After spay problems

Evening!

I'm feeling pretty helpless at the moment and just need some help.

I had my Acorn spayed tuesday morning, all went well and she came home later that afternoon.

Acorn hasnt eaten since her spay apart from a few nibbles of her veg. We have taken her back to the vets a few times since her spay and she's been given some fluids and meds to try and help. They also have given us some critical care, which she is also absolutely refusing.

The vets are helping as much as they can and are being so supportive with everything but getting her to actually eat something on her own is becoming so difficult. Syringe feeding is an absolute nightmare and she will battle us for ages until we just have to give up for a bit. She is the most gentle little girl and we really wasn't expecting it to be this difficult after. Does anyone have any advice?

I have also noticed she is what I can only describe as kind of dragging her back legs sometimes. It's not extreme and all of the time but she seems too be struggling with them. One leg more than the other. Is this normal after a spay? She's back at the vets tomorrow morning so I shall be telling them about that too!

Its been so difficult the last few days

I'm so sorry this is happening unfortunately this is common for females, it took all my girls a good 7 days to be 100% the most important thing is to get food into her! anything! treats she likes! herbs anything! Otherwise it will be syringe feeding which isn't nice but she will need that fibre

My girl was spayed 2 weeks ago and she couldn't hop properly on her back legs for a good few days, I was worried as I didn't remember my other girls doing that, I think it was where she was so uncomfortable

Get it checked if it goes on past another couple of days
Is she an older rabbit??

Willowsmum said:

I'm so sorry this is happening unfortunately this is common for females, it took all my girls a good 7 days to be 100% the most important thing is to get food into her! anything! treats she likes! herbs anything! Otherwise it will be syringe feeding which isn't nice but she will need that fibre

My girl was spayed 2 weeks ago and she couldn't hop properly on her back legs for a good few days, I was worried as I didn't remember my other girls doing that, I think it was where she was so uncomfortable

Get it checked if it goes on past another couple of days
Is she an older rabbit??

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Thankyou for your reply!
We have been giving her all of her favourite things and she just doesn't want to touch any of it! We have been having to take her to the vets for her meds too, because trying to do it at home becomes so stressful for everyone.
She is just under 1 year old, so not old at all!
I'm just getting so worried, I want her to pick up

Abbiebutler said:

Thankyou for your reply!
We have been giving her all of her favourite things and she just doesn't want to touch any of it! We have been having to take her to the vets for her meds too, because trying to do it at home becomes so stressful for everyone.
She is just under 1 year old, so not old at all!
I'm just getting so worried, I want her to pick up

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Is she eating anything at all?? With mine she was nibbling tiny bits here and there of herbs,but wouldn't touch pellets or hay, it was catch 22 .....syringe feed her and risk her getting stressed and in more pain or leave her to get by on few herbs,......where poss I left her and just kept tempting her with herbs,and treats. They usually turn a corner on the 4th day and start to pick up a bit more

Has she got painkillers? Somewhere to hide that's warm,dark and quiet??

Willowsmum said:

Is she eating anything at all?? With mine she was nibbling tiny bits here and there of herbs,but wouldn't touch pellets or hay, it was catch 22 .....syringe feed her and risk her getting stressed and in more pain or leave her to get by on few herbs,......where poss I left her and just kept tempting her with herbs,and treats. They usually turn a corner on the 4th day and start to pick up a bit more

Has she got painkillers? Somewhere to hide that's warm,dark and quiet??

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She has eaten a very very small amount. I got her to nibble on a bit of cucumber earlier, but she soon got fed up. But that's pretty much it

She has all of those things, yes! She's in my bedroom keeping warm and as comfy as possible!

I was also having trouble syringe feeding my bunny especially as he is on 5 different meds and critical care...I got some really helpful advice here though: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?436473-Advice-on-syringe-feeding
I found that my bunny preferred the 'Supreme' variety of critical care type mixture to the Oxbow one. If you are having real trouble with it into then maybe try asking for a different sort of powder when you go to the vets tomorrow and also ensure that you are mixing it with warm water instead of just cold.
I found that mashing banana really finely so that it doesn't get stuck in the syringe and adding that to the mixture helped to get him to have it. You may also want to try dipping the end of the syringe into some honey, pure apple juice or pineapple juice,so she may think it's something really yummy. Obviously, its not a good idea to give banana or apple juice frequently but it's definitely better for her to have something.
Lance also loved really aromatic herbs such as basil, coriander and parsley so maybe try giving a wide variety of foods so that she can just choose the ones she really fancies. Hope it goes well x

Abbiebutler said:

She has eaten a very very small amount. I got her to nibble on a bit of cucumber earlier, but she soon got fed up. But that's pretty much it

She has all of those things, yes! She's in my bedroom keeping warm and as comfy as possible!

