Rabbit Spay FAQ s. In this issue

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1 Volume 8 Number 3 T HE NEWSLETTER OF THE BUCKEYE HOUSE RABBIT SOCIETY Fall 2004 Rabbi Spay FAQ s By William A. Mandel, DVM Lyndhurs Animal Clinic 5387 Mayfield Rd. Lyndhurs, OH Mandelzev@aol.com Mos of us are aware of he medical benefis of performing spays in rabbis. For example, inac females have up o a 70% risk of developing cancer, so i is a no-brainer ha serilizaion surgery increases boh life qualiy and longeviy. Behaviorally, oo, in boh males and females he benefis of neuering are well-documened facs. Though mos of us know why we do i, he majoriy of us don know exacly wha he procedure involves. The mysery of wha consiues a spay and how he rabbi will do under aneshesia causes a grea deal of sress, worry and, I ll say i, fear in he hears of some rabbi owners. I is my hope ha I can help ease he concerns of hose so affliced by generalizing a ypical procedure in boh boy and girl rabbis, from sar o finish. So le s go o my office wih Buck and Doe Bunny! The firs order of he day is, obviously, a complee physical examinaion. We need o be sure ha Buck and Doe are healhy and ha heir owners know enough basic bunny care o suppor hese wo boh before and long afer heir surgery day. Since rabbis don require annual vaccinaions or hearworm esing, mos rabbis, for beer or worse, will only see heir veerinarian a he ime of heir serilizaion. This makes he exam doubly imporan. Besides he normal examinaion procedures (lisening o he hear and lungs, checking he eyes and ears, palpaing for lumps or swellings, ec.), a sool sample will be checked for inesinal parasies and he rabbi looked over carefully for exernal parasies like mies or fleas. The eeh will be examined for spurs or cheek ulcers, oo. The overall appearance will be discussed wih special aenion paid o proper weigh, care of he coa, cage requiremens and die do s and don s. A major poin will be o double check he gender of he rabbi! I is no uncommon o have boys urn ou o be girls and vice versa (bunnies are difficul o ell apar when babies). Many bunnies named "Bob" become Robera and Alice becomes Alex. Afer he examinaion has been compleed, he deerminaion can be made ha Buck and Doe are healhy and in good shape for surgery. As long as hey pass heir physical, are no obese and have no In his issue Farewells The Imporance of Knowing Your Rabbi Picnic Pics! Somebunny Needs You!... 8 healh condiion which would preclude surgery, he dae can be se. Unlike dogs and cas, rabbis do no vomi and here is no need o fas bunnies before heir operaion. In some cases, fasing is recommended o decrease he size of he cecum (a large sac in he inesinal rac of which our own appendix is bu an evoluionary remnan), bu in mos cases his is unnecessary. In an older rabbi blood work may be recommended. All of hese hings are called he pre-surgical workup and, for our purposes, Buck and Doe have passed heir ess wih flying colors. They will be dropped off firs hing in he morning and a quick exam will be repeaed o assess heir general well being. They will each be given an injecion of medicaion Coninued on page 10

2 2 Special Thanks o: Harelines, he Buckeye House Rabbi Sociey Newsleer, is published by he all-voluneer, non-profi Buckeye House Rabbi Sociey, Ahens, OH. Chaper Manager... Hera Educaors & Foserers: Canon Krisi Cole Cleveland Eas..... Krisen Dohery Fremon... Keih & Sue Zimmerman Cincinnai..... Michele Roh Kerley Newsleer Edior.... Hera Rodina Layou and Design... Ellen B. Eder Conribuing Wriers: Krisen Dohery, Barbara Bramley Galambos, Michele Roh Kerley, Dr. William Mandel Visi he House Rabbi Sociey a hp:// and he Buckeye House Rabbi Sociey a hp:// The friends and family of he lae Georgia Willison. Your ouchingly generous donaions have allowed us o esablish a "Georgia Fund" o help wih medical expenses for special-needs and disabled rabbis, hose bunnies who were deares o Georgia's hear. We are graeful o Arhur and Nancy Sanomo, Jeff Mascara, Ms. Rebmann, Eloise and Seve Harm, William and Sandra Wunderly, he Siddalls, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Teiman, coworkers