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Emergency Surgery

R

RinnyRin

Warren Scout
Hey all

So Ivy had to have emergency surgery this morning. She was belly pressing, tooth grinding, refusing food yesterday evening and so I had to take her in.

She had pain relief, gut motility medicine, IV fluid and critical care. Her stomach kept getting bigger and bigger…

I just had the call off the vets to say she is out of surgery. She had a hard pellet of some kind in her stomach and once that was moved, her stomach started emptying and the build up of gas started moving.

I feel so sick. I feel like this is my fault. When I look at Leafy, I weep because he’s without his cuddle buddy.

Please, send thoughts, love, vibes, advice. Anything.


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Really sorry to hear this, poor Ivy, but pleased to hear that surgery went well. Sending a million vibes that she's home soon with Leafy xx
 
I don’t have any experience of this so I can’t advise, but I’m sending lots of vibes. I’m sure it wasn’t down to anything you did or didn’t do. I hope they are soon reunited xx
 
Oh, I'm so very sorry she had to have emergency surgery. :( I'm glad that the surgery helped in getting her stomach to empty and getting the gas to move. Like Zoobec, I'm sure it wasn't anything you did. Sometimes bunnies get sick, just like humans do, and it's no one's fault. Sending so, so many vibes for Ivy. I hope she can come home soon and that she and Leafy can be together again.
 
Sending vibes for ivy,leafy, and you. You got her prompt care and they found the issue, so try not to blame yourself.
 
Thank you for the well wishes. There is a change over of staff around now so I won’t hear anything for a little while.

I’m a wreck. It occurred to me that I didn’t even ask about costs. How do you even care for a post-surgery rabbit? They’ll guide me…I’m sure? I hope. Need to be brave.


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Yes, they'll very likely tell you how to care for her, and if you don't understand or know something, you can ask them. That's what they're there for.
 
Sending lots of vibes for Ivy and lots of hugs for you. I hope you get some reassuring news soon.
 
It is scary. Don't blame yourself though, rabbit digestive systems are very badly designed and are prone to this kind of thing. Avoiding I is hard - your job was getting her to the vets when you needed to. You were there for her when she needed it.
 
She's a lucky bunny that you acted so promptly. She's in good hands, and the vet nurses will give you all the info you need to look after her. Just keep asking if you are not sure about anything, even if you've asked it before - they tend to run through things too quickly to take it all in at discharge time, and panic mode isn't good on memory - maybe write down what they tell you as well, so you can refer back to it. I've not had a rabbit go through that type of surgery, but I assume the same principles apply. Keep her confined inside until she heals. Monitor input (food, water) and output (wee & poo). Provide a heat source so she can use it if she wants, until she is properly mobile. Keep an eye on the wound. Ring vet if any issues.
 
I agree with all of everyone's wise words!

I've had two rabbits have blockage surgery and both survived, (sadly Elmo had it twice and didn't recover the second time around) and though it's incredibly stressful, they recovery surprisingly quickly once the surgery is over with. Caring for them was the usual protocol of pain relief and monitoring input and output etc, but you wouldn't have known with my two that they'd been through such an invasive surgery! Their wounds healed quickly and I just ensured their enclosure was clean, but I think getting them back to normality helps a lot too. I remember spoiling them with lots of forage to ensure they ate well.

Chinook had her surgery when she was about 4 and lived to be 10.5, in case that offers some reassurance.

The surgery will have been expensive, but they'll likely have payment plans for you so you don't need to pay it all at once.

Re causes, you won't have done anything wrong. Rabbits can't vomit up hairballs like cats, so sometimes it does get lodged inside them. Elmo was an Angora cross, so his fur was unbelievably fine and there was huge amounts of it. Even with shearing him like a sheep, he still had the two blockages and Chinook got one from grooming him too. We can only do what we can, which is regular grooming if applicable, have water and hay and fibrous snacks freely available.

Sending you and the buns lots of good vibes x
 
Thank you for the kind works and the reassurance. It really helps, I’ve been beating myself up and the whole situation is so scary…

So far, things are so-so. Considering she has just had surgery, she seems perky, moving about and is comfortable. She’s been taking syringe feeds but has not eaten for herself nor passed anything as of yet…

My poor honey bunny.


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RinnyRin said:
Thank you for the kind works and the reassurance. It really helps, I’ve been beating myself up and the whole situation is so scary…

So far, things are so-so. Considering she has just had surgery, she seems perky, moving about and is comfortable. She’s been taking syringe feeds but has not eaten for herself nor passed anything as of yet…

My poor honey bunny.


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Click to expand...

Is she back home already? Mine have always stayed at the vets for at least 48 hours.

Don't expect her to be anything like normal for a good few days.
 
Bunny Buddy said:
Is she back home already? Mine have always stayed at the vets for at least 48 hours.

Don't expect her to be anything like normal for a good few days.
Click to expand...

Sorry I was quoting what the vets have said to me. She’s still in the hospital as she’s still critical till we see some evidence of the gut working it’s magic Currently waiting for a callback so I can just make sure she is stable and maybe I can manage a bit of sleep

Would you recommend anything that maybe I could buy/do that may prepare me for the hopeful situation that she comes home? I don’t honestly have any kind of bunny first aid kit.


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Puppy pads make cleaning the floor easier, and will be better for infection control & monitoring output (as long as they don't get chewed).
I usually set up a nest area in a carrier with no door on, so it's easier to clean and monitor.
Snugglesafe heat pad
Critical care & syringe
Favourite veg. Dandelions usually go down well.

I hope she is recovering well and will home soon.
 
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