My rabbit was spayed on Friday morning. She is still not eating today. I am syringe feeding her a blend of fruits & veggies. She uses her tongue to block it from going down. I was able to get a few syringes full down. How much and how often do I need to do this??? She is fighting harder each time I take her out.
HELP!!! Syringe Feeding
- Thread starter msprz75
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woahlookitsme
Well-Known Member
Did the vet not make sure she was eating before you picked up?! This is crucial and should have been done. At the very least called and asked them if she needed to be brought in this morning. Your only shot is emergency over the weekend if she takes a turn for the worse.
At any rate critical care is the best thing for her right now. If you do not have it on hand baby food is a good second choice. For my rabbit that weighed about 4lbs i had to syringe feed 30mls 3 times a day. I also had to give water by syringe too 2x a day. I did the water after I have the critical care. Let her move around too. If she isn't moving a lot I would keep warm towels in a small crate with my bunny.
When syringe feeding make sure you are inserting the nozzle in the side of the rabbits mouth behind the incisiors.
At any rate critical care is the best thing for her right now. If you do not have it on hand baby food is a good second choice. For my rabbit that weighed about 4lbs i had to syringe feed 30mls 3 times a day. I also had to give water by syringe too 2x a day. I did the water after I have the critical care. Let her move around too. If she isn't moving a lot I would keep warm towels in a small crate with my bunny.
When syringe feeding make sure you are inserting the nozzle in the side of the rabbits mouth behind the incisiors.
What have you tried offering her to entice her to eat? One of my rabbits after his neuter, would only eat a small amount of dark leafy greens. So every half hour or so, I would keep offering him some. This lasted about 2 days until the anesthesia wore off and he got his appetite back. It's important to ensure they are at least getting enough food and water to make sure that GI stasis doesn't set in.
It's probably too late for you to get some Oxbow Critical Care recovery food from your vet. You may be able to try ringing up an emergency vet and asking if they would sell you some. You can also soak your rabbits food pellets in warm water to make a mush to feed. You need a wide tip syringe though, or it will get clogged. Plain canned pumpkin(not spiced) can also be used in a pinch. Be careful about giving too much of the sugary baby food, as this can upset the digestive balance in a rabbits gut.
Sometimes it's easier to syringe smaller amounts more often, like 3cc/lb of body weight, every 4 hours. Also make sure to syringe slowly giving your rabbit time to swallow, to minimize risk of aspiration.
Did they give you any pain medication to give her at home? Also as mentioned, you want to make sure she is keeping warm, as their body temp drops following a GA.
It's probably too late for you to get some Oxbow Critical Care recovery food from your vet. You may be able to try ringing up an emergency vet and asking if they would sell you some. You can also soak your rabbits food pellets in warm water to make a mush to feed. You need a wide tip syringe though, or it will get clogged. Plain canned pumpkin(not spiced) can also be used in a pinch. Be careful about giving too much of the sugary baby food, as this can upset the digestive balance in a rabbits gut.
Sometimes it's easier to syringe smaller amounts more often, like 3cc/lb of body weight, every 4 hours. Also make sure to syringe slowly giving your rabbit time to swallow, to minimize risk of aspiration.
Did they give you any pain medication to give her at home? Also as mentioned, you want to make sure she is keeping warm, as their body temp drops following a GA.
She wouldn't eat any leafy greens. She refused her favorite treats. I tried the mush first. I had to force feed that. I saw her eating a pine chip a few minutes ago. So I added Timothy hay and pellets back to bowl. She is eating the hay now. Is she going to be mad at me for forcing her to eat?? Should I try again tonight??
The vet gave no meds. They are closed on weekends. They said she would be fine. I am mad at myself for not insisting. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. They will hear from me on Monday. They are an hour away.
The vet gave no meds. They are closed on weekends. They said she would be fine. I am mad at myself for not insisting. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. They will hear from me on Monday. They are an hour away.
