Post-op care for neuters

[Bronwyn]

Sweet Atticus was neutered by my dad this morning. Dad's never neutered a rat before, but I trusted him given all the other complicated procedures he's pulled off on my furry kids over the last decade. According to one of his techs he was stressing about it all week, on the phone with colleagues and doing all sorts of research. His head knew it was simple, but he also knew he was dealing with his daughter's rat. :giggle: I figured if he can remove a tumor from my mouse's abdomen giving her another year to live (among other things), this would be fine.

And fine it was! Atticus had his surgery with no problems and pulled through the anesthetic. I barely slept last night, fretting, because though it wasn't my dad who neutered Milo, Milo died shortly after. I think Dad's more relieved than I am!

So, just so I can be the annoying controlling mother who knows more than the doctor :wink2: , does anyone have tips to get him through the post-op part? Bedding, elizabethan collar...what worked for you?

 

[jorats]

I'm so glad it all went well. Lucky Atticus!

I keep mine on fleece for just the day, then back to their colony cage. I don't give mine metacam either as they don't seem in pain after that first day and the shot given by the vet is all they need really.
No collars either, that just stresses them right out. Did he use external sutures or just glue?
You'll see, they bounce back so fast, you'll be asking yourself if he really went through surgery. lol

 

[Cityratt]

yaaaay Harv! and dad too! knew it would go well!

and remember - Goose ripped out his sutures and scared the bejesus out of me. And he is A-ok and i did nothing, but fall to the floor crying a little, and keep him clean lol - he took care of the rest. silly goober.

 

[PiedPiper]

:joy: Get well soon, Atticus!

 

[Bronwyn]

Jo - I'll ask him! I recall he had a plan all mapped out for me when Nuage was the patient but that all flew out the window. He didn't even know I had Atticus until this past weekend. :lol: I know we keep our cats on newspaper so I hope he's applied the same knowledge. I'll update when I find out.

Anne - I can definitely see myself calling you from a fetal position on the floor if A-H does that! :shock:

Gina - Thank you!

 

[PiedPiper]

Anne - I can definitely see myself calling you from a fetal position on the floor if A-H does that! :shock:

:laugh4: I would SO do that, too! You'd be able to hear my wails of despair all the way in Guelph!

 

[lj]

Oh congrats on the neuter Atticus.

I had Charlie on fleece for a couple of days and then he went on yesterday's news. He was a lone boy, so he didn't get to go back in with a colony. But he's not in a girly colony.

 

[lilspaz68]

fleece to come home to. Rest alone if they need it but most of mine go right back in with their cagemates if they have them.

Dr. Munn does surgical glue and I have had great success with that. I do use the metacam 24 hours afterwards if they show any indications of pain (pressing down, sucking in their gut, twisting or just not acting themselves the next day. I normally only need to give them a small dose the one time.

Theo is being neutered on Friday

 

[Bronwyn]

Glue and a buried suture line. Those balls were huge! I used a closed technique. He was given butorphenol, isoflourane gas and metacam and baytril post operatively. He has a collar on at the moment and Becky found some fleece for him. I will repeat the metacam tomorrow as well as the baytril. We will take him to the farm tomorrow.
I will relax in a week if he is still Ok and nothing has gone wrong.

Straight from the Blackberry, sounds like all is under control.

Good luck to Theo!

 

[SQ]

A hot water bottle, etc. for the first day as they can not regulate their body temp up to 24 hours afterwards.
I always give medicam for 5 days or so aster surgery (post op meds are good for first 24 hours). I have had rats in horrible pain after neuters if not given medicam.

 

[Cityratt]

Glue and a buried suture line. Those balls were huge! I used a closed technique. He was given butorphenol, isoflourane gas and metacam and baytril post operatively. He has a collar on at the moment and Becky found some fleece for him. I will repeat the metacam tomorrow as well as the baytril. We will take him to the farm tomorrow.
I will relax in a week if he is still Ok and nothing has gone wrong.

Straight from the Blackberry, sounds like all is under control.

Good luck to Theo!

your dad makes me smile Bron - i shall have to meet him someday (lol and ill tone down the crazies i promise)

 

[lilspaz68]

The only thing to watch for with the Butorphanol Tartrate (Torb) is that rats sometimes develop pica behaviours while on opiates. :cheeky:

Tell your dad that he should only have to watch him carefully for 3 days or so, after that you would never know unless you flip Atticus over to check the site :wink2:

 

[jorats]

Glue and a buried suture line

Perfect!

 

[Godmother]

Good work! So glad that all went well.

 

[mamarat]

:joy: Glad your sweetie is ok.

 

[lindsayfawn]

glad to hear his neuter went well. Griffin will be joining him shortly in the snip club :giggle:

 

[Bronwyn]

I hope everything goes smoothly for Griffin!

Nothing to report, but no news is good news I think. : )