# URGENT - Rabbit opened neuter incision



## rhianna (Oct 23, 2014)

Bear was neutered today and did well. He's been fine and eating normally. However, he's been insistent on licking and biting the wound. I try and stop him but it's hard to sit right in front of him all day. He managed to chew it to the point where it's bleeding now, not excessively but it did drip a little bit. The wound was closed with glue and it looks like it might be coming open a little bit. I currently have him on my lap with a gauze pad on the wound and I don't know what to do. The vet is closed and I don't know of any emergency vets in my area. I can't imagine leaving him all night to chew on himself even more. I tried to make a collar restraint from a towel and he just yanked it off. Please help in any way you can. Thank you


----------



## lopsofloverabbitry (Oct 23, 2014)

Oh dear! Try calling any vet/vet hospital in your area. Some hospitals are open all night. Just keep a close eye on him! Good luck! 


~Breeding Quality Holland Lops Since 2012~


----------



## whiskylollipop (Oct 23, 2014)

There must be emergency vets in New York. Try googling 24 hour emergency vet + your suburb/area. It sounds like he needs the wound restitched as well as a cone collar to keep him from bothering it while it heals.


----------



## JBun (Oct 23, 2014)

If it isn't opened up and you just need to keep him from messing with it, you can try calling an emergency vet and seeing if you can pick up an e collar(though I prefer not to use e collars if at all possible due to it often causing a rabbit to become depressed). You will need to keep an eye on his eating though and may need to help him eat and drink, as it can be difficult with the collar on, as well as ensuring he can eat his cecotropes. 

You could also try making your own donut collar, or wrapping around his belly with vet wrap if the surgical incision is on the belly. You will need some type of vet wrap, which is just a self adhering bandage wrap. If you do wrap his belly, you need to be *very* careful not to wrap too tightly as to impede his breathing, and you will also need to watch to make sure he doesn't chew and ingest any of the bandage. If you try the donut collar, also make sure that you don't secure it too tightly.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=72663&page=2
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=32808

If you aren't sure if it has opened up too much or how best to stop him from chewing at it, best to call an emergency vet. You may be able to call your regular vets number and they may have an emergency contact.


----------



## rhianna (Oct 23, 2014)

I live in the middle of the mountains in upstate NY where there's barely anything for miles. I tried searching for emergency vets and I get no results anywhere near me. Currently I have a collar on Bear made from a paper plate and it so far is effective. The area is still slightly oozing blood and I have been blotting it with a warm damp gauze sponge. He's eating and drinking normally and seems to be his normal self. I tried putting a bit of triple antibiotic (plain) on the incisions but I'm nervous about touching them too much. Most of his small "hospital" cage is lined with fleece aside from where the litter box is. I'm going to be sleeping on the floor next to his cage and I have set an alarm on my phone for every hour and a half throughout the night so I can wake up to check on him. As I'm typing this he's doing fine. I don't know if i can get to the vet before 1:30pm tomorrow because my parents will be at work and I don't drive. I'm going to call first thing tomorrow and make an appointment.


----------



## JBun (Oct 23, 2014)

It sounds like you've found a good solution. As long as it isn't really opened up, I would think it would be fine til you can call your vet tomorrow. 

Bunnies! Oh the stress they cause us sometimes


----------



## rhianna (Oct 24, 2014)

Thanks for the help. I just called the vet and normally she leaves at 1 but since I can't get there until 130-2 she's going to stay so she can fix Bear's incisions 

I checked up with him ever hour and a half throughout the night and he didn't do much sleeping. I think he was asleep for maybe 2 hours at one point but the rest of the time was battling with the plate I put around his head. I feel so bad for him but it's better than having him tear himself open. Hopefully the vet can help me find a better solution. 

Oh, and I did manage to find an emergency vet about 40 minutes away. My parents wouldn't take me last night due "unless it got to the point where it was life-threatening" but at least I know of it now.


----------



## rhianna (Oct 24, 2014)

The vet cleaned up the area but said she wasn't able to glue it back together because it'd already started to scar. She gave me some antibiotics for him to help the healing move along and said it'd just have to heal up the way it is. I'm hoping she's right because there are really no other rabbit-savvy vets in my area. Bear is still doing fine and he's eating/drinking normally and everything. The vet also gave him a real e-collar and told me to bring him in again either Monday or Tuesday (I won't know until tomorrow when I find out my work schedule). The reason I'm a little worried still is because there are two little lumps where the testicles were, and one of them has turned black. I'm not sure if that's normal or not?


----------