Force feeding can be quite stressful for some rabbits, so I try and avoid it if at all possible, but will do it if I don't feel like they are at least eating the minimum to keep their gut going. You just have to keep an eye on the amount you see your bun eating, and gauge if it is enough to avoid having to syringe feed. Fluids are important too, so make sure your bun is drinking. If your bun only has a bottle to drink from, also offer a water dish, as they can sometimes have a problem drinking from a bottle after their surgery.
I can't believe there are still vets that don't give pain relief to rabbits after a painful spay surgery. It's just shocking, and you should definitely give them a mouthful. There really is no excuse for such incompetence. Pain relief for rabbits is a well established practice now, at least for vets with any decent amount of rabbit knowledge.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=500
I can't advise you to give a rx pain med, but if you have any metacam on hand, I have been given metacam(3-6mg/kg of body weight q12-24 hours) by my vet to give post surgery. If you don't have any, you could try seeing if your vet has an emergency contact, or try an emergency vet clinic and see if they will prescribe you some, though they probably won't without bringing your bun in and paying for an office visit, but it won't hurt to ask. Hopefully though, you can get a hold of your vet through an emergency contact number.
I can't believe there are still vets that don't give pain relief to rabbits after a painful spay surgery. It's just shocking, and you should definitely give them a mouthful. There really is no excuse for such incompetence. Pain relief for rabbits is a well established practice now, at least for vets with any decent amount of rabbit knowledge.
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=500
I can't advise you to give a rx pain med, but if you have any metacam on hand, I have been given metacam(3-6mg/kg of body weight q12-24 hours) by my vet to give post surgery. If you don't have any, you could try seeing if your vet has an emergency contact, or try an emergency vet clinic and see if they will prescribe you some, though they probably won't without bringing your bun in and paying for an office visit, but it won't hurt to ask. Hopefully though, you can get a hold of your vet through an emergency contact number.
^^ That ^^ I had to ask both times (Bun Jovi and Barry) for some Metacam. I asked for it by name. Told them I would like no less than four syringes (two days worth). The buns wouldn't have been sent home with anything other than antibiotic if I hadn't. The vet seemed a bit taken aback when I asked, shocked maybe, but I got it and it helped them both immensely. I can't imagine not having it prescribed. ESPECIALLY after a spay!
I hope your baby is feeling better soon and starts eating.
I hope your baby is feeling better soon and starts eating.
I was feeding through the side. I did ask if she would get meds. I remember her saying something about the expense. It hit me later!
She started eating more. She is eating hay. She ate parsley. A treat. But is refusing greens. She isn't eating her pellet food too much. Maybe the juice got her gut going.
Is there any reason that the back of her neck would be shaved? I just noticed it as she was grooming. It looks strange.
She started eating more. She is eating hay. She ate parsley. A treat. But is refusing greens. She isn't eating her pellet food too much. Maybe the juice got her gut going.
Is there any reason that the back of her neck would be shaved? I just noticed it as she was grooming. It looks strange.
Thank goodness they are not her regular vet. Sad thing is that this place is just for animal surgeries. I have to get a vet here. I have only had her for 3 mos. I do have a recommendation. I need to remind them to give me the info.
One thing I have learned being a rabbit owner over the years and dealing with vets, you pretty much have to research everything if you can, before you actually go to the vet. There are very few good rabbit vets that really know what they are doing, and so if you don't already have a good rabbit vet that you trust, you have to go forearmed with knowledge about what you think your rabbit might need... something that some vets will get annoyed with, but not usually the type of vet I will go back to, since I want my concerns to at least be heard. It's really unfortunate, but something I have found necessary through my own and others experiences.
I'm glad your bun is picking up and eating a bit better. It should just get better from here. Just keep offering her things, especially the foods she is showing she'll eat now. I wouldn't worry too much about not eating pellets yet. Her eating hay and leafy greens like parsley, is actually better. The moisture and fiber will help her digestion more.
Usually an area will be shaved for a blood draw or IV. but the back of the neck? Maybe they did it for an injection, though usually a regular injection doesn't require the site to be shaved. I've certainly never had anything but my rabbits belly shaved for a spay.
