Surgery to remove stones

Question
Hi Dr. Krempels! We brought our 4yr old Dutch to the vet yesterday because he hadn't eaten in 2 days. It turns out he has a stone in his bladder and one lodged in his urethra. We were given 2 options: surgery or euthanization. We're in a terrible money situation but our hearts are telling us to give him a chance. He's healthy otherwise. We are concerned about his recovery. If the surgery goes well, what are his chances of a full recovery? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna (& Tony)

Answer
Dear Donna,

I know of many rabbits who have successfully recovered from this type of surgery.  It's less common to have a stone in the urethra, but this must be dealt with immediately, as it is extremely painful.  If the vet thinks that stone can be safely removed, then I see no reason why your bunny should not make a good recovery.

No surgery is 100% risk-free.  But this is not a particularly unusual surgery, and if you can manage it, I would give him a chance.  But do it as soon as humanly possible.  He is suffering terribly with a stone in the urethra, as you can imagine!

I hope this helps.

Dana