Scheduled her spay!

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LaylaLop

LaylaLop

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Near Columbia, South Carolina, USA
So I scheduled Layla for her spay with the exotics specialist. They said they want her to come in Tuesday (next week) and stay the night before her surgery so she can settle in and they can make sure she's hydrated and eating and defecating normally. Then her surgery would be Wednesday. They keep them until Friday morning/afternoon to make sure they are eating and their sutures are clean and not being chewed on and to keep them on pain meds. All of this is included in the $99 spay fee, which is nice for me. They also have a vet student who checks on them hourly around the clock to make sure they have food and water and aren't pulling out the stitches or in pain or anything like that. I asked if Mumford could come in with her, but they said they keep post-neutered small animals separate from cagemates for at least a week to make sure they can keep track of her intake vs output and that the stitches don't get removed with another rabbit's overzealous grooming, so he doesn't get to go with other than on the car ride there.

I know they say not to separate bonded cagemates, but in this case it makes sense to for her health. I know I'll probably have to go through a short re-bonding period after she's recovered just to be certain they get along again. I'm just hoping the time apart doesn't make them too depressed. Layla seems like she'd do better without Mumford than he will without her, so at least I'll have him here with me to play with lots to keep him distracted.

What all should I take with her? They said they provide a towel/mat for lying on so they know it's sterilized, but I am welcome to bring in food/hay/treats. I'll bring in probably her ceramic bowl with extra food, and baggies of hay, as well as a water bottle of home-water. I might bring in a bit of her litter too since that's what she likes to pee on, although they might not want her to hop into a litterbox with fresh stitches and the litter might interfere with measuring pee output. I'll just bring lots with me for her and see what they allow! But at least they didn't tell me to pull food/water before surgery... they said to bring her in with hay/pellets even on the drive.

I'm anxious/worried for her, but hopefully it'll keep her healthier (and less hump-y) in the long run!
 
When I got Amelia spayed, Korr didn't go with her. When I brought her home, I put her on the top level of the cage (blocked off), and there was a spot where Korr could come up to see her. Once she was healed (about 10 days after), I started to put them back together. I think it only took a couple days before they were back together. There were no issues putting them back. It did take about 3 weeks after the spay for her to be less hormonal humping.

It is good to bring food from home. You never really know what the vet might have to feed them and if you feed something else your rabbit might not want to eat. Especially for picky rabbits, keeping the diet the same is a must. Also take veggies as many rabbits tend to eat those before eating pellets or hay.
 
I know the vet has oxbow brand food and hay for the rabbits and guinea pigs, but I will bring in her own food just to make sure she'll eat. She's not at all picky about food and will try anything but with the stress of surgery I know it's good to limit changes in diet. I was planning on buying some cilantro and dark greens to bring with for them to give her after she's awake. She is a hoover vac when it comes to cilantro...

Glad to hear your buns did ok with the separation. When she comes back she'll be in a smaller Super pet type cage that's able to limit her movement (no hopping, jumping, or able to do more than stand up/move around).

I know the vet is qualified since I've seen her do surgery on both birds and small critters. She's done surgery on egg-bound budgies and spayed rats. When I volunteered there, she often had guinea pigs and rabbits in for surgeries and I got to observe a few rabbit dentals.

As for the anesthesia, they have an anesthesia technician on hand during the entire surgery to monitor vitals. They provide fluids during the surgery and know to not intubate them.

Kind of makes me sad I'll be moving away from such an exotic critter knowledgeable vet, which is why I wanted to do the surgery now so she can heal up before the move!
 
The only aI can think of to add is: to help the rebonding when the time comes, exchange some of their things--blankets, used litter, or whatever.
 
Michelle, I won't be staying the night with her. She gets to have a vet "sleep-over" for a few days. They'd probably let me visit her during regular hours and they said they'd call to give updates like how the surgery goes, etc.
 
I don't think her spay could come at a better time... Last night I had to squirt bottle her since she would NOT stop humping Mumford when he was trying to eat/sleep/use the litterbox. She stopped after I sprayed her but she keeps going at it when I'm not around.

AND she decided the rug and towel in their pen would make a good new toilet >.> She's also starting to smell muskier, which I noticed would happen in my other female rabbits of the past when they were getting hormonal.
 
With the way Layla is acting, I think Mumford will see the time away as a vacation.

Poor Mumford. But have to say poor Layla too. Those hormones, when they kick in, really sets some bunnies off. They can't help it. It's instinct.

Sounds like Layla will be in very good hands. Hoping all goes well and Mumford and Layla will finally be able to bond again permanently.

Hoping next Tuesday is here in a flash.

K:)
 
Will be thinking of Layla. Hoping all goes well. I know it will probably be strange for you and Mumfordnot having her there tonight.

Definitely post pics of the sweetie once she's back on her feet. Hoping it's a speedy recovery.

K:)
 
She'll either be home Thursday or Friday depending on her appetite/demeanor/poo output.

The vet thought she was absolutely adorable with her "broken" ears and how she'd flick her tongue at us through the carrier.

Then Layla started grooming her face and ears for us, so I'd say she's comfortable enough at the vet's :)

I brought some of her hay/food/greens and the vet asked if she could give her a few bits of carrot/apple after the surgery to entice her to eat along with some cilantro.

She's the only surgery they booked for tomorrow so they won't be in any rush to get her in/out.

My original estimate of $100 from the vet was a bit low, they said it'll be more like $150 with pain meds but that's ok as long as she's comfortable and in good hands!
 
Awww I hope everything went well and that she recovers quickly. She sure sounds like she's in great hands so that's always reassuring! :)
 
Vet just called after I posted this and said Layla did well and is awake and just kind of groggy from anesthesia/pain meds. She said if she eats and poops well tomorrow she can go home in the afternoon!
 
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