from SPHS MR Services. Linda Beam, for her mos generous donaion in memory of her beloved Hershey. Ann Zimmerman and Ray Vasvari, for heir wonderful conribuion in ribue o Gwyn. Peer Mone, for his generous gif in memory of Bugs. Jann Kunavanish for her generous gif recognizing he dedicaion of wo Cincinnai voluneers, Jen Wolfe and Dawn Hagedorn. The following members, whose generosiy helps us mee our ongoing fosering and educaional goals: John and Mary Jo Mayfield, Ann Zimmerman, Connie Zelesnik, Mary and Kelly Basian, Andrea and Mike Markey, Karen Krazer, Waler Schobak, Bonnie Hagerman, Cheryl Walkden, Elizabeh Wilkens, Sephanie Werling, Danielle Laci, Paricia Wolanski, Kahy Kallay, Kahleen Chrisy, Mike and Rhonda Wadsworh. Our many new and ongoing Sancuary Rabbi Sponsors, whose loyal and seady suppor is making such a difference o hose rabbis who, due o serious medical condiions, canno be adoped and mus spend he res of heir lives in foser care. The following businesses and individuals, who graciously donaed prize and raffle iems for our picnics: Chagrin Pe & Garden, Oxbow Hay, Annie's Homegrown, Pesmar, Ellen Eder's Bol + Frolic, Chrisi Mash, Donna Brady. The Monks Copy Shop of downown Columbus, for heir discoun on prining our newsleer. THE BUCKEYE HRS RESPECTS YOUR PRIVACY We know our members value heir privacy and ha s why we never, ever, sell our mailing lis or disribue i o any oher pary. All of our members informaion is held in he srices confidence.

3 3 Farewells Malcolm I is wih much sadness ha I wrie of Malcolm's passing. He died May 15, 2004 due o an abscess ha had developed in his pelvic area. Because of he locaion of he abscess, nohing could be done for him wihou causing him much pain and suffering. Malcolm's passing was very peaceful. He was roughly 5 years old. Malcolm had been a Sancuary rabbi since he summer of 2000 when a lady who found him wandering in her yard brough him o me. He was he firs Buckeye HRS foser rabbi o become a Buckeye HRS Sancuary bunny. His favorie food was cilanro, which he inhaled every nigh. His favorie hing o do (besides ea!) was o lay his head fla on he ground for pes. He will be missed. Thank you o all hose who sponsored Malcolm. The medical care he received hroughou his life would no have been possible if no for your generous financial conribuions. Goodbye, dear Malcolm you have lef a void in our lives ha will never be filled. The day you came o our home, our lives changed for he beer. You showed us ha adversiy could be overcome wih a lile paience and los of caring. Things are jus no he same wihou you scooing abou, wiching your behind unconrollably every ime you go somehing good o ea. We will never forge your rushing up o gree us when we walked oward you, head mushed down fla, ready in he peing posiion. You remain wih us always and forever we love you. Krisen and Paul Dohery Reese Our Reese passed away in lae May 2003, afer a brave bale wih kidney failure. Our enire family is deeply grieving over our loss. Reese loved o be peed and coninually kissed us. He loved o lisen o our conversaions and really loved when we read o him. Reese would cuddle nex o Beh in bed as she read her homework ou loud and would lisen o every word. He was always here o comfor her during hose rying early-eenage years. For nine years, Reese exciedly greeed us as if he were a dog coming when called and jumping up on our laps for reas and kisses. He welcomed our newly adoped Bunny, grooming her wih licks and nudges. As his legacy, our skiish Bunny is now exremely huggable and aenive o us. Deah has come o wo of our family bunnies, leaving hree remaining. Never, never, will we forge he ender blessings of our bunnies pas and presen. Overall, I find he silen genleness of a bunny more rewarding han a dog or ca. They deeply desire human aenion, and jus siing on he floor nex o hem is comforing, rus building, and worh every minue. Barbara Bramley Galambos

