To spay or not to spay

[BonbonandJujubee]

I have been considering spaying my female rabbit when she turns 3, I was wondering if it is dangerous to do so. I have read about a risk of uterine cancer in 4 year old does. I am worried that the surgery for spaying a rabbit is risky and I don't want to lose her to that either.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

Don’t worry she will be fine. If you don’t spay that will make chances of uterine cancer much higher.

 

[Leanne1990]

I've very recently had my 4 year old female spayed, (I rescued her) everything went good, obviously with rabbits there's the risk from anesthetic. But shes so much friendlier now and less of a grumpy madam, I'm hoping to bond her with my neutered male Belgian hare so it needed to be done

 

[John Wick]

Being worried is natural, and I think everyone is nervous for it. It's only after you go through it that you realize "Oh, it wasn't a big deal after all."

There are a lot of stories online of spays going wrong, but I try to keep two things in mind:

1) People are more likely to post when spays go wrong than right, so there's so many successful spays you don't read about online.

2) A lot of spays that go wrong can be tracked back to an inexperienced vet or an underlying health conditions in the rabbit. These are things that are in your control, so if you ensure you have a rabbit-vet experienced with spays (not all rabbit vets are necessarily good with spays, so definitely ask about experience!) and that your rabbit is healthy, you're setting yourself up for success.

 

[Niomi]

The Humane Society where I live spay/neuter all of their rabbits before adopting them out no matter what their age is. The procedure is a lot more common than it used to be years ago. It shouldn't be too hard to find an experienced vet. I think the most important thing is to get a vet that works with rabbits and exotics.

 

[Darojati]

Do you know how long will female rabbit heal after spay surgery? And how long will she go back to normal and cuddly after spay surgery?

My bunny was spayed 12 days ago and she is still sulking and upset, so she will not ask for hugs/cuddles yet. Is this normal? What is your experience?

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

Rabbits wont get Uterine cancer from not spaying! That's actually a myth. Spaying is doing more damage to your rabbit than good. Breeders have Does that go their entire life without going to a vet and getting spayed. Your actually putting your rabbit through more risk from just from the process and surgery of spaying. Its unnecessary stress on your rabbit and its body. It takes a long time for them to heal, and some of them go into stasis, stop eating, and don't make it.

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

The ONLY reason why you should ever spay your female rabbit is if....
-She's with another male and you don't want more rabbits.
-Your trying to bond her
-She's way too aggressive for you to handle yourself and/or territorial of her cage and surroundings (Because of hormones)

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

Now, if you ask a vet.... They would of course tell you the exact opposite.
They believe that spaying/neutering your pets is the right thing to do. I do believe this for dogs/cats.
But, a rabbit isn't going to go out and find another rabbit. Its YOUR choice to whether or not they have a chance to even breed. If you don't have male rabbits running around your house then your fine. I'm not saying that vets aren't intelligent by any means. Exotic vets, avian vets, livestock, small animal, equine, etc are all very smart. Most of the time they know what their doing. But, some things people will actually know more on than the vet. Just use your best judgment.

For example, one common thing that vets know NOTHING about is...
What kind of brand/ingredients to look for when buying a bag of dog food. They weren't taught that in vet school. They can give you some tips, but it might not be the most accurate.

I love vets. They are incredible. Nothing against them. Would you spay yourself? No. Then why spay a rabbit?
Spaying a rabbit causes a lot of harm on the body than good. Its not natural. Neutering is easier on the rabbits body than spaying.

 

[Anna R.]

thank you for your comments concerning spaying. I have NEVER spayed my females for every reason you talked about. Finally someone speaks up. People also need to remember that a vet has a business to run, so they will suggest a spay every time. (nothing against vets either). Thanks for speaking the TRUTH. By the way I am not spayed either.

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

thank you for your comments concerning spaying. I have NEVER spayed my females for every reason you talked about. Finally someone speaks up. People also need to remember that a vet has a business to run, so they will suggest a spay every time. (nothing against vets either). Thanks for speaking the TRUTH. By the way I am not spayed either.

I'm sorry if I sounded rude... I wasn't trying to be rude but I guess it came off as that way.
I'm actually really sorry. I would delete the chat now if i could.

