Recently spayed bun still not pooping 3 days after surgery

[Jenna Staats]

Hello,
This is my first time posting on the forums. I’ve used the forums a lot for bunny help, thanks for that. I’ve recently had my two buns spayed, on February 10th. They are both approaching 2yrs old and are bonded. One is a Holland lop and the other a mixed breed. They are both dwarf rabbits weighing 4.6 to 4.7 pounds (probably less now). I thought the post spay care wouldn’t be as arduous as it has been. Boy was I wrong. Soo I brought them home after spaying on the 10th and they were out of it. Doc gave them shots of buprenorphine and meloxicam for pain- nothing to take home. Told me to make sure they eat and poop. That’s been the problem. Bunz, my Holland lop finally pooped yesterday after syringe feeding critical care and liquids. She is now eating and pooping , and it’s getting better as time goes. It’s my other one I’m worried about. Baby rabbit, she’s not eating, or pooping. However she is peeing. I’ve been giving her critical care and liquids by syringe also. I thought maybe she wasn’t pooping due to being in pain and called the doc who said she doesn’t think rabbits do good on pain relievers and to just use a warm compress for pain. Which I am and it’s not helping her eat or poop. She is grooming herself here and there but other than that she just sits in the corner. Idk if it’s a good idea to keep feeding her critical care if she’s not expelling. Does anybody have any suggestions on what I can do to get her going? I’m really worried about her. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jenna Staats]

Did I post on the wrong forum?

 

[JBun]

First problem, is if your vet didn't send you home with pain meds, that is something that always should be done, particularly for female buns, and any semi experienced rabbit vet knows this. Could you imagine a human female getting a hysterectomy and not being given pain medication. That's the equivalent. As for which pain med to be given, I prefer high dose meloxicam(0.6mg/kg twice a day) because opiates can make them lethargic and slow down the gut, which is opposite of what you want happening. A rabbit in pain is less inclined to want to eat, even when being syringe fed, and so the gut slows down and less pooping occurs.

At this point though, I would be concerned of a complication causing the continued lethargy and lack of pooping. Which means your rabbit may need to have an ultrasound done to see if there is a complication from the surgery.

I don't know if you have to go back to the same vet, but I would want to find a more experienced rabbit vet. If not now, at least for anything in the future. For now, I would phone up your vet and voice your concerns, requesting your rabbit be examined(and be given take home pain medication). Or find a more experienced rabbit vet to take your bun to.

Vet List | House Rabbit Society

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/opcare.html#:~:text=Keep your rabbit quiet for,"push it" too soon.

 

[Jenna Staats]

Okay.. the vet who did the surgery told me she wasn’t going to be in today, but there is a vet some miles away I can call if I can’t get her on an emergency line. I asked for pain relievers yesterday and she flat out refused. It really shocked me. Anyways, I am going to get on that right now and thank you for the advice. I was hoping this vet would be good. There aren’t a lot of rabbit vets in the area but out of the couple I spoke to she assured me she’s been doing this for ten years and I felt comfortable with her after the first visit. I should have asked more questions about the procedure and aftercare before agreeing. Thanks again.

 

[Jenna Staats]

Took her to an emergency vet I’ve taken the rabbits to in the past. He gave her fluids subcutaneously, and a motility drug, and an X-ray that showed things looked fine. However her gut wasn’t moving along and he said she was bloated on one side. She went to the bathroom today and started eating on her own this morn. Thank you.

 

[JBun]

I'm glad that everything checked out ok and she seems to be doing better. I've found that sub q fluids can help jump start things, and a lot of times they seem to start improving after that. I hope this vet sent you home with pain meds. I would imagine that's a big part of why she hadn't been improving.

 

[Milousmom]

I can't believe the vet refused to give you pain meds.

 

[vonniemay]

Hello,
This is my first time posting on the forums. I’ve used the forums a lot for bunny help, thanks for that. I’ve recently had my two buns spayed, on February 10th. They are both approaching 2yrs old and are bonded. One is a Holland lop and the other a mixed breed. They are both dwarf rabbits weighing 4.6 to 4.7 pounds (probably less now). I thought the post spay care wouldn’t be as arduous as it has been. Boy was I wrong. Soo I brought them home after spaying on the 10th and they were out of it. Doc gave them shots of buprenorphine and meloxicam for pain- nothing to take home. Told me to make sure they eat and poop. That’s been the problem. Bunz, my Holland lop finally pooped yesterday after syringe feeding critical care and liquids. She is now eating and pooping , and it’s getting better as time goes. It’s my other one I’m worried about. Baby rabbit, she’s not eating, or pooping. However she is peeing. I’ve been giving her critical care and liquids by syringe also. I thought maybe she wasn’t pooping due to being in pain and called the doc who said she doesn’t think rabbits do good on pain relievers and to just use a warm compress for pain. Which I am and it’s not helping her eat or poop. She is grooming herself here and there but other than that she just sits in the corner. Idk if it’s a good idea to keep feeding her critical care if she’s not expelling. Does anybody have any suggestions on what I can do to get her going? I’m really worried about her. Thanks in advance.

So scary for you and your bun...I can't believe the dr. didn't send her home with pain medication...I got my bun spayed in December along with my kitty and the dr. gave me 3 syringes with pain medication for my bun one per day for 3 days...they didn't give anything for the kitten said hers would last...what they had already given her...the kitty was playing within 2 hours of being home and Basil would only lick a banana but refused to eat...she had so much pain...but was eating by the next day but took so much longer to heal than the kitty...I'm glad your bun is doing better.