4 4 The Imporance of Knowing Your Rabbi By Michele Roh Kerley Augus 17, 2003 sared off o be as usual as any oher day. Afer waking up, he firs hing I did was go in and say good morning o my furry children, Sweepea and Lily. Lily was cuddled up behind he sofa where she and Sweepea like o lay. Sweepea was anxious o see me and gree me a he edge of he room. Afer giving him his morning pes, I jumped in he shower o ge ready for my day no hinking anyhing ou of he ordinary. I had Maria, a poenial adoper, come over a lile laer in he day o mee and discuss adoping one of my foser rabbis. We wen back o he living room, where Sweepea and Lily reside, o coninue he discussion. I always inroduce poenial adopers o my rabbis and I like hem o see my rabbis' accommodaions. Being his friendly self, Sweepea came ou righ away o say hello and Lily sayed behind he couch, since she s a lile more sandoffish. Maria and I alked abou several hings, including how differen he personaliies of my rabbis and each of my foser rabbis have been. I wen behind he couch where Lily had been laying. She had moved, bu no far from where she had been. I ben over o see if she would le me pick her up and she did, no problem. I was surprised and I old Maria how shocked I was ha Lily le me pick her up and hold her. She doesn care for hands oo much and generally does no like o be picked up or held. Afer concluding my visi wih Maria, I sayed in he living room o wach a lile elevision, sill hinking how srange Lily had behaved. I kep peeking a her and was saring o ge a lile nervous. My husband came in he room and I asked him if he had acually seen Lily ea or drink anyhing; he couldn recall if he had or hadn. I knew I hadn, which is when my concern sared o urn o fear. I old my husband ha I wasn going o ake any chances and I sared o call he emergency veerinary clinic. Ou of all he clinics in he area, only one was able o rea rabbis on a Sunday afernoon. I le hem know I was on my way, packed up Lily and we were off. Afer examining Lily my wors fears were confirmed. She had a blockage in her somach and i had expanded o four imes he size i should have been. The ve did wha he could o release some of he pressure and explained o me ha i didn look good. He said ha if I hadn brough her in when I did, she would no have made i. He hen proceeded o ell me ha hey weren equipped o operae on Lily and referred me o whom he deemed he bes rabbi docor in he ciy. There was nohing else o do bu ake Lily home and keep her warm and comforable unil I was able o ake her o he ve in he morning. I pu her in a cage o keep Sweepea from bohering her, bu also so he could see her. I lay nex o he cage all nigh keeping he ho waer in a milk jug nex o her. As my concern coninued hroughou he nigh so did Loving Lily kisses Sweepea. Sweepea's. He kep going around he cage, hen coming over o me licking my arm, as if asking if she was going o be all righ. By six in he morning I knew i was useless o ry and sleep, so I jumped in he shower and go ready o ake Lily o he ve. I waned o be here when he doors opened and I was. The ve s assisan le us in when she arrived and I proceeded o hand her he x-rays and explain o her why I was here, as bes I could hrough he sounds of my sobbing. I was able o compose myself a bi when i was ime o alk o he ve and I explained o him everyhing ha he emergency ve had said and did. The ve said i was a good hing I knew

5 5 my rabbi as well as I did o recognize she was in disress and he also said ha he emergency docor did everyhing he should have. Afer examining Lily, he docor didn rush her ino he operaing room like I hough he would. He said he waned o ry reaing her wihou surgery firs and see how hings wen. He broke hrough he blockage, go Lily eaing again and las bu no leas producing droppings! I was able o bring Lily home afer only an overnigh say and no surgery was performed. To know me is o love me and vice-versa Twice during his ordeal I was old ha Lily made i because I was able o recognize ha she wasn acing like herself. I really believe Lily is alive oday because I go her o he ve s and she received reamen righ away. As delicae as a rabbi s digesive sysem is, his is jus one of he reasons i s so imporan o know he behavior and rouine of your bunny. Adoped! Jacki, now called Liebe, has been adoped by he Culvers and she sole heir hears immediaely. Gonzo and Mooshka have