I'm glad your bun is picking up and eating a bit better. It should just get better from here. Just keep offering her things, especially the foods she is showing she'll eat now. I wouldn't worry too much about not eating pellets yet. Her eating hay and leafy greens like parsley, is actually better. The moisture and fiber will help her digestion more.
Usually an area will be shaved for a blood draw or IV. but the back of the neck? Maybe they did it for an injection, though usually a regular injection doesn't require the site to be shaved. I've certainly never had anything but my rabbits belly shaved for a spay.
A while ^^. I'd say at least 2 months for it to look normal again.
But gosh, I can't believe there are still vet who don't give any pain relief after a spay. That's no small surgery, no wonder your rabbit was not hungry, she must have been in pain! Even with Metacam, my girl wouldn't let anyone touch near her hindquarter for a week after the surgery and the first day, she hid away under my bed and didn't want to eat. At the time, it really freaked my out because the two boys I had were eating literally 5 minutes after waking up from the anesthesia. I'd say, for now, give her everything (hay, pellets, all kind of veggies) so she can take what she feels like eating and keep an eye on her. But if she is beginning to eat on her own again she probably will be fine. And don't worry, she won't hate you - they always are in a huff when we are trying to help them (trimming nails, force-feeding, brushing their hair, giving them their meds, taking them to the vet...) but they forget it after a while. My girl is pigheaded and loves to hold grudges, making a show of running the other way when she sees you for days after you did something she didn't like. But, eventually, a lot of grovelling in the form of edible offerings do the trick and she forgives you. Tybalt is a lot less complicated : if you've got food, he will come, no matter how much he was struggling to get away from you 30 seconds earlier XD
But gosh, I can't believe there are still vet who don't give any pain relief after a spay. That's no small surgery, no wonder your rabbit was not hungry, she must have been in pain! Even with Metacam, my girl wouldn't let anyone touch near her hindquarter for a week after the surgery and the first day, she hid away under my bed and didn't want to eat. At the time, it really freaked my out because the two boys I had were eating literally 5 minutes after waking up from the anesthesia. I'd say, for now, give her everything (hay, pellets, all kind of veggies) so she can take what she feels like eating and keep an eye on her. But if she is beginning to eat on her own again she probably will be fine. And don't worry, she won't hate you - they always are in a huff when we are trying to help them (trimming nails, force-feeding, brushing their hair, giving them their meds, taking them to the vet...) but they forget it after a while. My girl is pigheaded and loves to hold grudges, making a show of running the other way when she sees you for days after you did something she didn't like. But, eventually, a lot of grovelling in the form of edible offerings do the trick and she forgives you. Tybalt is a lot less complicated : if you've got food, he will come, no matter how much he was struggling to get away from you 30 seconds earlier XD
Today she is still only eating hay and her treats. Nothing else. If I try to feed her a green, she will refuse it, go to her bowl and eat on piece of hay, and sit back down. So she is just doing that for me to get out of her face, basically! Every time I go to her cage she goes to bowl and eats one piece of hay or just looks at it. I guess I am annoying her. She would eat parsley so I am going out to get more. She will eat if I hand feed her hay but just a lil. She ate one pellet from my hand but no more.
lovelops
Well-Known Member
I didn't get any pain meds for Lady the Holland Lop in my picture. She was miserable for a day and did not want to eat due to the pain. I know in the future to get
baby aspirin and break it in half and put it in water and put it in a syringe if she is under 6 pounds or so and is in pain and I can't reach the doctors. The House Rabbit Society has good in home medicine tips you can use in case you can't get access to a vet. I hope she is feeling better it took my lady about a day or so go get back to normal without pain meds. Marilyn my other Holland Lop I adopted in July I demanded pain meds for and it was a totally different story. She kept eating and had no problems. I wish you luck with this and hope all goes well.
