Post Operative Care – Rabbits and Small Pets

• Your pet will have been offered food and water whilst in at the surgery. Please ensure that your pet eats and tempt him or her if necessary.  We expect rabbits and small pets to be eating by the next morning following surgery.  If they are not, please call us for advice (your pet is likely to need an appointment for a check over with a vet)
• Please keep all rabbits and small pets indoors overnight following surgery. If they normally live outdoors, then they may return to an outdoors enclosure the next day provided that they are eating.
• If your pet has had surgery and has an external wound, then please remove straw, shavings and sawdust bedding and replace them with shredded or sheet paper, or even blanket bedding. This is to stop the dust getting into the surgical wound.  You may return to normal bedding once your pet has had the all clear at a post op check.
• You may still offer hay to eat, but this is better situated out with the bedding area and offered in a feeding manger
• Please check surgical wounds daily and look for signs or swelling or discharge.
• You may have been given medication home, in which case please give it as instructed and follow instructions on the label carefully.
• Remember to come to any post-operative appointments.

Feeding

• Feed your pet as normal as soon as they return home from an operation.
• If your pet is not keen to eat, then you may tempt them with some of their favourite food to start them eating.
• Offer free access to fresh clean water

Follow up:

• Please give any medication as directed on the label
• Please check surgical wounds daily for signs of swelling, discolouration or discharge.
• Please make an appointment for a check-up appointment as instructed.

Please contact the surgery if:

• Your pet is sick, refuses to eat, or is lethargic after the first day.
• The operation site is oozing, bleeding or appears swollen.