Recently spayed rabbit not eating. Ideas?

Question

I'm posting this question for my sister because I know NOTHING about rabbits...

I just called my sister and she said that she just got her rabbit spayed yesterday and the rabbit is not eating at all. I asked my sister if she called the vet and she said "yes", but she couldn't say anything after that because she was crying too hard. I feel really bad for her because she's worried about the rabbit - does anyone have any ideas??? Has this happened to anyone else? Do they sell vitamins for rabbits that we could bring to my sister to at least get some kind of nutrients into the rabbit?

I'm not sure if it matters but I don't know what kind of rabbit it is. She's about the size of a cat though and is a little over 1 year old.

Answer 1

Hi,

Are you in the UK or USA??

It's very important that a rabbit starts eating quickly after surgery as your sister probably knows, though it isn't that uncommon for ppl to have this problem. If they aren't eating you need to syringe feed, it's very very important to make sure they are getting something into them.

If she doesn't have any critical care food (her vet sounds rubbish by the way - my guess is they didn't even give her any pain meds) she can mash up some of her rabbits food with warm water until it is liquid form and force feed her with that. She needs to put the tip of the syringe into her rabbits mouth in the diastema (side of the rabbits mouth behind incisors. If she can get hold of any jarred baby food she can use this. If the rabbit isn't drinking she can also put some water into a syringe and pineapple juice to break down any potential blockages. Her vet should have given her some gut stimulant drugs also.

It's very stressful having to force feed a rabbit and if your sister need any indepth advice please email me. [e-mail]

EDIT While it is common for rabbits to sometimes go off their food for various reasons it should never be taken lightly. A rabbits digestive system can shut down within 24 hours which is fatal for the rabbit. They are hindgut fermenters which means they should constantly have food moving through them or stasis potentially occurs. Try giving the rabbit it's favourite treat. I have had bunnies go off food frequently after surgery and while some may prefer to let the rabbit go at it's own pace I don't take the risk. your sisters bunny has been through a stressful surgery and it is normal for some to react like this but I can totally empathise with how upset your sister is. I mention painkillers because a lot of vets don't realise the importance of them and rabbits should be given them after surgery, especially a spay. Metaclopramide should also be given if a rabbit is not eating by now.

Answer 2

The doe has just had major surgery under a lengthy general anaesthetic - would you want to eat?

It is important that she does eat though. Tell your sister to offer her (safe) herbs as they smell good; and plenty of timothy and meadow hay.

If she still isn't eating in the morning she needs taken to see the vet to have a gut stimulant administered.

Leave the vitamins - they're just a way for pet shops to get your money; they do very little (if any) good for animals.

Also as the above poster suggest using yoghurt I should warn you that it comes with it's own worries; rabbits are lactose intolerant and so can't actually digest the yoghurt - it could actually make her worse.

Answer 3

She needs to get some rabbit recovery feed from a vets that she can syringe feed to the rabbit until it starts eating by itself. If the rabbit is also not pooing, she needs to take it STRAIGHT back to the vet.

Rabbits have much faster metabolisms that humans or cats or dogs. They cannot last longer than a few days without eating or pooing. Anaesthetics can mess around with their metabolisms, depending on which drugs were or weren't used.

Don't give the rabbit extra vitamins, you will just unbalance its gut flora. It needs FOOD.

Chalice

Answer 4

Does her rabbit have a funny odor ? Is it raw, puffy looking - infected in the incision area, could mean an infection.
Take to vet asap !!

Tell her to first try giving her rabbit some raw pumpkin pie filling from a can immediately !! Rabbits usually dont refuse that. She should get some yogurt, the one with pro-biotics + force feed her thru an eye dropper. She will have to be gentle in getting her wrapped in a towel so not to hurt her incisions.
The rabbit needs something in her stomach soon or she will die. Email me if you want, put answers yahoo or ? in subject so I dont delete you. [e-mail] . I have a rabbit group I can direct your sister to, it has tons of info I have found over 7 yrs. And she can email me if she has any other questions.
Colleen

Answer 5

I am in agreement with Angela, Chalice, and Puddlemere. But something they missed was to have your sister call the vet and let him know what is going on. He needs to know. He can help and will certainly need to know if your sister's rabbit dies. Heaven forbid.

The critical care food that was mentioned is actually called "Critical Care for herbivores" and is made by Oxbow. It was recommended by a rabbit rescue friend that I help sometimes. She swears by it. I keep it in my fridge at all times jik in need it.

Best wishes.

Answer 6

I have 3 rabbits, and they all go through spells where they don't eat much, sometimes. I think the best bet is to get medical advise, of course, from the vet, due to the recent surgery, though. Probably nothing to worry about.

Answer 7

Take her to the vet, when rabbits don't eat it can be serious. Just try tempting her with alfalfa, and fruits. Just getting her to nibble will make all the difference!