moved in wih Paula and her family and are enjoying heir new room. Lila has moved ino her new home wih Naalya and has become a pal o former HRS foser rabbi Carl. Scampy has been adoped by Courney and is now geing seled ino her new home, learning o explore her very own living room. Jackson has been aken in for good by anoher of our own Jennifer and Eric Wolfe of Cincinnai. Toosie has been adoped by he Plasow family and is looking forward o living in her new bunny for. Missy is enjoying her loving new home wih Donna Hach. Lile Lilo is making herself a home wih he Kunavanish family of Dayon. Lynn Ahlers has welcomed Rosco ino her family. The Schroeder family of Perrysburg is enjoying he company of heir new house rabbi, Bucky. And Gigi makes hree! Suzanne Ainsworh of Cleveland and bunnies Vinnie and Jupier have welcomed Gigi ino heir home, making he bunny pair a rio. Naalie Lee and daugher, Amanda, have added Marge o heir family in Wauseon, OH. Margie has been waiing a long ime in foser care and is very happy o be in a permanen loving home! Simba has a grea new home in Michigan wih Tara and Rick Galda and new bunny pal, Thumper. Frosy is geing along well wih buddy Buch a his new home wih Jane. Earl Grey was adoped by Nancy and her family of Cenerburg. Bailey and Sappho have filled he lives of Chrisy and Erin wih endless joy. Fiona II shares los of running ime wih Cheser a Ann and Ray's home in Cleveland Heighs. Joyce and Danny are working on becoming a pair while geing adjused o heir new home wih Audrey and her niece. Guinness is geing o know her friend Buerscoch while seling in a he Joseph home in Lyndhurs. Zipper has joined he Bryan family of Brecksville. Marisol has moved in wih Felicia and her fiancé of Cleveland Heighs. Charloe was adoped by one of our Buckeye voluneers, Chrisine, from Solon. Finn now ges undivided aenion from Lagomorph Lounger Angela Brand and her husband Ma., who live in New York. Louise is happily geing o know Shannon and Marlin and Cooper, her look-alike. Congraulaions o he Roh family on he adopion of he cue and adorable Diego. Diego has already become exremely aached o his new family and showers hem wih bunny kisses. Ann Bell is he lucky new companion for Pooh. Here's wishing hem boh a long lifeime of happiness. Bunny, has found a new companion in Socks. Socks no only has a new bunny friend, bu also enjoys geing pes from he Herrells while waching TV. Good hings come in small packages and Wilbur is now geing los of love from his new family. Buckles, now Admiral Wigglesworh Hiccup, is soaking in ons of love and aenion from Tamra, Poery, Ausin and several four-legged companions.

6 6 Bunnies & friends: Thumper, Bambi & Brownie Humans: John & Kahy Toler Cues face: Thumper Humans: John & Kahy Toler NE Ohio Winners Bunnies in Acion: Boo Humans: David & Joyce Weaver Funnies face: Snowball Humans: John & Kahy Toler Picn NE OHio Raffle Winners Bunny ves winner: Cynhia Hafield Bunny saue winners: Kahy & Brandy Toler Bunny apron winner: Tina Smih Bunnybox winner: Jackie Muser

7 7 Cinci Winners Phoo cones winners (L o R): David & Joyce Weaver, Kahy & John Toler & Brandy ic Farhes Travelled: Corinna Sephens Phoo cones winners (L o R): Dawn Hagedorn, Kelly Monana Pics! Cues face: Toby Human: Kelly Monana Bunnies in Acion: Annie Human: Kelly Monana Funnies face: Jamie Human: Kelly Monana Cincinnai Raffle Winners! Bunnies & friends: Wilbur Human: Dawn Hagedorn

8 Somebunny Needs YOU! Sof, fluffy, and very swee, Marshall (siing) and Mellow (lounging) are a calm, comforable couple. Like so many large whie bunnies wih red eyes, heir aracive disposiion and genle ways more han compensae for heir unremarkable physical appearance. Marshall weighs abou 8 lbs., Mellow abou 6 lbs. They're healhy and happy and mus be adoped ogeher. Please conac Hera Rodina (hera@ohare.org) Verde is a 5.5 lb black Havanna who likes o sleep on op of her box. Verde was born in November She s very idy wih her lierbox and loves o run hrough her cardboard unnel. She s an excellen hay eaer, oo! Please conac Krisen Dohery Maya is a swee black Havanna, born in Augus She came o us wih her babies