No spay=okay?

[Ana_The_Dreamer]

For a while now I've been looking around to get my rabbit fixed. (She's about 7 months old) The vets and shelters around my area are asking an arm and a leg for her to get spayed! I just don't have that kind of money right now. I really want to do what's best for her and don't mean to sound irresponsible. I've read that if I don't get her fixed, she'll be at a greater risk of developing cancer along with other health issues. I surely don't want that to happen! I love the little fluff-ball to death and want her to live as long as possible. Does anyone have a female rabbit that isn't spayed and ended up doing alright? I know this might sound silly, but it might put my paranoid mind to ease. :sigh:

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

She is still young and you have time to get her spayed before cancer really becomes a factor. Try putting $20 a month toward the spay, even adding some more when you can. It may take a little while to get enough, but it does add up. Even see what you can get together in 6 months, and then consider if you can afford the just pay off the rest at that point.

The thing about cancer is that there might not be any really noticeable signs until it is too late. Once you do notice something, chances are that it can't be treated and can have spread to other organs.

I would not say you can't get her spayed. Waiting a few months should not really make much difference. It's really when they get past about 4-5 years that it becomes more of a significant risk. Even if it takes you a bit longer to get the money together, it's still worth it to get her spayed.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Of course there are rabbits out there who aren't spayed and are doing fine, but the risk is definitely there and for a loved pet, I wouldn't want to take it. Like Korr_and_Sophie said, it's alright to save up slowly for the spay. You're still within the safe range up till she's 4 to 5 years old.

Rabbit spays are expensive everywhere because rabbits require special anaesthesia. It burns a really big hole in your pocket, I'm a struggling student myself and I feel your pain! I had to neuter my 2 boys at a cost of $500 in total. But I figured, $500 now to give them a comfortable life for 10 years, or do nothing and suffer the expense of vet bills, cancer treatment AND the painful deteriorating death of my darlings in 5 years? The choice was easy to make then.

 

[Azerane]

From what I'm reading, the risk of cancer is about 60% chance for female rabbits from two or three years of age. So that's almost 1 in 3 rabbits. Which is a lot. At seven months of age, you still have the time to save up for an operation if that's what you want, as previously mentioned, something as simple as $20 a month and by the time she's 2 you should certainly have enough to cover the cost. You could not get her spayed, but personally, I would prefer knowing that I'd avoided that risk.

How much did they quote you for the cost of the spay?

 

[squidpop]

I think its best to get them spayed but I wonder if the risks of cancer are exaggerated. Someone on another forum said she had rabbits live to 8 and 10 years old that had never been spayed.

 

[Ana_The_Dreamer]

Thanks everyone, very informative and helpful. I think I'm going to (hopefully) try saving up over a period of time like Korr_and_Sophie suggested. And Bec: the vets around here gave me different estimates, all ranging around $350 dollars.

 

[ChocoClover]

Just so you know, I've read a whole range of cancer percentages, from 20% to 80%. If I read the info on a strongly anti-breeding site, it was 80%. If I read it on a strongly anti-rescue site, it was 20%. Personally, I will neuter or spay my rabbits when their breeding life is over. I have a similar issue with the money, though.

 

[squidpop]

Gosh, $350 sounds horribly expensive! When I spayed mine it was $250. and I thought that was expensive.

 

[Azerane]

Just so you know, I've read a whole range of cancer percentages, from 20% to 80%. If I read the info on a strongly anti-breeding site, it was 80%. If I read it on a strongly anti-rescue site, it was 20%. Personally, I will neuter or spay my rabbits when their breeding life is over. I have a similar issue with the money, though.

It is my understanding that rabbits which are used for breeding are at a much lower risk of the cancer. I can't remember where I read it, but it would partly explain why there's so much variance in percentage and also why breeders don't seem to see the cancer, but pet owners etc do. There was a biological basis behind it too, but for the life of me I can't remember the details.

As you said though, there's also what I'll call the "scare tactics" of each group, trying to get their opinion across.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

To my knowledge, there has only been one study done on a comparatively small community of rabbits. The percentages advertised by either side of the "debate" are observations, but not hard and fast scientific data. If we were going to place numbers on the issue, you'd have to collect information from different breeds, ages, genders, environments, areas of the country. In my opinion, the information we have at this point in time is inconclusive.

We have not had any of our does spayed. We do have some for breeding, but several of our "just pets" were unaltered too and all have lived to be 10+ years old. The risk of reproductive cancers is higher for unaltered rabbits (that is obvious, because the necessary "parts" are all still intact). But rabbits can live long, healthy lives unaltered too.

I always recommend that pet owners have their rabbits spayed or neutered if they run into any behavioral problems. Oftentimes, that will help curb hormonal behavior. But cancer warnings based on a small, target study...that's not enough reason for me personally to spend a few hundred dollars per rabbit and put them through invasive surgery.

Everyone will have a different take on it, and you have to decide for yourself which direction you want to go. But don't be scared into it by anti-breeding groups and don't pass it off as an impossibility because of anti-rescue groups. Educate yourself and weigh the pros and cons. Whatever you choose for you and your rabbit is as right and responsible as what others choose for their pets.

 

[ChocoClover]

I didn't know that! Nice to know. I was confused about the conflicting numbers.

 

[Aushi]

It's pretty much a decision you make for yourself and your pets. Every animal has this debate. I was a dog person before getting my buns and very well educated (but no where near an expert). I encountered the same exact debate. Anti-breeding always used a huge % number while anti-rescues used a very low one. Fact of the matter is, it's up to you and what you wish to "chance". Dogs in the dog show world have to be intact, and I've never owned a spayed/neutered animal from the start of their lives, and have never encountered cancer. But I did take the necessary precautions to avoid any type of accidental breeding (though I didn't breed at all). I have though made the decision to spay/neuter later on in life in some of my pets.


In my personal opinion, I prefer keeping my animals intact until/if there's a behavioral problem that could be influenced by hormones. I don't do any type of breeding, so the decision is purely based on what's best for the family. If they're being aggressive, if their urine is too smelly, if they are having problems potty training, etc., then I'd probably spay/neuter.




But in the end you have to weight the pros and cons. You have enough time to save money before it turns into a situation, so if that's the path you choose, save $10 a week, or less or more, whatever you can afford, and little by little you'll have enough :3