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I am in a quandary about what to do. My 2 1/2 year old polish doe has been in labor for 5 hours. She is a first time mom and the dad is a mini rex. I am very concerned because of her age and the size difference of the buck. She let me pat her and turn her over. I see blood oozing out of her vagina and her perineum is quite edematous. Should I give her time and let nature take its course or call the vet? I live in a small town and the vets here see pretty much all cats and dogs, but have no expertise in rabbits. Please HELP ASAP. By way of reference, I am a (people) doctor and my sister is a rabbit breeder who is out of the country at the moment or I would have called her.
Optional Information: Pet's Gender: Female Pet's Age: 2 Type of Animal: Polish Rabbit Name of Animal: Mimi Already Tried: I have a nesting box with hay and straw which she has lined with fur. She has plenty of water, which she is drinking quite a bit of, and food. I have fans going in the garage where her cage is. I put on gloves and used hand disinfectant before handling her and checking out her bottom.
Hi, I am an experienced veterinarian and happy to help!
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Rabbits giving birth is usually very fast and uneventful. 5 hours is WAY too long and this is serious. There is a severe dystocia going on here and you need to get her to your vet ASAP. They will need to most likely do a caesarian to save her life and also she will need IV fluids.
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Experience: Veterinarian with further qualifications in Animal Behavior. Provides solutions for pet behavior problems.
that's what I was afraid of. I will call now. I've not had good luck with the vets in this town, but Mimi is suffering.
Yes I am very concerned for her - best wishes for her.
Just to follow up...Mimi died at the vets office. They said it would not have been of concern if she was a dog, say, that had been in labor for 4-5 hours. However, if rabbits don't deliver within 30-60 min once they go into labor, then the outcome is rarely positive. I could have saved a trip to the vet's office if I had known.
I am so sorry that Mimi died. In my experience a rabbit that has been in labor for as long as Mimi has a poor prognosis with a survival rate of 50:50. I am sorry your vet was unable to save her.Being a human doctor I am sure you have some relief in the knowledge that you did your best in trying to relieve her suffering and pain at then end by seeking veterinary advice.