Sonny, Blue, Verde, and Maya who are now all grown. Maya weighs roughly 5.5 lbs, is grea wih her lierbox, and loves o ea her salads. Please conac Krisen Dohery Bonnie is a curious and friendly 5.5 lb girl who gobbles all of her hay and comes running for pes. Please conac Krisen Dohery Schroeder, approximaely 5 lbs, is an ougoing brown and whie Duch who runs up o people for pes. You can resis his adorable face when he comes asking for aenion! Please conac Krisen Dohery Courney is a spunky whie lop wih beauiful aupe-colored accens on her fur. Courney is young and energeic, and also very idy. This makes i easy o le her say ou of her pen for long periods of ime. Courney knows her mind, bu she also loves o be peed and will seek you ou for aenion. Please conac Krisen Dohery Soleil (French for Sun) was rescued from a house fire where over 200 rabbis were found living in squalor, bu his swee bunny didn le i ge her down. She is pure sunshine! Full of sweeness and silliness, she will dance around o amuse you, hen will lay a your fee for hours. Once you ouch her head, she mushes down for a long pe! Soleil is perfec wih her lier box, and she loves o ea her salad and hay. Please conac Krisen Dohery Scarle is one of Maya's daughers wih sleek black fur and a pleasan demeanor. She is now full-grown. She likes o be peed and o lay sreched ou in her lierbox. Scarle weighs abou 5 lbs. Please conac Krisen Dohery Alfonso, a lile mini-rex, ges so excied for his meals ha he runs round and round franically unil he is fed. If you pick him up however, he mels in your arms and nuzzles his face under your chin. He weighs abou 3.5 lbs, is perfec wih his lier-box, and eas a on of hay for such a lile guy. He also loves cruising hrough his miniaure unnels and boxes. Please conac Krisen Dohery

9 9 We are almos cerain ha D.Q. is Finn's siser. She was rescued 9 monhs afer Finn by he same "dog cacher" who rescued Finn. We can' help bu wonder wha she's been doing for he las nine monhs! D.Q. has he same leg deformiy as Finn. Forunaely, however, D.Q. has one "good" leg and can ge around very well on her own. In fac, she has no problem jumping on op of her all pe carrier. Therefore she won' need any work done o correc he deformiy. D.Q. is exremely friendly and loves o be peed. When i comes ime o give her medicine, however (she had he required 7 days of medicine o rid her of a parasie), wach ou D.Q. (Drama Queen) shows her rue self! She haes aking her meds and makes sure o le us know. This lile girl will keep you laughing for hours. Please conac Krisen Dohery Elsie is a swee young girl, whie wih black spos, weighing roughly 4 lbs. She's happy and calm, and easy o please by giving her los of nose pes. She doesn' mind being held; in fac, she loves o snuggle. Please conac Krisen Dohery Merlin is a young, reddish-brown boy who is quie and genle. He enjoys being peed, bu like many bunnies, no held. He especially loves being around children and is comforable wih dogs. Merlin does grea wih his lierbox, is a heary eaer, and weighs roughly 5-6 lbs. Please conac Krisen Dohery Reno is a darling male bunny in a deep gray package. Born in he summer of 2004, he is no ye full grown, bu will be abou 5-6 lbs. as an adul. He is very playful and loves o oss paper owel ubes and do big jumps in he air. Please conac Krisi Cole (krisi@ohare.org) Tahoe was born in he summer of 2004 and he's a real cuie, wih his coa of various shades of ans and browns. He is very friendly and likes o play inside of and on op of his cardboard box "hu". He is no ye full grown, bu will be abou 5-6 lbs. as an adul. Please conac Krisi Cole (krisi@ohare.org) Sylvia is a gorgeous silver maren female approximaely a year old. She likes people, loves hay and is excellen wih her lier habis. Sylvia is abou 4 lbs. Please conac Krisi Cole (krisi@ohare.org) My name is Bam-Bam and I am a big boy (7 lbs). Somebody moved ou of heir aparmen and "forgo" o ake me along. I love my new foser home, bu I would be very happy o have a permanen home wih somebody special. I am friendly and happy and I like o be around people. Please conac Sue Zimmerman (sue@ohare.org) Mee Romper he Somper! Romper was found running loose in a rough area of Cleveland. (Has off o Rainbow Connecion Animal Rescue for finding him, holding him unil we had an open spo, AND geing him neuered.) He is a small guy, weighing only 3 lbs., and he's probably only abou 8 monhs old. Romper go his name because his firs few hours in foser care were spen leing everybun know he was "in he house." He has a quie disposiion now and is jus saring o come ou of his shell. He should do well wih an acive household ha's ready for a young, curious bunny! Please conac Sue Zimmerman (sue@ohare.org)

