Fasting??

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Love your rabbit
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
mandymu

mandymu

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2011
Messages
17
Reaction score
1
Location
NSW, , Australia
I don't know if anyone can give me advice in time but I'll try. In a few hours I am taking my 1 yr old female bunny to the vet. She had a scratch on her ear that got badly infected, she was on baytril for 10 days and cleaning it every day and it didn't get better. Took her back to vet and they said it needed to be operated on and the infection removed as it was too deep in the cartilage. My mum took her when I was work and decided that she would ask them to spay her as well seeing as she was going under anesthesia and it would be cheaper too.

Anyway, the vet told her to not eat after midnight so before bed last night I took her food away! My male rabbit I had before got neutered at the same vet clinic and I don't remember him fasting..? Different vet I think. I was looking online just this morning and I am reading don't fast your rabbit. I think the vet doing it is inexperienced too. Now I'm worried!! Should I give her some food anyway?? Or could there be another reason for fasting other than vomiting. Help
 
Last edited:
Rabbits do not have the ability to vomit so fasting should NOT be done. A rabbits digestive system shutting down can be detrimental.

I sure hope your bunny is okay!
 
Call the vet office and clarify with them. Often the receptionist will insturct you to fast your rabbit because that's what they do for cats and dogs but rabbits cannot vomit so there's no reason to fast them. Rabbits coming out of surgery are less inclined to eat anyway and it's important to keep their gut moving.
 
NO give her food asap. They need to keep their system moving. They can't vomit which is why the vet will say no food.
 
Okay thank you everyone - gave her some hay, she wasn't that interested in it though. I think she might have had some hay over night as I couldn't clear all of it out last night anyways.
 
Last edited:
Make sure she eats before her surgery. If you need to take pellets to the vets office and have them give her some before the surgery. Rabbits also need to start eating as soon as they wake up so taking something enticing is best
 
Definitely verify with your vet. If the veterinarian wants the rabbit to be fasted, I would take my rabbit elsewhere. The fact that rabbits (like horses) can't throw up is something we covered in my first semester of vet school.
 
Yep it's strange that the vet wanted her fasted. It was an experienced vet that seemed quite competent and knowledgeable until now that told us to! She is at the vet's now. Funnily enough, when we mentioned it to the vet nurse she said they don't usually fast rabbits so she wasn't sure why the vet wanted her fasted and she'd check and they may give her some of her food that I brought. Hopefully!
 
Apebull said:
NO give her food asap. They need to keep their system moving. They can't vomit which is why the vet will say no food.
Click to expand...

They didn't say no food because rabbits cannot vomit. They said no food because the vet is inexperienced with rabbits. Cats and dogs can vomit which is why they need to be fasted before surgery.
 
Hi, so bunny came home after spay yesterday and got a chunk of her ear cut off due to an infection :( . She has been a little bit lethargic but is moving around and lying down and looking pretty good. She has been eating fine too and drinking and peeing. Only problem is that I am pretty certain she has not pooped since coming home! Obviously I know that not eating and pooping is an emergency but what about eating but not pooping? Is it ok to wait say another day and see if she poops seeing as otherwise she's fine? Thanks
 
Good to hear that she is doing well. As long as she is eating you don't need to be concerned yet. If she is drinking good and eating then the pooping shouldn't be too far behind. If you feed hay, that will help, and if she is used to leafy greens, then feed those too. If after a few more hours she still hasn't pooped, then give the vet a call and see what they think.
 
Okay thank you she's had some greens and hay and I'll keep an eye on her and take her to the vet if needed tomorrow just in case!
 
Last edited:
Sometimes the top part of the GI tract will "get started" again after surgery more quickly than the bottom part (ie eating before pooping). I would make sure she's well hydrated. Sometimes I offer a bowl of pedialyte (children's electrolyte solution to prevent dehydration when kids have diarrhea or vomiting) in addition to water if I'm worried about GIs moving slowly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top