Not eating/pooping -- worried!

[PupTheRabbit]

Hi so Luna got spayed yesterday and she was kept overnight at the vets. They told me to come around 9:30am today to pick her up but when I went they said she isn't eating and pooping as much as they like so they want to keep her until 6 today to keep giving her doses of meds for pain and to help her go to the bathroom.

Is a rabbit not eating/pooping after a surgery OK? I am worried now!!:nerves1

 

[JBun]

Actually it's pretty common for it to take up to 24 hours for a rabbit to start eating after surgery, though you don't really want it to go too long without them starting to nibble on something. I had one rabbit that took 2 days to get back to normal, though he was eating little bits of leafy greens throughout the day, just not very much but enough that I didn't need to start syringe feeding. I would be concerned about leaving a rabbit at the vets unless it is receiving urgent care that you can't provide at home. Just the stress of being in an unfamiliar place can be contributing to the lack of appetite.

Do they have some of her usual treats and veggies to try and entice her with?

 

[PupTheRabbit]

Actually it's pretty common for it to take up to 24 hours for a rabbit to start eating after surgery, though you don't really want it to go too long without them starting to nibble on something. I had one rabbit that took 2 days to get back to normal, though he was eating little bits of leafy greens throughout the day, just not very much but enough that I didn't need to start syringe feeding. I would be concerned about leaving a rabbit at the vets unless it is receiving urgent care that you can't provide at home. Just the stress of being in an unfamiliar place can be contributing to the lack of appetite.

Do they have some of her usual treats and veggies to try and entice her with?

Yeah that's what I was thinking--like I feel like she'd be less scared at home but I'd rather leave her there because I'm sure they know what they are doing. It just sucks because I can't see her so I don't know exactly what is going on.

 

[JBun]

If you would like to bring her home and will be there to keep watch on her, they can send you home with pain meds, gut motility meds, and feeding mix, for you to take care of her. If you feel comfortable nursing her, then she may be better off being at home. But if you don't feel comfortable with it, then it's probably better for her to be there.