bigmommasally Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 My friend lost her bunny, Olly, today during his castration op Our bunny Priscilla is booked in for his little op on Friday but after hearing about Olly I am really worried. You may remember that we've have already had a tough time with bunnies this year (our first one died at the breeders before we even got him home, and then we lost our next one to myxi even though he had been vaccinated). We couldn't bear to lose Priscilla and are wondering if we should cancel the op? We've been told that there is a small risk when operating on bunnies - Has anyone else lost a bunny during an operation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenuk99 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hi Sorry to hear about your friend. I have two bunnies Mac who was spayed last July and Dougal who is booked for his on the 16th. Mac took a few days to get over the op and the vets were great, they took her until she was eating and back on the mend and I got regular updates from them. My boy bunny is the first boy I have had so cant give you my experience but from what I have been told there is less risk for the boys as it is less intrusive. I know for me it is a must and it will help Dougal to bond with Mac. You need to feel that the benefits outway the risk. Sorry I don't feel very helpful but I know there will be others along with good advice. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Sadly there is a risk with any operation on animals and humans. There used to be a time when rabbit anesthesia was more risky but it has improved greatly and is no more risky than for other animals. The question you should be asking is how many people have put their rabbits through surgery with no problems - othetrwise you're only going to hear the minority reports about the unlucky ones. Death during surgery is rare, but it can happen for a lot of reasons. The benefits of castration far out weigh that risk in my mind. You need to be sure yourself whether you actually want a more tame, less agressive rabbit that is less prone to disease? I have had many rabbits of the years and can count at least a dozen successful ops. All heart renching, and you always wonder if you are doing the right thing but nevertheless, always in the best interests of the animal. That has to be the priority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I have had 2 boy rabbits and about 4 or 5 girl rabbits over the years who have been spayed or neutered all successfully. I also had a male rabbit go under for aneasthetic for absess and tooth removal. I have never had one rabbit not come back from an operation - so I think it is very rare. Rabbits are like people - you will always get the odd one who reacts badly, but in most cases they are perfectly OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockeyaholic Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Our vet advised against getting my bunnies spayed unless it was necessary...they didn't want the bunnies being put through a big op unless there was reason to do so. Of course my two are both female so circumstances may be different. I realise this forum is generally pro-op but thought I should give the other side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_minilops Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I can imagine you are really concerned. I got my 2 girls spayed last month and was so worried especially as one was very small. They were both fine but took a few days to recover. My advice would be to make sure your vet is used to operating on rabbits because of how nervous they are. Ask them the sucess rate of the rabbits they have operated on, i got told that if they say they have a success rate of less than 90% thats not really good enough. I don't know if you live near a pets at home with a vet but thats where i went because they sell lots of rabbits and mine had a particular rabbit specialist who i specifically asked for. Obviously there is a risk but as long as your boy is healthy when he goes in and you check the vets track record then he should be fine. Good luck with it, i'll keep my fingers crossed for him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 There is a small anaesthetic risk with any op, slightly greater with rabbits than cats/dogs as they are more difficult to monitor and suffer from stress which can also kill them. But it must surely be (far?) less than 1 in 100 healthy young rabbits that die under anaesthetic. When compared with the 80% of entire females that get uterine cancer it is a small risk! Also for the males, they are likely to live a more contented, peaceful life after castration. So it is definitely in their interests. Find a vet that regularly operates on rabbits. Their staff will know what anaesthetics are safe to use, and they will be used to performing a quick, safe surgery. Any vet that tells you not to have your rabbit neutered due to the risk is not experienced with rabbits...otherwise they would know that very few have any problems following it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hi Everyone Thanks so much for your advice. I'm pleased to say that Priscilla had his little op today and is back home running around, eating, pooing and looking very fit and healthy. Now we can start our search for a little companion for him. We want a little girl mini lop under a year and preferably already spayed. So if anyone knows of a rescue in Essex that has one I be happy to hear. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenuk99 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I am pleased everything went well for you! Its amazing how much these little balls of fur mean to you. Dougal is booked in next Friday so hopefully he will bouncing around Like Priscilla. Big bunny hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 How did Priscilla get HIS name? if you don't mind me asking? (I once had a male g.pig called Olga! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 The breeder told us he was a girl when we bought him, DD named her Priscilla as she was such a pretty little princess. When we took him to vets a few days later for the myxi jab the vet said he was 90% sure "she" was a "he". By then though we couldn't think of him as a boy he was our little princess, and we decided he'd have to be our little Priscilla Queen of the Desert. I still call him "her" most of the time and it causes quite a bit of confusion at the vets, especially when he was booked in for a castration. A similar thing has happened with both my tortoises as they are very had to sex as babies, Alfie is the girl and Twink a boy. Olga is a lovely name for a ginny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 I am pleased everything went well for you! Its amazing how much these little balls of fur mean to you. Dougal is booked in next Friday so hopefully he will bouncing around Like Priscilla. Big bunny hugs Thanks - I quite agree I am stunned by how quickly I became attached to them. We only had Teddy our other bunny for 2 months but I still miss him terribly. I hope all goes well for Dougal next week - will be thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new_minilops Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Great news that it all went well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenuk99 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Hurray, Dougal was home last night and was eating and pooing well so according to the vets thats a great sign. He is not quite back to his full mischievious self but has been binking around this morning so he is on the mend. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 That's good! It is worrying when they go in - and a relief when they come back home OK. Fortunately my Princess Chloe is healing up OK - despite having a hole in her tummy skin where her stitches should have been! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
