My rabbit just got spayed. How do I care for her after surgery?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Spaying female rabbit involve giving general anaesthesia (either by injections or by inhaling anaesthetic gas) and performing surgery to remove the ovaries and the uterus. The abdomen is clipped once the bunny is asleep, then a small incision on the abdominal wall is made and finally the ovaries / uterus are removed. There are usually 3-4 stitches inside the abdomen and some stitches to close up the abdomen and the skin. Most of the rabbits are back to normal very quickly after the surgery (within 1-2 days), so hopefully Oreo will also recover rapidly. You will need to make sure she is kept warm at home, she eating as normal and passing normal stools. She will likely be prescribed a few days or pain killers to go home with.

I suggest you ask your vet how they plan to do the surgery. They will be able to give you better answers to your questions since we are not privy to their procedures. All I can tell you is what most vets do. Most veterinarians do not leave stitches on the outside of the incision any more. They will likely be only under the skin so you may not have to worry about the stitches. The medication he would take after surgery is usually a liquid and you would just squirt it in his mouth. Your vet can show you how to do this. Yes, you should keep him in small area for about 7-10 days to minimize his activity. You should constantly monitor him for the first 12 hours after surgery. After that you should just check on him every 6 hours or so to make sure his is doing OK. Hope this answers your questions. Best wishes.

Your vet should have it, most veterinary clinics that treat rabbits have this or something similar in stock. your rabbits should not need it though, if everything goes well, most chances are they will get back to eating within several hours after the surgery.

Since Blossom is still eating and producing normal stool I would not worry just yet. She is probably very uncomfortable from her surgery. Continue to monitor her closely and if she stops eating then take her to your vet for a recheck.

Yes! Usually the incision should be healed within two weeks. If the incision looks red, swollen, or has any discharge then it may not be healed and might actually be infected. I would let a vet take a look at it if that is the case. Otherwise, you should be good to handle her and not hurt her!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely a great decision to have Bubba spayed. It’s also great that she has been eating and having regular bowel movements. It maybe a bit awkward for her to lay down at first, especially if she has a cone. I recommend monitoring her incision site closely for any redness, swelling, or discharge as these can be signs of an infection. Unfortunately, rabbits have notoriously small veins, so it is difficult to place an IV catheter, but Bubba’s ear and paw should heal quickly. The hair regrowth may be patchy, so do not be alarmed. I hope all is well and am happy to answer any other questions you have!

Spaying is a major abdominal surgery, and it's not surprising that Harley isn't very active. It's good that she is eating and defecating, so just keep an eye on her for now. If she isn't more active tomorrow, give her vet a call.