue, in fact I think it helped as he really looked after her. I would, though, see if you can take them both in, or at least take him when you pick her up so he will smell of the vets slightly as well. The car ride home in the same carrier may help to reaffirm the bond.

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He was neutered over a year ago and they're very gentle together so I can't see him hurting her. I have two carriers and the vets will take her through to the back in one, so I'm thinking of taking them both in one but bringing my spare one. That way I can ask again if they'll let him be with her at the vets, and if not I still have a way to transport him home. I'll be bringing him down to the vets to greet her, hopefully they won't be annoyed that I'm quite obviously going against their advice to keep them separate

My two stay together...Daisy had a bout of stasis and stayed at the vets all day and Poppy went with her and stayed even though she wasnt poorly...Daisy needed her!

When they were spayed they were done the day after each other (medical emerg at the vets postponed daisys op) but they were still allowed to stay together

*Funny*Bunny* said:

He was neutered over a year ago and they're very gentle together so I can't see him hurting her. I have two carriers and the vets will take her through to the back in one, so I'm thinking of taking them both in one but bringing my spare one. That way I can ask again if they'll let him be with her at the vets, and if not I still have a way to transport him home. I'll be bringing him down to the vets to greet her, hopefully they won't be annoyed that I'm quite obviously going against their advice to keep them separate

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Their advice (IMO) is poor and I'd consider switching vets!

megansmummy said:

My two stay together...Daisy had a bout of stasis and stayed at the vets all day and Poppy went with her and stayed even though she wasnt poorly...Daisy needed her!

When they were spayed they were done the day after each other (medical emerg at the vets postponed daisys op) but they were still allowed to stay together

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I'll ask again when I get there, I don't think the receptionist really got what I was asking so I don't think she asked the vet the right questions :roll: but when she said they should be kept separate for a week I thought "well if they don't want them to be together in their own home they're not going to let them be together at the vets!".

Fluffers said:

Their advice (IMO) is poor and I'd consider switching vets!

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I would but I'm in a strange situation, usually live in Bristol with no car, I'm back at my parent's for 2 weeks with the buns so need to get her done at the beginning of this period so I can have her in suitable accommodation and be able to get her to and from the vets (I have a car at my parents) so at short notice and with my £100 budget in an expensive area for vets, I chose to go with my usual vets (we take our dog there and have taken all our other animals) as they are local and within my price range and they had a free slot this week. Normally they're good, they told us with our old rabbits to definitely get them "fixed", that it was really important to get jabs and to have checkups with their teeth and were really useful advising about diet. But that was their rabbit specialist vet, so maybe the one who the receptionist spoke to was another one who knows less about rabbits :s

I always take mine to the vets together. Once our vet recommended we leave Mischa overnight so he could have an xray the next morning and when I asked if Mini could stay too the first thing he said was 'absolutely!'. A good rabbit savvy vet will know how important the bond between a pair is.

Elena said:

I always take mine to the vets together. Once our vet recommended we leave Mischa overnight so he could have an xray the next morning and when I asked if Mini could stay too the first thing he said was 'absolutely!'. A good rabbit savvy vet will know how important the bond between a pair is.

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:thumb:

I'll tell the vets when I take them I'll be much more comfortable if they take Harvey too and explain why. I don't see why it would be a problem as they'd be taking up no more room as they'd be in one cage together :? fingers crossed they'll take Harvey with her. I feel so sorry for Lilly having to have such a big op, but I know it's best for her

*Funny*Bunny* said:

I'll tell the vets when I take them I'll be much more comfortable if they take Harvey too and explain why. I don't see why it would be a problem as they'd be taking up no more room as they'd be in one cage together :? fingers crossed they'll take Harvey with her. I feel so sorry for Lilly having to have such a big op, but I know it's best for her

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Well done :thumb: Stick to your guns. You know you are doing the right thing.

Worth checking who their most rabbit savvy vet is. If you're not 100% confident in their ability wait until you can find one that you trust

Definately push for it, it will do her the world of good to wake up next to her friend, not by herself in the scary strange place. Explain that you are worried it will break their bond to be apart, say she gets stressed without him.

Annabelle always goes with Barney when he has his dentals, and he seems to recover from anesthetic a lot better since they've been bonded.

i had my two does who are sisters spayed at the same time so they stayed together throughout, but when i had my other doe Holly neutered i checked with the Vet Nurse after she was discharged about when to reunite her with her brother Daniel, at my vet's they keep neutered bunnies in for an overnight stay, so she was already apart from him for that night, he really missed her and the nurse said as long as he isn't too bouncy or dominant which he isn't at all, he is a gentle giant and a real softie who adores Holly, then it should be ok to let him see her straight away, but she will smell of the Vet's and smell strange so to be careful and keep watch , as soon as i got her home he knew she was back, i was worried how he would be, but it was the happiest reunion of two bunnies i have ever seen!! as soon as he saw her his whole body relaxed and the relief literally showed on his face, he was just so happy to have her back , there was no trouble at all, but of course that is just in my experience, other pairings i have had may not have been so easy , he also stayed in while she was on crate rest and just wanted to be with her and cuddle her and look after her, i also think it was a comfort to gherto have him there and helped her , good luck and hope all goes well :thumb:

Thanks it's reassuring to know that even if the vets say definitely no to letting Harvey stay in with her that there's a chance they can be reunited straight away with not too many problems

I think Lilly's hormones have just kicked in unfortunately she been doing some nesting and I just caught her humping Harvey luckily he's not getting annoyed by it, he just turns around and allows her to mount his head, I think he thinks he's getting a nose rub :roll:

Is there anyway to stop a hormonal female rabbit from humping.... In Spring.....? No aggression from her, she's just eating hay, humping Harvey then grooming Harvey in rotation, with the odd frantic circle around her run :?

He's not too bothered, a little stressed by it but no aggression from him, occassionally runs away but generally stays as he knows she'll be grooming him soon :roll: just worried the playfulness will turn into aggression :?

Keeping them apart is necessary because poor Lilly will be sore and need to be kept in a confined space for a little while. I'd think that the strange unfamiliar smells from the vets and the op will upset Harvey and confuse him. But if you are keeping Lilly in a cage or something like that during the recovery period (which is probably the best to do so she doesn't hurt herself), you can let harvey be around on the outside so they'll be together and around each other but not in physical contact.

GOOD NEWS!! Both bunnies are sat in the vets together waiting for Lilly's spay

I said to the vet that I was unsure on their policies with rabbits but as far as I was aware if you have two rabbits that are normally together both stay at the vets if one has too. And she replied that that was absolutely right and exactly what they usually do so they would be happy to take Harvey too I don't who the receptionist asked but I reckon it was a vet who just does appointments and has nothing to do with the surgical and admissions wards so didn't know. Or the receptionist misunderstood what the vet said like she misunderstood me :roll:

But anyway, both bunnies are together which is awesome

Brilliant, lots of positive vibes heading lilys way!