Posts Tagged ‘ veterinary care ’

Why spay and neuter rabbits?

• Altered rabbits are healthier and live longer than unaltered rabbits
• Altered rabbits make better companion animals
• Altered rabbits display fewer obnoxious behaviors that humans find annoying or distasteful
• Altered rabbits won’t contribute to the problem of rabbit overpopulation
• Altered rabbits can safely have a friend to play with
• Spaying and neutering for rabbits has become a safe procedure when performed by experienced rabbit veterinarians

Is surgery safe on rabbits?

Surgery can be as safe on rabbits as on any animal.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of veterinarians aren’t experienced with safe rabbit surgery techniques.  Don’t allow a veterinarian with little or no rabbit experience spay or neuter your rabbit.  Using isofluorene as the anesthetic and appropriate surgical and after-surgery techniques, spaying and neutering of rabbits is as safe as for any other animal.

How can I find a veterinarian experienced with rabbits?

If you don’t have other bunny owners to get a referral from, you can evaluate any veterinarian by asking the following questions:

• Ask how many rabbits are seen at the clinic each week (or month).
• Ask if they know which antibiotics are dangerous for rabbits (amoxicillin, lincomycin and clindamycin).
• Ask about preventing hairballs.  Q: “What’s the best way to prevent hairballs?”  A: “Provide your rabbit with hay every day, preferably 24 hours a day.  Provide daily exercise and brush frequently.”
• Ask how many rabbits are spayed and neutered each week (or month).
• Ask if food has to be removed the night before surgery.  The answer should be “no”.  Rabbits should never be fasted.
• What was the success rate?  If any were lost, what was the cause?  90% rate is way too low.  Veterinarians across the country who spay and neuter rabbits for the House Rabbit Society have lost on average less than 1/2 of 1%.
• What anesthetics are used?  Isofluorene is preferred.  Some veterinarians are quite successful with anesthetics other than isofluorene, but the bunny is “hung over” after surgery, which increases the probability that s/he will be slow to start eating again, which can lead to serious problems if not dealt with.
• You might also want to ask which conferences they’ve attended lately that had talks about rabbit medicine and what journals they read.

Be careful not to choose the nearest vet without inquiring about their experience with rabbits.  Paying money for an inexperienced vet can be very costly both to you and to your pet.

At what age should rabbits be spayed or neutered?

Females can be spayed as soon as they sexually mature, usually around 4 months of age, but many veterinarians prfer to wait until they are 6 months old, as surgery is riskier on a younger female rabbit.  Males can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend, usually around 3 1/2 months of age, but many veterinarians prefer to wait until they are 5 months old.

What does the surgery cost?

Most veterinarian charge somewhere between $60 and $180.  Neutering a male is generally less expensive than spaying a female due to the amount of surgery required.

What post-operative care should I expect to give my rabbit?

After surgery, keep the environment quiet so the rabbit doesn’t startle or panic, don’t do anything to encourage acrobatics, but let the rabbit move around at her own pace – she knows what hurts and what doesn’t.

Some veterinarians keep rabbits overnight.  If your veterinarian lets you bring your bunny home the first night, not the following:

• Most males come home after being neutered looking for “supper” – be sure they have pellets, water and some good hay (good, fresh alfalfa is a good way to tempt them to nibble a bit)
• Most females want to be left alone, are not interested in eating at all, and will sit quietly in a back corner of the cage (or wherever in the house they feel they will be bothered the least)

The following morning, or at latest by  the next evening, it is important for the rabbit to be nibbling something.  It doesn’t matter what or how much, as long as she is taking in something, so the digestive tract won’t shut down.  If she isn’t, tempt her with everything possible adn contact your veterinarian for further instructions.

What other health issues should I be concerned about?

No vaccinations are required.  However, rabbits’ teeth grow continuously and need to be checked at least annually by a vet.

Rabbits have sensitive digestive systems.  The best way to maintain it is through a proper diet.  As grazing animals, rabbits need hay constantly to keep their system moving.

Finally, if you notice any marked changes in behavior, including lethargy, lack of appetite, severe diarrhea, sneezing, or nasal discharge, take your rabbit to a veterinarian.

Start the search before you have an emergency!  Rabbits should see a veterinarian at least once a year to help prevent serious medical conditions.  Do not make your choice based solely on how close the veterinarian is to your home.  All veterinarians are trained to care for dogs and cats, but rabbits may have only been one day of their entire veterinary education.  Paying money to a veterinarian who does not know anything (or very little) about rabbits is just throwing your money away and can cost the life if your companion.  Don’t assume that just because a veterinarian works with breeders or local 4-H clubs, that they are experienced with house rabbits or the medical needs of older rabbits.  Unfortunately, such veterinarians often tend to approach rabbits as stock animals (where the financial bottom line is the primary consideration) rather than as beloved companions.

Make a list of candidates:

• Check the House Rabbit Society’s recommended veterinarian list first to see if there are any recommended rabbit veterinarians listed in your area.
• Check the yellow pages for veterinarians who advertise as “exotic,” which includes rabbits.
• If there are no exotic vets in your area, randomly select several veterinarians who do NOT advertise as avian or exotic.  Phone these veterinarians and ask who they refer their clients to if they have a serious rabbit case.  Continue the process until you have a clear “winner” or several veterinarians to choose from.

The next step is to phone the candidates.  Let the front office person know that you are concerned with finding the very best veterinarian to care for your rabbit and that you would like to speak directly to the doctor as his/her convenience.  Leave both your work and home phone number and specific times that the vet can reach you or ask what would be a good time for you to call back.

What screening questions should I ask?

• Ask how many rabbits are seen each week.  Are they primarily companion animals or livestock?
• Ask how many rabbits are spayed or neutered each week.
• Ask if he/she knows which antibiotics are dangerous for rabbits.  Even one dose of the following can be deadly: amoxicillin (and most of the “…cillin” drugs like penicillin), lincomycin, clindamycin.
• Ask about preventing hairballs.  The answer should be to provide your rabbit with hay every day, preferably24 hours a day and to provide daily exercise and brush frequently.
• Ask if food or water has to be removed the night before surgery.  The answer should be “no”.  It is better not to withhold food and water prior to surgery; rabbits can’t vomit, so there is no risk of that during surgery, and rabbits should never be allowed to have empty digestive tracts.
• You might also want to ask which conference they’ve attended lately that had talks about rabbit medicine and what journals they read.  You want your veterinarian to know the latest in rabbit treatments.
• About how many rabbit clients does the veterinarian see in a year.
• Ask how many spays/neuters of rabbits has the veterinarian has done in the past month. What was the success rate?  90% success is way too low.  Every doctor, whether for animals or humans will occasionally lose a patient; usually because of an undiagnosed problem.  Veterinarians across the country who spay/neuter rabbits for the House Rabbit Society have lost on average less than 1/2 of 1%.  If any were lost, what was the cause?
• Ask what anesthetics are used.  Some veterinarians are quite successful with anesthetics other than isofluorene, but the bunny is “hung over” after surgery, which increases the probability that s/he will be slow to start eating again, which can lead to serious problems if not dealt with.
• Ask other specific questions or concerns you have the veterinarian.

If you don’t get the “right” answers to the above questions, continue your search until you find the right veterinarian for you and your rabbit.