# Vet Said to Fast Rat Before Surgery. Everything says not to do this.



## Kenowhereman (Aug 29, 2015)

I was reading about rat surgeries and every site, every bit of info, and even the people I have talked to have said to NOT keep food from my rat before surgery as they do not vomit and they need the energy.

The vet told me to keep food away. One website went so far as to say if a vet tells you this they don't know what they are doing and to find someone else.

What do I do? Help!


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## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

I wouldn't let the vet do the surgery then. Almost everyone knows that rats cannot throw up and you only want a good vet who knows a lot, to do surgery.


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## Nev&Remus (Nov 4, 2015)

I wouldn't want this vet any where near my boys!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Vets are so used to advising on cats and dogs you could get these instructions. Ignore them. Give your patient a good breakfast and possibly send food in a bag for after.If the vet is good, and uses gas anesthesia, pain medications etc you should be fine. What surgical procedure is this?


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

Is there a way to contact the vet before surgery and ask him to explain WHY he wants you to fast the rat? If it was just a slip because of being so used to instructing this for dogs and cats, he should tell you immediately that it was a mistake and to not worry and it was just a mix-up with being on auto-pilot (also a little worrying though).

If the vet explains that there is a risk of throwing up so th rat must be fasted before hand, ask the vet if they're aware that rats are physically incapable of vomiting. Then ask what experience he has in surgery on rats and how often (especially depending on the type of surgery your rat is getting) and what type of gas, heating, etc they typically use since rat's requirements are different from cats and dogs!

That's always one of my biggest red flags when seeing a new vet is if they ask about vomiting or other things that aren't even common to rats.

If you can put off the surgery, I'd try getting quotes from other vets and getting the surgery done elsewhere. I wouldn't trust that vet personally. 

Definitely at least call and ask them to explain why your rat has to be fasted and ask if they're aware that rats actually cannot throw up, and ask how often they perform this particular surgery on rats.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I would find someone else. If anything bad were to happen, I wouldn't forgive myself for ignoring such a red flag.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

You need a different vet for sure! Don't ignore this warning for the sake of your rats!


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## Kchilson02 (Jan 20, 2016)

My vet told me allow to eat and bring food with for after surgery but when I checked out after a check up before surgery the receptionist said if someone calls and says not to feed to ignore that because they didn't notice the note on the computer because they also deal with cats and dogs so if it was a tech or receptionist that said not to feed then they were just not paying attention but if the vet themselves said that you should definitely ask them why


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

I live in a very rural area and have to drive an hour to the closest vet that is willing/competent to take care of rats. They told me to fast my first male before his neuter, which was initially a concern. Everything turned out fine, I actually work there now. They simply hadn't had any rats to deal with since I live in an area that isn't really rat friendly in any sense of the word (It's always a two hour drive one way just to get a rat that isn't frozen)  Anyway, it's most likely just not common to work on rats. There is always a first surgery that a vet will perform, as long as they know what they're doing with everything else, you're good.


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## doctorowl (Sep 2, 2015)

Yeah, I had this happen and I had no idea until it was too late. I also live in a rural town and my old vet moved so I had to go to a new place, the ONLY other small animal vet. Dash had a tumor she needed removed and I was told to fast after 10pm meaning it would be about 12 hours of fasting. I didn't know any different, until today when I got curious and was looking up stuff about rat surgery and care. Chances are they just gave me the instructions the same as cats and dogs without thinking. She did fine, she didn't die, so obviously it was alright, but in the future I'm going to question them about it.

Also they did a large incision with outside stitches, and advised me to keep her separated from her cagemate for a week until I have to go back and get the stitches removed. Everything I've read says rats SHOULD NOT be separated unless you think they will chew, and then they should only be kept apart for just a few days at most. I don't have a second cage so I don't even have somewhere else to put her, except in the large critter keeper thingy (it is about the size of a small cat carrier) and it makes me sad she'd have to be alone in there for several days. I also worry about her getting enough food, water and heat... I'm going to pick her up this afternoon and ask for antibiotics and pain medicine and hopefully they know enough about rats to give that to me.


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