Hi Lauren,
You have hit a soft spot with me....my rescue is in honor of my very first rescue. She was a little blackHolland Lop we named Sabrina. She was with us for far too short a time. We didn't know what took her from us at the time.....but we know now and I have done a lot of work in finding a treatment for E Cuniculi. And the anniversary of her coming here is coming up.....on Halloween.
In the hands of a skilled and experienced rabbit vet, sedation is pretty routine these days. I have personally sedated wild rabbits (and they are much more delicate than domestics) that were only a couple of weeks old and weighed less than 45g (about an ounce and a half) successfully. Most vets still use Isoflorane but there is a newer inhalent known as Sevoflourane that is even safer. We also use injectables, considered unsafe just a couple of years ago, for more complex surgeries.
Your vet may want to do blood work. It does add some cost but it's worth it. Not only do you get to see if anything is going on now, the blood values will give you a reference point in case future issues come up. You should not remove food or water prior to surgery. Some vets ask that you remove pellets the morning of the procedure but she should still have hay and water available at all times. We provide a "buffet" of favorite foods immediately after surgery. Pain meds are a huge point to consider and discuss with your vet prior to the surgery. Some vets will tell you they give an injection that is all that is needed. That is not true and if your vet tells you that, I would reconsider that doctor. Some vets will use Metacam. It is certainly better then nothing, but doesn't provide appropriate pain control. Tramdol is an acceptable analgesic. Buprenorphine is the optimum choice. I plan for pain meds for up to 5 days. With the more aggressive Buprenex, we rarely go beyong 3 days. We also prefer laser surgery. There is debate in the veterinary world on laser and if it is worth the added cost. We have done many spays and we insist on laser spays. Less blood loss, neater incision and the final close is by internal sutures with tissue glue. No sutures to chew, pull out or pop. Lessens the risks of infection and allows quicker healing. And no "zipper" on the abdomen.
If you ever need any help with medical, behavior or nutrition issues or Sabrina....please let me know. If I should not happen to be online at the time, the Infirmary Mods know how to contact me directly.
Randy
