# Feed or dont feed the night before getting spayed?



## Serenity (Jul 21, 2007)

I have heard both things. Thevet just called and said dont feed the evening or morning before we take Zoie to get spayed Monday. Online I read ALWAYS feed them. Which one is it? Thanks so much.


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## Spring (Jul 21, 2007)

Is your vet rabbit savvy? 

Rabbits shouldn't be fasted prior to a surgery. Rabbits cannot vomit, so unlike cats and dogs they don't need to be fasted. It can be quite dangerous with a rabbits delicate digestive system to with hold food. A rabbit should have access to food until the time of the surgery.


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## undergunfire (Jul 21, 2007)

Your rabbit must ALWAYS have access to food and water. Do NOT starve them before a spay or neuter.

Give your bunny it's normal pellets at it's normal time and always have hay & water available.


Vets will say "do not feed the evening or morning before surgery", this pertains to dogs and cats because if they have a full stomach on the table, they can puke and suffocate. Rabbits, however, CAN'T puke...so there are no worries there.

Is your vet rabbit savvy? A rabbit savvy vet will never tell you to "starve" your rabbit before it's spay or neuter.


Hope that helps you!


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 21, 2007)

They need to maintain their normal eating activities, nothing more, nothing less, in a nut shell. So, therefore, don't change a thing in their eating habits while a spay/neuter are scheduled and performed. Afterwards, you may have trouble getting a doe to eat versus a buck. More on this if you need it.


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## JimD (Jul 21, 2007)

They should have access to food and water, as the others have stated.

Our vet even requests that you bring food, hay, treats, and even their water bottle with water from home.
I love my vet:biggrin2:

Now....some of the _*assistants* _aren't overly knowledgeable about rabbits. Sometimes you have to kind of educate them a bit.

~Jim


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## rabb1tmad (Jul 21, 2007)

Yep, yep and yep to everyone above. Rabbits must have food before and after. Animals capable of vomiting aren't fed before an operation because it is dangerous for them to be sick while under anaesthetic. Rabbits can't vomit so they can be fed right up until the operation and straight afterwards. Take along your own food, hay anda nice little treat so that the vets can entice your rabbit to eat after the operation.

Good luck x


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## Serenity (Jul 21, 2007)

Okay thank you so much!!! Thats what I was thinking. I told my husband I was pretty sure we should just keep feeding her, but I thought I would check on here first. The girl that called sounded young like she just worked at the counter it wasnt the vet herself that said dont feed them.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jul 21, 2007)

:yeahthat: lol, i had the same thing happen to me.



Now....some of the assistants aren't overly knowledgeable about rabbits. Sometimes you have to kind of educate them a bit. 

:yeahthat:



Yes and remember to pack your baby a "lunch" of some of her favorite foods to help entice her to keep eating. I came to the vet office with bunny in one hand and a baggie with goodies in another, lol, my friend is a vet tech there and she scrubbed in on the surgery and took great care of her while she was there. And the Vet went home and got some fresh veggies from his garden for my baby, because i wasnt anticipating them keeping her overnight. Good luck


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## pla725 (Jul 21, 2007)

What they said above. I've had to educate a few vet techs. Some don't know that rabbits don't vomit. Bring some greens, pellets and hay for your rabbit to eat.


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## ra7751 (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi,

You should never remove food from a rabbit. The concern is that if an animal should throw up that it would be aspirated into the lungs. That is not a concern with rabbits. It is much more important to protect the gut.

Now...as far as what they vet told you. If the doctor himself/herself told you that....I would immediately cancel the appointment and find a real rabbit vet. A much more likely cause is an education issue at the front desk. If that be the case, a mention to your doctor about the issue should result in a staff meeting to rectify the misinformation. It might have been said out of habit....but none the less, I consider it vitally important the vet staff be communicating correct information.

And a side note....insist on *appropriate* pain meds to take home. We offer a complete buffet of any rabbit safe food....even some treats.....to encourage them to start eating as soon as possible.