10 Somebunny Needs YOU! Con d. I can say enough good hings abou his iny bundle of bunny! Flower is a Dwarf/Duch mix wih shiny dark chocolae-brown fur. She loves aenion from humans (bu be careful no o sep on her because she follows you everywhere). She has excellen lierbox habis and is loaded wih personaliy and charm. She is sure o be a delighful addiion o your family! Please conac Sue Zimmerman (sue@ohare.org) Hello, my name is Pebbles. I was found wandering around a shopping cener parking lo. Some nice people helped me and brough me o a grea foser home. I am very swee bu a lile bi shy unil I learn ha I can rus you o be my friend. I am blind in one eye bu ha doesn' boher me one bi so i should no boher you eiher. I would really like o be a par of your family. Please conac Sue Zimmerman (sue@ohare.org) Bizzy cerainly lives up o her name. She has beauiful blue/gray coloring and gorgeous brown eyes. She is a small, swee lile girl who is abou 9 monhs old and weighs 4 lbs. Bizzy does los of running in her pen and loves o climb ono her cardboard boxes. She especially enjoys meal ime and nose pes. Please conac Sue Zimmerman (sue@ohare.org) Who s Ringo? Ringo s your bes mae, always ready o play, wach TV from he sofa, or curiously invesigae ha piece of furniure over in he corner. If here s anyhing ha can be done o bring a smile o your face, hen Ringo will do his bes o bring you he bigges of smiles. This 4 lb bunny is full of youhful energy and ready o spend i all on you. Wouldn you like o do he same for him? Please conac Michele Kerley (michele@ohare.org) Calendars Ring in he New Year wih a rabbi! Check our online gif shop a for 3 new syles of 2005 calendars. Rabbi Spay FAQ s, Con d. which will serve as boh a ranquilizer and pain medicaion. A my hospial we usually give an injecion of Buprenorphine, a morphine derivaive. This allows a lower dose of aneshesia during surgery, prevens pain and calms he rabbi down while in a srange place. Addiionally we will give an injecion of meloxicam, a non-seroidal aniinflammaory medicaion for pain. Following surgery, an oral form of his will also be given o he owners for pos operaive pain relief. Afer he rabbi is calm and ready, we will place an anesheic mask over he face and deliver a gas anesheic which will cause he bunny o lose consciousness. This is called gas aneshesia and is usually isofluorane or sevofluorane. Afer he rabbi is ou, a ube will be placed in he rachea or windpipe o direcly flow he measured gas ino he lungs. In rabbis his is a difficul procedure and is accomplished wih he use of a rigid endoscope which allows us o view he mouh on a TV monior and genly hread he ube ino he windpipe wihou damaging he delicae glois. Once inubaed, we aach a venilaor which will auomaically inflae he lungs a measured inervals which we se ino a compuer based upon he weigh of he paien. Rabbis end o ake shor, wimpy breahs under aneshesia, which can increase

11 11 heir risk of dying, so using a venilaor, in my opinion, is an imporan par of any bunny surgery and a sure lifesaver. A small crysal called a Doppler will be placed over he femoral pulse so ha we can hear boh he rae and he qualiy of he hearbeas. A monior is someimes used o measure he oxygen sauraion of he blood, bu hese are unreliable in rabbis and can deliver a false sense of securiy. I don recommend heir use. A his poin boys and girls go hrough differen operaions. Buck will be placed on his back and his scroum plucked of all hair. His scroum will be surgically prepped wih anisepic scrub and soluion and hen draped wih a serile drape. Incisions