Subject: Please advise on rabbit hernia
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2008, 8:40 AM
Dear Sirs:
I have a pet cotton-tail white rabbit at home. She is about 2.8 kg and female. She is now about 1 and a half year old. My kids bought it as a present for me last Jan 18, 2007. But she has a mass on her belly. I brought her to our local vet last March 28 and had x-ray. I was told it was umbilical hernia. Is it risky for my rabbit to undergo surgery to remove the hernia? What are her chances of survival and recovery? I was also told it is an expensive procedure than buying a dozen local rabbits. And in our place, the rabbits are rarely taken to surgery. Mostly the vet surgeons here treat dogs and cats. At present, my rabbit is active and still eating. But the mass on her belly is getting bigger and harder when I touched it as she grows bigger. My kids and I had come to love and care for the rabbit very much. She is very much a part of our lives. Thank you.
Respectfully yours,
Name of owner
Re: pls advise on rabbit hernia
Saturday, April 19, 2008 9:25 PM
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"David Sing"
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judy@toapayohvets.com
I am Dr Sing from Toa Payoh Vets. Is your rabbit in Singapore?
In Singapore, there are very few rabbit surgeries as rabbit ownership is very low.
In my experience, a healthy young rabbit over 6 months of age is unlikely to die on the operating table from anaesthesia. The owner must accept the risk no matter how low as the rabbit may suffer an adverse drug reaction and dies.
If the umbilical hernia in any dog, cat or rabbit is growing bigger, surgery is needed. The sooner it is done the better as the rabbit may lick at the "growing" lump which is painful and irritating as it walks and hops.
Some parts of the gut may have dropped into the herniated sac and gets trapped and then twisted. In such situations, the rabbit feels intense pain (when you touch the umbilical hernia). It stops eating. The blood supply to the gut gets cut off and the intestines become gangrenous. The rabbit dies when you rush it in for surgery at that time as it is already in poor health.
Hernia repair surgery including anaesthesia costs are high if your rabbit was bought for $5.00. You may be able to buy 4 dozen rabbits if your vet charges $250. I hope I have answered your questions.
If possible I will appreciate if you will email to me a few pic of the rabbit hernia and its X-rays.
