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Male rabbit not eating or moving after neutering?

marcus

New Kit
We had our year old male Netherland Dwarf neutered yesterday, we took him into the vet in the early morning and picked him up around 5.30 pm. Vet said that he was recovering well from the operation, although he looked rather groggy which I guess is understandable. Since we got him home though he has barely moved and has just slept the whole time. He is refusing food or water so we’ve tried syringe feeding him a little bit. He is extremely listless and barely seems conscious to be honest, which is very worrying. We have a follow up appointment with the vet this afternoon. Any advice?
 
We had our year old male Netherland Dwarf neutered yesterday, we took him into the vet in the early morning and picked him up around 5.30 pm. Vet said that he was recovering well from the operation, although he looked rather groggy which I guess is understandable. Since we got him home though he has barely moved and has just slept the whole time. He is refusing food or water so we’ve tried syringe feeding him a little bit. He is extremely listless and barely seems conscious to be honest, which is very worrying. We have a follow up appointment with the vet this afternoon. Any advice?

Is he indoors ? If not bring him in now

Provide a heat source for him, a heat pad, a towel that has been warmed on a radiator, a wrapped hot water bottle-something like that

Then contact you Vet immediately for advice
. He may need to be re-admitted straight away for intensive care if he is as 'flat' as you describe. He would need fluid therapy, pain relief, gut motility medication and syringe feeds.

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the replies, we tried syringe feeding him again this morning, we actually got some reaction out of him this time, which meant he hopped away and began sniffing around a bit, he generally seems a bit more alert which I suppose is an improvement on last night. Still refusing food and water though.
 
Thanks for the replies, we tried syringe feeding him again this morning, we actually got some reaction out of him this time, which meant he hopped away and began sniffing around a bit, he generally seems a bit more alert which I suppose is an improvement on last night. Still refusing food and water though.

Have you contacted your Vet ?
 
I would get him back to the vet today if he isn't eating still because rabbits become very sick very quickly if they don't eat. He could be in pain and need more pain relief. Has he pooed at all?
Try and tempt him with his favourite foods.
 
Yesterday the vet gave him a couple of pain killing injections and he was syringe fed, he’s been a bit more active since then and has actually started eating his pellets and hay but only in very small amounts. I’m in two minds as to what to do today, I could take him back to the vet where they will give him more pain killing injections and syringe feed him during the day or keep him at home and hope that the small amount of food he’s having will keep his digestive system ticking over. The problem with the vet option is that being a Netherland dwarf he is very easily stressed, the force feeding is particularly stressful for him and a lot of the food ends up over his face and chest which has to be washed off.
 
You can give oral painkiller at home. If you ring the vet and tell them you feel he still needs it but that the stress of taking him in is counterproductive then they should prescribe without taking him back in. He can have oral metacam (meloxicam is the drug name). If they give you the "dog" formulation it's not too big a quantity and you can drop it onto food or something like a mini shredded wheat.
The injection he had yesterday should last 24 hours if it was meloxicam, you can start with oral meds after that.
 
Yesterday the vet gave him a couple of pain killing injections and he was syringe fed, he’s been a bit more active since then and has actually started eating his pellets and hay but only in very small amounts. I’m in two minds as to what to do today, I could take him back to the vet where they will give him more pain killing injections and syringe feed him during the day or keep him at home and hope that the small amount of food he’s having will keep his digestive system ticking over. The problem with the vet option is that being a Netherland dwarf he is very easily stressed, the force feeding is particularly stressful for him and a lot of the food ends up over his face and chest which has to be washed off.

Can you ask the Vet for another couple of days of pain relief for you to give at home today and tomorrow ?

Is he pooing and weeing ? What comes out is as important as what goes in.
 
He seems to be eating most of his poo, when he does leave droppings they are extremely small. He only peed once yesterday but he has only started drinking water again this morning. The only food he is accepting is hay and pellets and only in very small amounts, so I’m not sure it would be possible to administer pain killers orally.
 
Have you got any pain relief. I had a week when Doughnut was spayed but you should have a few days given to you. I didn't want to stress her out so put it on a tiny bit of weetabix. Most rabbits love weetabix and it soaks the meds in and is less stressful for both of you.

I don't think he's eating a lot because he is still in pain.
 
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