My vet said I shouldn't spay my rabbit

[gentle giants]

Bunnicula, I do see your point, but I think I must have read the statement differently than you did. If the vet had said straight out, "I don't feel comfortable doing this" that would have been one thing. But this vet said he/she did not feel spaying a rabbit was neccesary, period. That's what bothered me. Spay/neuter is avery big deal to me, whether it be rabbits, cats, dogs, etc. I apologize if my statement seemed harsh, that is jsut something that would about make my eyebrows go through my hairline if a vet said it to me.

 

[Bunnicula]

gentle giants wrote:

Bunnicula, I do see your point, but I think I must have read the statement differently than you did. If the vet had said straight out, "I don't feel comfortable doing this" that would have been one thing. But this vet said he/she did not feel spaying a rabbit was neccesary, period. That's what bothered me. Spay/neuter is avery big deal to me, whether it be rabbits, cats, dogs, etc. I apologize if my statement seemed harsh, that is jsut something that would about make my eyebrows go through my hairline if a vet said it to me.

Gentle giants,

Oh, I certainly hope I didn't offend you with my response to your post...sorry if I did. I just wanted to share my experience.

Honestly, my vet wasn't really clear with me in the beginning (the cat vet)...and I interpreted what she said to me as a statement that bunnies didn't really need to be spayed... My vet said something very similar to what thegooch69's vet did...though her reasons weren't anesthesia but rather the fragile skin/tissue bunnies have. I never saw her or her partner as inept at all vet care...I'd had a long history with their practice wit hour cats and knew they were fabulous!

However, I was a bunny novice back then...and I really should have taken the initiative to seek out a bunny-savvy vet right away...but I didn't. I think if I had, Stewart might have had a longer life because we didn't exactly start out on the cutting edge of treatment when he became ill. My (cat) vets did all they knew to do. I do wish they'd refered me out sooner. But I also know thatI assumed that how they cared for bunnies was indicative of how all vets did.

I just don't want a capable vet to get a bad rap because he/she is not a bunny expert. But I also want new bunny owners to feel comfortable interviewing vets and even having multiple vets if that is the best case scenario (it works for us).

I do agree with you...I wish vets would word things more clearly/diferently. My vet did leave me with the impression that spay was more of a risk than the odds of uterine cancer. I wasn't knowledgeable or confident enough to push further. I even felt badly at first when we decided we would take the bunnies to another vet for all their care.

I think sometimes vets fear losing clients if they don't look "expert" in all areas, and pet owners fear offending vets.

So...sorry again if I seemed disagreeable in my post...it was never meant that way. And I totally understand your perspective, Gentle Giants.

 

[gentle giants]

Don't worry, I didn't take it that way. I am like you, there is a vet close to me that is my very first choice when it comes to a dog or cat, they are truly excellent with them. However....I once took my Ben to them, and let's jsut put it this way... the tech couldn't figure out where to take his temp. :?That's how often they see rabbits. So yeah,I do see what you mean. I think it was the way the vet said it that got me, really.

BTW, your Angel cat in your avatar looks just like my Willow cat! She's another shelter baby, too.

 

[Gabby]

some vets tube rabbits when they do surgery some do not. by tube I mean they place a tube in their trachea to administer oxygen and gas. Many use a mask over the face, for a couple reasons, one being tubing can irritate the throat and make them not want to eat, and 2 it's a little harder to do on rabbits vs cats and or dogs.

for this reason it does make it a bit more risky if the rabbit has any breathing issues during surgery because there is no tube there to push oxygen into the lungs to help in artificial breathing should it be needed. Which in turn in their minds makes it riskier than your average surgery. So a vet may tell you it is a bit riskier because of this, not because they are stupid but because they want to be sure a person understands.

Not saying that the vet was good or bad, but something to keep in mind when talking to vets, ask them if they say it is riskier to explain why.

Also a vet might suck with rabbits but be awesome with cats, dogs, or even birds. there are so many different species out there that an exotics vet can't possibly be good at all of them. That is just asking to much IMO. Also just because a vet is an "exotics vet" doesn't mean they are good with rabbits.

With any surgery there is always risk, just the risk is not typically as great with routine surgery than with something more serious. There are exceptions, like underlying heart conditions that are undetectable, or other things you could have no way of knowing, but then that's life, and no one has all the answers.

