We're getting the bun-buns fixed! - Paw Talk

blessedx3 · #1 09-26-2007, 01:28 PM

Hi everyone, I am new here....posted a little back in August when we first got our bunnies, Charcoal and Cammie. Anyway, we were able to find a vet who knows bunnies and is willing to fix them. He was much more costly than other vets I called, but I really feel like he will be the one to take the best care of them. He did a thorough examination on them both and they are both healthy. One big surprise----Charcoal is a GIRL!!! Darn good thing I seperated them on the 2nd day we got them or I'd be scrambling to find new homes for all of the kits! They go next week for their surgery. Everything I've read said females are worse off after the surgery. Anything I can do to make her more comfortable? How long do I need to wait to introduce them to each other again after the surgery? (They were siblings from the same litter/cage mates, but after we brought them home Cammie started mounting Charcoal and ripping out her fur....I bought a seperate cage for Charcoal but we would like them to be together eventually in one cage.)

kathydip · #2 09-26-2007, 06:36 PM

How old are they? Oliver and Ophelia were about 4 - 5 months old when they were fixed and they both did just fine. Ophelia didn't seem to have any problems. I believe that I kept them separated for 10 days after Ophelia's spay before I put them together. We were not sure if Oliver and Ophelia were kept together before we got them so the vet made us wait 30 days to be sure she wasn't pregnant. Oliver was "nipped" much sooner.
Penelope is older. I am not sure how old as she was from the SPCA and her previous owners did not leave her age. She seemed to be in pain that night so the next day I brought her back in to the vets. They gave her fluids (just because) and sent us home with metacam. She hated it the first time but once she got the taste of it she LOVED it.
Teddy is also older - over 1 and under 3. When he was nipped he seemed just fine. I did give him some metacam when we got home but it was mostly a just in case thing and the fact that I had it and the bottle was not cheap! So I figured why take a chance he was uncomfortable when I had meds. After all that has to make a bunny sore.
As for the money - a good bunny vet is worth their weight in gold!

blessedx3 · #3 09-26-2007, 08:29 PM

What is Metacam? Is that like bunny tylenol? I was praying to find a good vet that knew rabbits. The first place I called had a big ad in the phone book with a picture of a rabbit on it, so I figured she would be good. When I called the secretary said the vet does a few spays/neuters a year. I could bring them in a few days later, drop them off in the morning and come back that night. No pre-op exam, nothing. She was cheap but it didn't feel right. I made about 4 more phone calls and one place said they would only do males---females were too complicated so if one of mine was a female they would refer me to 'the rabbit expert.' I figured I would rather start with the rabbit expert to begin with, LOL. I about died when the secretary told me how much---twice as much than the first place for a male, almost 3 times as much for a female. But, in the end, the bottom line is I want them to come out alive and I believe this guy is our best chance.

The buns are a little over 4 months old. They are mini-lops. Cammie weighs 4.1 lbs and Charcoal is 3.0 lbs. They are just the sweetest things. I will post pictures soon! Please tell me what Metacam is and where I get it.

kathydip · #4 09-26-2007, 08:51 PM

Metacam is a bunny pain reliever and I believe an anti-inflammatory. I got it from the vet. I don't think it's an over the counter med. I first used it for my old bunny Tabby. It's not really cheap and most likely because they are so young they will not need it. The vet may give them a shot of it before they go home.
Oh and if the vet tells you to fast them before the operation don't go to him. Bunnies cannot throw up and therefore should not be fasted. Also, since their digestive system always needs to be moving they should not be fasted.
If you are concerned after that they are not eating you can offer them baby food veggies. Although at that age I doubt you will have this problem. Penelope was the only one that gave me a problem not eating.
Oliver and Ophelia came home like nothing happened. I think the younger ones come through more easily.
As for the weights you maybe concerned but I know Penelope weighed 2.5 pounds when she was done and Teddy was about 3 pounds. I am not sure about Oliver and Ophelia but they were definitely under 4 pounds.
They also can do preop blood work to be sure that the anesthesia is what the bunny can tolerate. I had this done for all my bunnies.
I love my bunny vet. I was very nervous when I brought my old bunny Tabby in for her teeth. She was so sick and old I didn't think she would make it. When I picked her up she acted like nothing at all had happened. The vet was concerned that she may not eat but she chowed down when she got home! I had baby food ready for her. She ate that, and her pellets, and her greens!

blessedx3 · #5 09-27-2007, 07:40 PM

Wow, I hope mine do as well. I think the fact that they are young will be a benefit. I never thought about baby food! My one bunny is such a pig--I think she would eat anything. I only recently started giving them more than hay and pellets. I have been introducing veggies slowly and so far, so good.

kathydip · #6 09-27-2007, 07:59 PM

Oliver is my little piggie that will eat anything I put in front of him.
It's good to introduce the veggies slowly - that way if something upsets their tummies you can tell.
I am sure they will do fine.

finchy · #7 09-29-2007, 12:39 PM

I'm sure they will be fine. It's only natural to worry though.

blessedx3 · #8 10-04-2007, 12:33 PM

Well, today is the big day.....Just got a call from the vet.....both buns did well and are up and moving around. Big surprise....Charcoal is not a girl afterall. He is a boy with undescended, small testicles. (Well, he HAD small, undescended testicles, heehee.) So, now I have 2 boys. Will they be harder to bond? I was happy when last week the vet said Charcoal was a girl since I figured it would be easier to bond. Now, I'm afraid it will be harder. How long do I wait? Two weeks? a month?

**Dragonrain** · #9 10-04-2007, 12:49 PM

I would wait awhile since they may still have some of those wonderful bunny hormones swimming around, which might cause them to fight. I think how long the hormones still have an effect depends on the rabbit, keep an eye on them and go with what you think. Of course, make sure their incisions are all healed, but that shouldn't take too long.

Both my bunnies are fixed males and I had no trouble at all bonding them, it was way easier then I was expecting it to be. I know some people have trouble bonding same sex pairs, but try not to worry about it to much untill you see how they are together.

Good luck, and awesome job getting them fixed! I hope they both have a speedy recovery.

blessedx3 · #10 10-04-2007, 02:38 PM

I just brought the babies home and they are doing okay. Charcoal chewed his staples out and they had to be reinserted before we left. I hope he doesn't keep doing that. Cammie is doing well, not trying to misbehave like his brother. I keep peeking at them to see if they have eaten any of their fresh food. Nothing yet. They keep looking at me like they're mad at me, LOL