Randy


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## pla725 (Jul 21, 2007)

I agree with Randy about the pain meds. I've even had a discussion about this with someone in the rescue group. They didn't think it was necessary. I did. I think she was concerned that the pain meds would suppress the appetite. I said if anything it was the opposite.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 22, 2007)

I've had front desk people tell me to fast a rabbit at places I know that the vets are OK..I always call them on it and they just don't know...makes a bad impression for the clinci and I'm sure some people follow the instructions and fast them.


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## Gordon (Jul 22, 2007)

I just assumed my vet knew what he was doing when I was told to take away my bunnies' food and hay the night before their neuters, and thankfully Peter and Bugs came out ok, but it really freaked me out after the fact when I learned later that was a definite no-no!


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## ra7751 (Jul 22, 2007)

One more slightly off topic comment regarding the use of pain meds after surgery. Some drugs will slow the GI transit time so it might curb the appetite a bit. However, my feeling is that I would not want any surgery performed on myself without pain meds and I don't think anyone out there would...so why would our rabbits be any different? Like any medical treatment, the key is to make an informed decision since every treatment has a side effect....so does the benefit outweigh the risk? In the case of pain meds after surgery, I am not shy about popping the drugs.

And back on topic.....some vets do request that pellets be removed at least 2 hours prior to sedation and there does seem to be a good case for that....but do not remove hay and/or water. We have actually had rabbits eating hay as they prepped them for sedation.

Randy


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## doodle (Jul 22, 2007)

*ra7751 wrote:*


> .....some vets do request that pellets be removed at least 2 hours prior to sedation and there does seem to be a good case for that....but do not remove hay and/or water.



That's what my vet told me to do â remove pellets the night before but keep feeding hay and water. (The assistant had told me to fast them completely, so I asked to speak to the vet.)


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## Gordon (Jul 22, 2007)

There seems to be a common theme here about front desk people at the vet's office not having good rabbit info. I think that really may have been the case at the vet who did my two guys' neuters, because otherwise, he seemed very knowledgable, and I didn't know any better at the time to question the fasting thing. I would have thought that the incoming staff would be briefed on the needs of whatever animals they might see.


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## Hare comes Trouble (Jul 22, 2007)

Serienty:

When I had all five of my rabbits spayed or neutered, the vet said not to feed after 7:00 pm the night before. They were spayed early in the morning (around 9:00 am). I felt awful, but the vet knew better. I didn't want anything to go wrong. They all recovered quickly. Good luck. I will keep Zoie in my prayers.


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 22, 2007)

*Hare comes Trouble wrote: *


> Serienty:
> 
> When I had all five of my rabbits spayed or neutered, the vet said not to feed after 7:00 pm the night before. They were spayed early in the morning (around 9:00 am). I felt awful, but the vet knew better. I didn't want anything to go wrong. They all recovered quickly. Good luck. I will keep Zoie in my prayers.


This is false, false, false. I'm sorry, but your vet is 100% wrong, wrong, wrong. Rabbits don't have the ability to vomit, so they are not ever to be fasted. Cats and dogs can vomit from the anesthesia, so they are to be fasted.


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## Roxie (Jul 22, 2007)

FEED


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## TreasuredFriend (Jul 23, 2007)

Intubated? Isoflurane cup over the mouth? Our rabbit-savvy vet suggested no food or water after midnight whenour cast of 19 rescueswere to be spayed and neutered in the early a.m, next day. Being uncomfortable with that, I took away their water bottle and hay approximately 4-6 hours prior to their air tube insertion for surgery. Everyone did okay... 

I also packed a veggie/fave greens lunchfor the girls who stayed overnight at the clinic (along with their fave hay), and the newly neutered boys came home late that afternoon.


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 23, 2007)

*TreasuredFriend wrote: *


> Intubated? Isoflurane cup over the mouth? Our rabbit-savvy vet suggested no food or water after midnight whenour cast of 19 rescueswere to be spayed and neutered in the early a.m, next day. Being uncomfortable with that, I took away their water bottle and hay approximately 4-6 hours prior to their air tube insertion for surgery. Everyone did okay...


Nope, I can't agree with that. Not from what I have learned through the House Rabbit Society, vets, this forum, and just reading.


