Thought I would make some comments on this since I see quite a few pain events. Rabbits are prey animals....even our domestics....you can't go by how they appear. They will hide pain until they just can't hide it any longer. Pain in rabbits is like with humans...some handle it better than others. My criteria is that is I have been cut upon...I want pain meds. Guarantee most of you (me included) will head for the drugs at the slightest hint of a minor headache....just think what it feels like when you have had body parts removed. Let's review some pain meds.
Metacam is one of the most widely use pain meds with animals. It is a Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID).....basically it's like our Tylenol. A version of this med is used in humans with things such as arthritis. It is better than nothing....but especially post-spay, totally insufficient for pain management. To properly handle post-spay pain, a narcotic should be used. I saw Torbugesic (Butorporphenol) mentioned. It is an opiad that is tremendously effective. But, and there is always a but, it's effectiveness is muted in a rabbit due to it's short effective life....only a couple of hours. A much better choice for moderate to severe pain is Buprenorphine (Buprenex). It is a synthetic opiad. Very effective and can last up to 12 hours per dose. It can be administered orally, sub-q or IM. It doesn't have to be swallowed if given orally...it's absorbs thru the membranes of the mouth. Both of these are controlled drugs. Many vets hesitate about sending these meds home. An acceptable alternative that still requires a RX but is not controlled is Tramadol.The upside is that it's very effective, can be used with metacam and is very inexpensive. Downside is that it has to be compounded....but many of the small "mom and pop" pharmacies still have a "chemist" that will compound and flavor this drug for you. Something else that we are now using to manage pain, more specifically stress related to pain, is valium. In the past, primarily with head injuries, we just let them rest. Having great success with using a sedative such as valium to "chill out" pain and injuries.
The more skilled doctors will be very aggressive in pain management with rabbits. As we learn more, we see how pain affects everything else, especially the GI, in a rabbit. My vets are quick on the trigger at any sign of discomfort. And I do agree that our rabbits, or any other life, should not be overly medicated....but they shouldn't be undermedicated if the situation indicates treatment.
Randy
