RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

Ivan Crotaz — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:12:01 GMT

[quote user="Jess Ashby"]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me their methods for preventing rabbits chewing post neutering?

Buster collars prevent them from eating their caecotrophs and soft flexy ones they seem to be able to get around to lick at their wounds?

Has anyone got any other ideas that work well?

[/quote]

I would agree with the other posts about analgesia - I think this is critical. Using meloxicam, buprenorphine in the premed, plus lidocaine or a 50:50 mix of lidocaine/bupivicaine around the pedicles and wound closure site works well for me. Intradermal sutures definitely (thin suture material and Aberdeen knot well buried) , getting back with bonded partner asap and attention to detail keeping environment clean and hygienic.

I don't use tshirts or collars often but both are ok in emergencies for very limited periods of time. Best to concentrate on pain reduction.

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

Jo Hinde — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 12:42:29 GMT

What are you using as a pre med? In most of these cases it is the analgesia protocol that isnt quite right. Double check your dose rates (and the suture tension as mentioned above) against those cited in the Textbook of rabbit medicine 2nd edition by Molly Varga or the 2014 BSAVA rabbit manuals. Also, provide toys and enrichment for the rabbit post op and ensure the bonded mate is there for companionship.

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

Robyn — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 12:28:11 GMT

We have wee lycra bodysuits in our practice that we get from JAK. We've used them a few times to prevent chewing where all other avenues have been taken care of, and they seem to work out fairly well. Rabbits are a bit like cats in this regard though, and some take to them well whereas others don't cope at all and we can't use them.

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

jojofruits — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 11:37:54 GMT

have a chat with the vets about using some buprenorphine - I have found its brill for pain post op and we always use it. also Sal makes an interesting point below...

re: tissue glue - sometimes it can be irritatant if too much gets on the skin around the wound so I would tend to advise that it's put it on through a 25g needle and dot it on only where it is needed. those tissue glue pot things have a really big nozzle .. too easy to splurge it everywhere and the needle helps getting it out in teeny amounts

edited to add - intradermal sutures are an absolute MUST for rabbits. assuming your vets are using those :-)

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

Sal the 1st — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 22:04:19 GMT

Donning a tin hat

are the sutures comfortable? What suture material is being used? ie if they are a wee bit tight have seen this happen intradermal or external, just wondered if the 2-3 hours postop is because of post op swelling causing the sutures to nip a bit as they tighten - and if the rabbit has a bit of a nibble, well a bit more swelling and the sutures a bit tighter still and then the rabbit really goes to town on the wound. (and I am not criticising a vets surgical skills here - its just a question before any vets reading this decide to stick me against a wall in front of a machine gun!)

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

Jess Ashby — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:50:06 GMT

Hi :)

Rabbits are being given dom/ket combo, meloxidyl and ranitidine.

Then sent home on meloxidyl and bio lapis sachets.

Chewing is post operatively 2-3 hours after recovery. We dry the rabbits post anaesthesia so they do not seem to be wet.

One boy in particular chewed his wound to the extent where it just kept reopening. Vets are using tissue glue - could this be an irritant? I also saw the nibbling of the wound with a rabbit spay yesterday.

We use iodine solution for scrub not hibiscrub.

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

jojofruits — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 12:55:12 GMT

HI there

We do a lot of rabbit neutering and hardly ever have an issue with chewing post op, a few questions worth asking...

When is it happening? immediately post op or a few days afterwards?

are your vets using plenty of analgesia including for a few days afterwards? intradermal sutures?

Does the vet use any tissue glue?

Is it males or females or both?

Are clients keeping them on newspaper post op until the wounds are healed?

Are they definitely chewing the sutures or just cleaning around the scrub area ( rabbits hate being wet)?

What are you using for scrub?

I have found that buster collars actually cause more problems than they prevent so actually only use them on an incredibly rare occasion

RE: RABBIT neutering chewing! - preventatives?

madelinepikevn@aol.com — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 17:45:46 GMT

Don't get many problems with intradermal sutures but you can get jak pet t shirts for rabbits which work well.