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

If I have a vet....not a tech or support staff....the real doctor....tell me to remove hay and water from a rabbit the night before...it is quite obvious to me that this doctor should stick to dogs and cats....not much more can be said. It's wrong plain and simple. I have no problem removing pellets early....but never hay and water. I have been dealing with rabbits for many years and have been thru hundreds of surgical procedures....we do not remove hay and/or water at all. Never have...never will. We are doing a spay tomorrow and she will have hay and water available right up to procedure time.

And intubating for a spay/netuer....how much extra was the charges? I can't think of a sound medical reason to intubate for these procedures. We have intubated rabbits....as difficult as it is....for prolonged sedation required for some dental procedures. If a rabbit is in such shape that intubation is required for spay/neuter....I would revisit it's overall health situation first.

I have to be blunt here..do not remove hay and/or water from a rabbit....period!

Randy


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## Serenity (Jul 23, 2007)

well we fed her up until she had to go and I even gave her an alfalfa cookie before she went .. shes there now :< I want her to come home we have cilantro and parsly waiting for her


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## ra7751 (Jul 23, 2007)

Great job. And having that special treat when they get home usually gets them back to eating quicker.


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 23, 2007)

Yay, good job! Oh, did you ask about pain meds to bring home? I hope the spay goes well and she's feeling okay later. You may want to see if she'll take a craisen as a treat as well for being such a brave girl.


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## Serenity (Jul 23, 2007)

We actully just bought some crasins for her!! I just set up her cage a fresh towel and food and her treats in a low bowl I got a bowl of water too as well as her normal water bottle and some hay ... ahhh I want her home so bad!!... we asked the vet if we could speak to her after the surgery to ask about pain meds... *stares at phone waiting for an okay come pick up Zoie call*


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## Flashy (Jul 23, 2007)

I feel your pain and anxiety, I truly do. I hope that she does ok. It sounds like you are doing all the right things 

Thinking of you


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## Serenity (Jul 23, 2007)

ahhhh they just called :biggrin2:shes waking up and everything went perfect!!! Aww i want to go hold her and sniff her!!! Her little head always smells so good, we can pick her up in a few hours and they said they have pain meds for us to take home ... im such a happy mommy i cant wait to go get her now!!!!!!


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## Flashy (Jul 23, 2007)

That's TERRIFIC!


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 23, 2007)

Awesome! That's great news!


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## TreasuredFriend (Jul 23, 2007)

She'llsoak in your love and extra TLC. Happywishes for your sweetie! 

Disabled Karla girl underwent a minor anesthetic procedure ... anda vet techbrought her into the exam room after she was awakening. Holding your groggy bunny in a burrito-wrap comfort towel as she's coming to is an incredible bonding experience!It was pins and needles and prayer time when Karla went for her papilloma growth removal last December.A vet who takes excellent care of your babies is a Treasure!


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## rabb1tmad (Jul 23, 2007)

Brilliant news. I'm so pleased it all went well. Zoie is going to have a lotta love from you but give her some more from us


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## Bunnicula (Jul 23, 2007)

I got around to reading this thread a little after the fact, but I would have had to echo everybody's FEED HER statement. Glad to know you made that decision.

I would still mention to my vet that the tech (or receptionist)told you not to, though. Only good can come of it.

And congrats on a successful surgery for your girl! Looking forward to hear about her post-op craisin smorgagbord!


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## Serenity (Jul 23, 2007)

Zoie is home!!! They sent her home with Butorphanol syrup for pain. As soon as we got her home we offered her her favorite snack and some cilantro and parsley and she ate it all!!! Shes doing really good, her eyes are still sleepy though. She just drank some water from her bowl and now we left her to rest for a little while.  We are happy parents right now :biggrin2:


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jul 23, 2007)

Wow, if she's eating already that is a very good sign!


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## Flashy (Jul 23, 2007)

Aw, this all sounds good 

Fingers crossed that it stays good.


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## Serenity (Jul 23, 2007)

yeah she ate good, she kinda reminded me of a robot when she was eating though her eyes were half closed and she was just munching away like okay just get it out of my face but im glad she ate REALLY gladbecause I was nervous about that


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