For each person choosing to do surgery on their animal is a deeply personal decision, one not to be taken lightly. While others may laugh at those who are scared, just remember it's a real fear and no matter how silly or stupid it is to someone else, it's very real and scary to the person affected by it.

obviously there are health benefits, and the capability of having friends. but each person must weigh the pros and cons and do what they feel they can handle. People may not agree, but as long as they are not adding to the numbers of homeless unwanted pets(irresponsible breeding not to be confused with those who are reputable responsible breeders) then it is not for others to judge. just my opinion of course.

 

[thegooch69]

Hey guys. I need more help! I called a vet from the list on http://www.rabbitcare.org/vets.htm and they said it would cost almost $800 for two rabbits to be spayed and neutered! Some of you said that you only paid around $200.

Does anyone know of a great rabbit vet around New York City and Westchester County that won't charge me almost a thousand dollars? I thought I'd ask before calling more vets on that list above to save time.

 

[Flashy]

Have you looked at the rabbit savvy vets list on RO?

That does seem a bit steep. I hope you find a good vet

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

One thing people didn't mention is that costs vary by region! $400 may be the norm for your area. When I was searching for vets to spay my girls, there were only 3 or 4 vets that would spay them and only 2 were rabbit savvy enough that I'd trust them. All the quotes they gave me were about $300-$400. (I called every vet within an hour radius.) So while that may be steep for some areas, it may not be for your area!

One thing you can do is contact your local shelter and see if they can suggest a vet.

 

[JadeIcing]

That is about the norm. I know I pay $199 for Teresas spay. $123 for Connors neuter and will pay the same for Wyatts.

 

[Leaf]

theicequeen99121 wrote:

i personally think it is a double edged sword, a possible dammed if you do , dammed if you dont.

I really feel that way as well.

I've had multiple rabbits fixed this year (jeez- Bumble Bee, Diamond, Genelle, Onion, Cricket, Skeet, Taps, Blue, Anseland my friends boys, Ben, Oscar and Coal).

The cost gets high very fast.

Risks are always there. One that I lost, I later learnd was given a medication that rabbits don't tolerate. The vet knew this. The new vet tech should have as well but made a "mistake" on a chart notation and I was unaware of the widely known *fact* that rabbits do not tolerate amoxicillan. I was actually unaware of this completely until I read of another fourm members loss in their thread, unfortunantly I read it a little too late.

The other three I've lost, I'm not positive what happened. It was with a different vet completely. All three were healthy, same breed (two related, one not). A fourth was spayed the same day - different breed, slightly older - same vet, same day absolutely no problems. The ONLY possibility I can see is that the day they were fixed (all on the same day) we had a power outage when a truck hit a power pole and wiped out that side of town for just over 8 hours. All 4 were overnight stays when the outage occured.

So, my experiences have been rough. One experience was bad, partly due to the office ignorance and my own. The other experience was devistating because I had multiple rabbits done all at once and the only blamed source we can find is the power outage, though besides drops in body temperatures nothing has really been conclusive.

Still, I have had many positive endings well worth it all in the end. However, I will never, ever go back to the vet that made a mistake in medications. And on that note, I will never have multiple rabbits fixed at the same time. I think it's a little too stressful. Flukes (maybe in my case) can happen, but in all I think its important to do one-on-one care with a recovering rabbit, rather than trying to focus on several all at once.

 

[thegooch69]

Looks like it's just going to be an expensive opertaion near me. Oh well, just wanted to make sure I wasn't being ripped off.

And I am going to take your advice and only do one rabbit for now, the other later.

Anything I need to know to ensure a safe and sucessful operation? What questions should I ask the vet?

 

[Flashy]

You need to find out if the vet is rabbit savvy. A good question is 'should you starve a rabbit before anaesthetic' and the answer is no, you shouldn't starve them.They can't be sick like a cat or dog.

You should ask how many spays they have done in the last year, and how many (if any) died, and what did they die of? If they have a high death rate don't touch them with a bargepole.

Ask about pain meds after surgery, and insist on them if they say no.I can't imagine Iwould like my 'stuff' removed without pain meds.

Also ask about how they seal what wound,ask about what anaethetic they use (I can't remember the best one/s but hopefully someone useful might be along in a bit).

Also ask about their aftercare, i.e. do they keep them in over night, is there someone there at all times, etc.

For yourself, find out her favourite foods, and have some uncooked rice about because she will probably need a heated rice sock to help keep her temperature up.

I'm sure people will add to all that

 

[bluedimplett]

I found these questions through rabbit.org:



What kinds of questions should I ask the vet?