Vanessa
baby aspirin and break it in half and put it in water and put it in a syringe if she is under 6 pounds or so and is in pain and I can't reach the doctors. The House Rabbit Society has good in home medicine tips you can use in case you can't get access to a vet. I hope she is feeling better it took my lady about a day or so go get back to normal without pain meds. Marilyn my other Holland Lop I adopted in July I demanded pain meds for and it was a totally different story. She kept eating and had no problems. I wish you luck with this and hope all goes well.
Vanessa
Baby aspirin is considered a safe med for rabbits, but it can sometimes cause gastric irritation and like any medication, needs to be used appropriately and with caution. It also should NEVER be used if there is bleeding(internal or external) or following surgery. Aspirin is a blood thinner and if there is any internal bleeding, the aspirin could worsen this bleeding and further complicate the situation. For this major reason, I didn't think it wise to mention it's possible use as it is contraindicated in this type of situation. Pain control is important, but it is also important not to use something when it might cause more harm than good. Metacam is a much safer NSAID to use with rabbits, and won't thin the blood like aspirin will.
Another thing to keep in mind is that pain isn't as likely to be the cause of the lack of appetite immediately following the surgery, as a rabbit will still have pain medication in their system from the surgery. Usually the biggest cause of nausea and lack of appetite in the first 12-24 hours(and sometimes even longer) following surgery, is the after effects of the anesthesia. One way to know if the anesthesia is more the cause of the lack of appetite than pain, is if the rabbit is starting to hop around and move more, but still doesn't want to eat. One of my rabbits took 48 hours to really get back to eating normally, primarily from the anesthesia making him feel sick. He was hopping around fine, just wouldn't hardly eat. So even if you had pain medication to give, it still may not have made a difference in helping your rabbit want to eat, if the anesthesia is the cause of the lack of appetite. And with that it just takes time for it to wear off.
With my rabbits if there was just one thing they would eat, then I would just keep offering it to them. Since your bun is eating parsley, that is something to work with and keep encouraging. She should start wanting to eat more as the day progresses.
There's really no way of knowing beforehand if a vet is going to be good, even with a recommendation from another rabbit owner. Their recommendation will be based on their experience, and they may not know themselves that the vet isn't a good rabbit vet if they aren't very experienced with the correct and normal treatments for rabbits. Only way to know is to become more knowledgeable yourself, so that you know the right questions to ask, and even some of the appropriate treatments for the more common ailments in rabbits.
Spay surgeries are quite stressful to deal with. I don't think many vets warn owners about the difficulties that can be encountered afterwards, and it is something they really should do.
Another thing to keep in mind is that pain isn't as likely to be the cause of the lack of appetite immediately following the surgery, as a rabbit will still have pain medication in their system from the surgery. Usually the biggest cause of nausea and lack of appetite in the first 12-24 hours(and sometimes even longer) following surgery, is the after effects of the anesthesia. One way to know if the anesthesia is more the cause of the lack of appetite than pain, is if the rabbit is starting to hop around and move more, but still doesn't want to eat. One of my rabbits took 48 hours to really get back to eating normally, primarily from the anesthesia making him feel sick. He was hopping around fine, just wouldn't hardly eat. So even if you had pain medication to give, it still may not have made a difference in helping your rabbit want to eat, if the anesthesia is the cause of the lack of appetite. And with that it just takes time for it to wear off.
With my rabbits if there was just one thing they would eat, then I would just keep offering it to them. Since your bun is eating parsley, that is something to work with and keep encouraging. She should start wanting to eat more as the day progresses.
There's really no way of knowing beforehand if a vet is going to be good, even with a recommendation from another rabbit owner. Their recommendation will be based on their experience, and they may not know themselves that the vet isn't a good rabbit vet if they aren't very experienced with the correct and normal treatments for rabbits. Only way to know is to become more knowledgeable yourself, so that you know the right questions to ask, and even some of the appropriate treatments for the more common ailments in rabbits.
Spay surgeries are quite stressful to deal with. I don't think many vets warn owners about the difficulties that can be encountered afterwards, and it is something they really should do.
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