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Sounds like your doing all you can from your end. Hopefully she will start to turn a corner tomorrow, if she still hasn't eaten overnight (she may well do when it's quiet ) back to vets I guess if your unable to syringe feed

Best of luck, keep an eye on those legs too, I expect it's where she's uncomfortable and her body was stretched out on the table, it doesn't feel like it now but it's the right thing to get her spayed

(((Hugs))) for you too xxxx

BunnyLover34 said:

I was also having trouble syringe feeding my bunny especially as he is on 5 different meds and critical care...I got some really helpful advice here though: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?436473-Advice-on-syringe-feeding
I found that my bunny preferred the 'Supreme' variety of critical care type mixture to the Oxbow one. If you are having real trouble with it into then maybe try asking for a different sort of powder when you go to the vets tomorrow and also ensure that you are mixing it with warm water instead of just cold.
I found that mashing banana really finely so that it doesn't get stuck in the syringe and adding that to the mixture helped to get him to have it. You may also want to try dipping the end of the syringe into some honey, pure apple juice or pineapple juice,so she may think it's something really yummy. Obviously, its not a good idea to give banana or apple juice frequently but it's definitely better for her to have something.
Lance also loved really aromatic herbs such as basil, coriander and parsley so maybe try giving a wide variety of foods so that she can just choose the ones she really fancies. Hope it goes well x

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Actually that's a good point my rabbits take emeraid better than critical care and I find it easier too

You might also be better off mushing up her normal pellets with some warm water and offering that to her as well.

Have you tried baby food or porridge?

Willowsmum said:

Sounds like your doing all you can from your end. Hopefully she will start to turn a corner tomorrow, if she still hasn't eaten overnight (she may well do when it's quiet ) back to vets I guess if your unable to syringe feed

Best of luck, keep an eye on those legs too, I expect it's where she's uncomfortable and her body was stretched out on the table, it doesn't feel like it now but it's the right thing to get her spayed

(((Hugs))) for you too xxxx

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Thankyou so much! Our little bunnies can be so difficult at times can't they?! Haha!

I just can't wait to get her back to the vets tomorrow morning, they have been so amazing with her.

She's really starting to worry me!

Thankyou again xxxx

Gem said:

You might also be better off mushing up her normal pellets with some warm water and offering that to her as well.

Have you tried baby food or porridge?

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We have tried leaving her some 'mush' still nothing!

Baby food is a good idea though, I'll give that a try!

How is Acorn doing this morning ?

How is she? Did she eat overnight?

Sending lots of vibes for her. Might be worth getting her admitted to the vets so they can syringe feed her and give her meds regularly :thumb:

Thankyou for asking.

She didn't eat overnight, no. We have just got back from the vets again, again more injections were given. Between the vet, my mum and I we managed to get some food into her with the syringe. She seems to be accepting it a bit more, but it's still very difficult. The vets offered to keep her for the day but we have decided to give it another go at home so she is in her own environment, hoping it will be less stressful.

She's back again tomorrow morning if still no improvement! I think tomorrow I will let the vets keep her for the day. We are just trying one more day at home. But fingers crossed today will be a good day!

Abbiebutler said:

Thankyou for asking.

She didn't eat overnight, no. We have just got back from the vets again, again more injections were given. Between the vet, my mum and I we managed to get some food into her with the syringe. She seems to be accepting it a bit more, but it's still very difficult. The vets offered to keep her for the day but we have decided to give it another go at home so she is in her own environment, hoping it will be less stressful.

She's back again tomorrow morning if still no improvement! I think tomorrow I will let the vets keep her for the day. We are just trying one more day at home. But fingers crossed today will be a good day!

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I'm sorry she's still not eating. How is she moving about today, is that a bit better?

Pureed baby food is really good and doesn't clog up syringes as much as other stuff. It's also really tasty.
My bunnies also love fresh herbs when they don't feel too good.

I hope hope she improves today

One of my females took about a week of not eating properly before she started eating hay, readigrass and pellets again. She would only eat forage and grass! Luckily she was well accustomed to it so we had no issues free feeding it. Fenugreek crunchies were eaten too..! She had gut stimulant and pain killer and 3 vet trips in a week but after the last trip on day 8 she just started eating again, it was like a switch just clicked on! Very strange but I was so pleased!

It's such a big operation for a tiny animal. I hope she gets back to normal soon

MightyMax said:

I'm sorry she's still not eating. How is she moving about today, is that a bit better?

Pureed baby food is really good and doesn't clog up syringes as much as other stuff. It's also really tasty.
My bunnies also love fresh herbs when they don't feel too good.

I hope hope she improves today

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I told the vets I think she seems too be dragging her legs. So she popped her on the floor and she was moving around normally. So she isn't concerned about that, luckily!

We got her some baby food today too, not interested in that either. It's starting to become a real worry! She hasn't eaten since tuesday morning now.

I want my little girl better

Abbiebutler said:

I told the vets I think she seems too be dragging her legs. So she popped her on the floor and she was moving around normally. So she isn't concerned about that, luckily!

We got her some baby food today too, not interested in that either. It's starting to become a real worry! She hasn't eaten since tuesday morning now.

I want my little girl better

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Is she pooping?

Willowsmum said:

Is she pooping?

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She is, but of course because she isn't really eating, they are fairly small and misshaped!