• about how many rabbit clients does the veterinarian see in a year?
  
  
• how many spays/neuters OF RABBITS has the veterinarian has done in the past year?
  
  
• what was the success rate?
  90% success is way too low. Every doctor, whether for animals or humans will occasionally lose a patient; usually because of an undiagnosed problem. veterinarians across the country who spay and neuter rabbits for the House Rabbit Society have lost on average less than 1/2 of 1%.
  
  
• if any were lost, what was the cause?
  
  
• does the veterinarian remove both uterus and ovaries? (they should)
  
  
• does the veterinarian do "open" or "closed" neuters? (closed is preferable--let your veterinarian explain the difference)
  
  
• is entry to the testicles made through the scrotum or the abdomen? (Entry via the abdomen unnecessarily increases the trauma for male rabbits)
  
  
• does the veterinarian require withholding of food and water prior to surgery in rabbits? (It is better not to do this--rabbits can't vomit, so there is no risk of that during surgery, and rabbits should never be allowed to get empty digestive tracts)
  
  
• what anesthetics are used (some veterinarians are quite successful with anesthetics other than isofluorene, but the bunny is "hung over" after surgery, which increases the probability that s/he will be slow to start eating again, which can lead to serious problems if not dealt with.
  
  
• Review the procedure (op and immediate post-op) with your vet. Ask how problems will be detected: how often will they (the veterinarian and the techs) look in on your kid and what will they look for?. What will they do pre-op to find any potential problems? How will they support your bun in the hours after surgery: O2, warmth, quiet (barking dogs and yowling cats in the next cage are probably not helpful), and stimulation? What are they going to do to make it come out right?! Ask questions! That will get your veterinarian's attention. Let them know you're concerned and that you'll be paying attention.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Clover cannot be spayed - her leg is bad and she's a cottontail. It worries me that she could get ill, but I keep telling myself that she's been here and safe for much longer than if I would have turned her over and they put her down, or set her free and she was dinner for a coyote.

Tony won't be neutered until he's done being shown. Boys are so much easier IMO... I just don't know how I would feel about having a doe spayed. I guess it goes back to the thing I was always told about rabbits...... don't let them get cut or hurt cause they die..... I know it's not true, but ......

 

[thegooch69]

Just wanted to give an update. I am going just bring in Reeses to get spayed. I asked the receptionist how many rabbits they spay/neuter during the year and she said hundreds and they haven't lost any during the procedure. I hope she was telling the truth. When I go I am going to ask the vet more thorough questions and hopefully I feel comfortable enough having the operation done. Now I just gotta make sure I have enough money!

 

[pla725]

Schedule a wellness check up first. At that time ask the vet questions. The people at the front desk often don't know the right answers. I've had two people at the front desk start to tell me not to feed the rabbit after midnight. I knew better. If you don't get the right answers from the vet don't use that vet.

 

[Baby Juliet]

Of course it's expensive in NY compared to elsewhere. Maybe it would be worth it for you to go to PA somewhere to save some money. Downside is transporting your rabbit.

 

[thegooch69]

I'll just bite the bullet and pay whatever I have to pay. I decided to take Reeses to a recommended NY vet, Dr. Jennifer Saver. I feel a lot more comfortable taking Reeses to see her since she specializes in Rabbits and other exoctic pets. Plus they want to do a check up exam first instead of rushing right into the operation like the other place I was going to take her wanted to do.

Baby Juliet wrote:

Of course it's expensive in NY compared to elsewhere. Maybe it would be worth it for you to go to PA somewhere to save some money. Downside is transporting your rabbit.

 

[Gabby]

quite personally I don't think I'd trust a vet to do a surgery on my animal of any type with out having had a wellness exam prior. While most do do a quick check over prior to the surgery They most likely are not taking the time to do a full exam, not to mention you can not see how they handle your animal if you are just dropping them off.

Exceptions of course are spay and neuter quick fix clinics where yes all you are getting is a very quick exam prior to surgery, no blood work or anything because that's how they keep it a low cost clinic.

THere are some groups that offer assistance in spays and neuters, to help keep it afordable, not sure if this is availble in your area, but might be worth trying to look into. Sorry I can't recall what it was called.

I do have to say unfortunally alot of receptionist do not always know the proper pre care and post care of rabbits for surgeries, even if the place sees alot of them.

 

[JadeIcing]

My vets will not spay or neuter ANY animal that has not been checked by the vet performing the surgery.