are made direcly ino he scroum and he esicles rerieved hrough heir respecive comparmens, lile inernal sacs called vaginal unics. The esicles have a large blood supply and spermaic cord as well as a fa pad. These are ied off and placed in heir proper posiions once he esicles have been removed. Ineresingly, he esicle communicaes wih he abdominal caviy hrough a small canal. I is herefore imporan o suure he now empy unic wih a small suure maerial which he bunny can absorb. Oherwise he inesines can wiggle ou or herniae hrough his hole and he poor guy will be in serious rouble. The scroum can be lef o heal on is own or a small amoun of adhesive placed o close he iny hole. Buck wakes up in his cage and is observed o make sure he begins o ea shorly afer recovery. If so, he s ready o go home. His owners will be old how o follow up wih his pain medicine and o keep hings calm and quie for a leas a week o en days. Buck s owners are insruced o call if here is any discharge, bleeding, lack of appeie or droppings, or discomfor. Doe is prepped for abdominal surgery. Her belly or abdomen will be shaved or plucked and scrubbed asepically o preven conaminaion. When her moniors are in place and she is ready, an incision will be made in her abdomen. This may be a small incision or a large one depending upon wheher she has had liers, her weigh and he experience or preference of he surgeon. Her ovaries are large, jelly-bean-sized organs surrounded by a fa-laden pouch and his is all bound o he body by a large ligamen which mus be carefully disseced before removing he organ. Special care mus be aken o remove he enire ovary, for if any ovarian issue is lef in place, infecion or cancer may occur years laer on he ovary, uerine sump or breas issue. The uerus is shaped like he fork on a carving se (wo prongs) and hese are removed. Unlike many oher mammals, including humans, here are wo cervices, no one. These are boh removed. The ligaion mus be ied securely and properly o preven laer infecion or urine leakage. This is due o he fac ha he uerus can communicae o he bladder hrough he large, inernal vagina. The abdomen is closed in wo o hree layers and absorbable suures placed underneah he skin o preven Doe from pulling ou her suures, which mos bunnies are won o do, (hey are very clean animals). Her posoperaive insrucions and care are similar o Buck's mosly rea he pain and say quie for a couple of weeks. Mos people see heir bunny eaing and drinking and hink, well, he doesn look painful. I guess I ll skip he meds. This is unwise because bunnies are one of he mos soic of all creaures and would never show pain unless i was agonal. Jus as i would be unimaginable no o rea pain in yourself for major surgery, i would be equally so in our rabbi paiens (or in any animal for ha maer). Anibioics should be unnecessary unless he rabbi had an infecion of he reproducive rac a he ime of surgery. Tha is prey much he long and shor of serilizing your pe rabbi. We should all be familiar wih why we do i (and if no, conac your local House Rabbi Sociey rep or veerinarian), bu now you know a bi more abou jus wha i is we do. The procedure akes a lile longer han in a dog or ca due o anaomic consideraions bu doesn differ grealy in erms of difficuly or risk, so long as he anesheic and anaomic peculiariies of rabbis are known o he surgeon.

12 12 M EMBERSHIP FORM Your $33.00 annual membership in he Buckeye HRS includes: Naional membership ($18.00) and 3-4 issues of he House Rabbi Journal Local membership ($15.00) and issues of Harelines If you are already a naional member, your local fee is $15.00 Please make checks payable o: Buckeye House Rabbi Sociey I would like o donae $ o help a foser rabbi (ve care, supplies) P.O. Box 5767 I would like o donae $ in memory of. The grieving family receives an acknowledgmen of your gracious gesure. I would like o voluneer o: Disribue informaion o ves Assis wih mailing Ahens, OH All donaions are ax-deducible. Help a Buckeye HRS booh a Pe Expos and fairs Oher Name Address Ciy, Sae, Zip Phone address Bunnies names and special daes Buckeye House Rabbi Sociey P.O. Box 5767 Ahens, OH Buy a bunny a lile ime