Poppy's spay - She's in recovery!

[Cigar]

This will be a journal type post to keep track of all the information concerning her spay, questions I might want to note, pictures to share, healing time, etc. Poppy is a 24 month old beige hood who's been alone since her cagemate, Clover, passed away a few months ago due to stroke. I was blessed with a great job recently and now that I have the funds, I want her to meet my 3 squishes!

Nov 2 - Today I'll be making an appointment to have her pre-op check up. I think this will result in some Baytril 'cause she seems a wee raspy. I want her in top shape to hit the operating table, she's sharp as a tack. :thumbup:

 

[Cigar]

Nov 3 - We have an appointment tomorrow morning with the wonderful Dr Gerena.

 

[Maple]

What day is her spay?

 

[Cigar]

She's been put on a course of Baytril (14 days) and as soon as that's up, I'll be bringing her in.

 

[Cigar]

I called Dr Gerena's office this morning to set it in stone! Next Wednesday Poppy's being spayed. As the second surgery of the day she'll be be under around 11AM and I can pick her up at 5 as long as she's doing well. I requested Baytril and Metacam post op because I didn't see them included on the estimate they gave me.

What should I send with her? I know she'll need some blocks but what about a water bottle or a small dish instead? I'll send her on fleece and shredded paper towel to nest 'cause it'll be easy to remove with a dab of water. Am I forgetting anything?

I'm also dying to know when I can start intros with my gentlemen. :happydance: The CN will be here about a week later and I want everyone in ASAP to pack up their cages and take them to my parents house over Christmas.

 

[mamarat]

At my vet's they give them water in a small dish. I only give a seedless grape or watermelon in the carrier with some blocks. Good luck to your sweetie.

 

[Cigar]

At my vet's they give them water in a small dish. I only give a seedless grape or watermelon in the carrier with some blocks. Good luck to your sweetie.

Fruit is a great idea. Thanks! :>

 

[SQ]

When mine go in for surgery, I take peas as well as lab blocks and a water bottle.

good luck to your little girl

 

[Kayla]

I would take anything she's likely to be motivated to eat right after surgery. You'll want to wait until she's healed to intro her to the boys. Good luck. :wink2:

 

[Cigar]

I have a pet safe ointment that's supposed to reduce itching. http://drmaggie.ca/products_skin_care_ointment.html Would it make a difference if I apply this to the incision a couple times a day? I like that it's a little bitter tasting so she won't be as likely to play with it.

 

[Maple]

I wouldn't use any ointment and your going to find they pick at the incision regardless of what you do. She'll be OK and heal amazingly fast. Just had 6 of my own done, they all picked and all are doing fine.

 

[jorats]

Those that really pick away at their incision is mostly due to pain, not because the are itchy. You'll have metacam so she should be fine. I wouldn't add the ointment, not until later and only if you see she's really going at the area.
Like Maple said, they heal so fast.

 

[Cigar]

Too bad they don't make rat sized e-collars, right? haha. I'll just stay on top of antibiotics and metacam then. I always forget how quickly they heal. Glad your girls are all doing swell, Maple!

 

[lj]

HAHAHA! E-collars wouldn't work anyways. She'll doing wonderfully fine.

 

[Lise]

I have had some rats I've had to put e-collars on. One who continually ripped her lump removal site open over and over. And another who opened up her entire spay incision to her body cavity. (That was fun!! Not!) E-collars are NOT fun with rodents, but every once in awhile they are necessary. At least for me -- I never had any luck with the body cast thing.

That is great that your girl is getting spayed (will help prevent tumours!) as well as she gets to have friends.

As for eating after surgery, I usually give some canned cat food which seems to be a yummy treat. But you can do baby food, etc. anything that is really tempting.

Here is my old Tevy girl, wearing her e-collar, after she would not leave her 2nd tumor removal site alone!

 

[lj]

Did she actually keep that sucker on her head?

 

[Maple]

Snoozer, one of my RIP girls had a collar but I had to take it off because she couldn't get her hand around the collar to feed herself.

 

[Cigar]

Oh my gosh.. Lise.. that is the CUTEST thing I've ever seen. LOL!

 

[Lise]

Yes, she couldn't get it off. Tevy didn't mind it at all.

Maple is right though, they cannot properly eat with it on. So I had to leave out tons of baby food and wet cat food which they can eat with the e-collar on. And then under strict supervision remove (and clean!!) the e-collar.

But in the cases I have used it the rats were causing too much harm to themselves.

Here is why she had it on -- she would NOT leave this tumour removal site alone, and she had lost so much blood. It had been reclosed 3-4 times and is not pretty.

 

[Cigar]

She's been playing on the bed, hoarding cheerios, and giving me lots of kisses. I bought fresh watermelon slices, a bigger carrier and new fleece. I even have some baby food in case she's picky. Tonight she explored the CN while the boys ran around the playpen; it was incredible to see her climb and leap the way she did.

Unfortunately my brother is going to have to be the one to pick her up and monitor her until he picks me up from work.. :sad3: I'd love to bring her but we have a store cat (who didn't work out) that hangs out in the back for now and it's too busy up front. There'll be a 5 and a half hour span from the time that she's supposed to be ready and I'll be getting home. Do you think she'll sleep through most of it?