 

[Anna R.]

i didn't think you were being rude at all, just speaking you mind. I agreed with you fully.

We don't always get the full story.
With that said. Every rabbit and every household is different, so we all must do what is best for our own and our rabbits needs.

 

[Preitler]

Just to point some things out:

Rabbits wont get Uterine cancer from not spaying! That's actually a myth. Spaying is doing more damage to your rabbit than good. Breeders have Does that go their entire life without going to a vet and getting spayed.

Wrong. Some rabbits will.
But the numbers repeated and exaggerated over and over again are wrong, and as I don't tire to say that is contraproductive. My guess is that the rate of developing uterine cancer that makes a difference in life expectancy is about 20-30% in their lifetime (about twice the human rate, in 50 more years we will have caught up), not the stupid 85% at 1 year I read recently. Still a very good reason to spay.
I have does that have no problem at all, but ione died last year at the age of 7 with all symptoms of uterine cancer.

Claiming that this issue doesn't exist is as moronic as those completly blown up numbers.

Risk of spaying is in the 2% range max. with a experienced vet. I reckon it's easier to accept fate than consequences of your own decisions.

Now, if you ask a vet.... They would of course tell you the exact opposite.
They believe that spaying/neutering your pets is the right thing to do. I do believe this for dogs/cats.

Now, the vets I know don't care about conspiracy theories.
There are several good reasons to spay a pet rabbit, you listed only a few. Hormonal behaviour, marking, a lot of energy put into pastimes that have destructive results, excessive false pregnancies...
Did you ever had an intact doe as free roam pet?
Oh, and one time a wild buck slipped through the fence and knocked up my doe, I know, that is a freak incident not possible where there's no wild population of european rabbits, but still..

For example, one common thing that vets know NOTHING about is...
What kind of brand/ingredients to look for when buying a bag of dog food. They weren't taught that in vet school. They can give you some tips, but it might not be the most accurate.

If there aren't medical issues like allergies it comes down to what marketing you like best. Vets don't live with your dog, and that has nothing to do with rabbits.

I love vets. They are incredible. Nothing against them. Would you spay yourself? No. Then why spay a rabbit?

I opened up a lot of rabbits, none of them alive - I'm pretty sure I know exactly why I wouldn`t try that stunt, cutting it to pieces is one thing, putting it back together still alive is another. I didn't learn to do it, and I have neither tools or drugs.

Its not natural.

Keeping rabbits locked up isn't natural. Almost nothing is. That's not a good argument. We live in a symbiosis, rabbits are exploiting a way to continue existing by using humans. They are prey animals, so some loss of the genetic pool - either by spaying or not breeding - is actually quite natural.

I can understand some of your activism, the other side did a lot of propaganda and brainwashing (the issue isn't as clear cut on non-englisch boards), but flipping into the opposite extreme doesn't make things better.

I'm sorry if I sounded rude... I wasn't trying to be rude but I guess it came off as that way.
I'm actually really sorry. I would delete the chat now if i could.

No, don't. Everyone who breeds rabbits knows that some arguments are flawed. It doesn't help to not talk about it.

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

i didn't think you were being rude at all, just speaking you mind. I agreed with you fully.

We don't always get the full story.
With that said. Every rabbit and every household is different, so we all must do what is best for our own and our rabbits needs.

Thank you

 

[Ya'll are ignorant]

Just to point some things out:



Wrong. Some rabbits will.
But the numbers repeated and exaggerated over and over agein are wrong, and as I don't tire to say that is contraproductive. My guess is that the rate of developing uterine cancer that makes a difference in life expectancy is about 20-30% in their lifetime (about twice the human rate, in 50 more years we will have caught up), not the stupid 85% at 1 year I read recently.
I have does that have no problem at all, but ione died last year at the age of 7 with all symptoms of uterine cancer.

Claiming that this issue doesn't exist is as moronic as those completly blown up numbers.

Risk of spaying is in the 2% range max. with a experienced vet. I reckon it's easier to accept fate than consequences of your own decisions.



Now, the vets I know don't care about conspiracy theories.
There are several good reasons to spay a pet rabbit, you listed only a few. Hormonal behaviour, marking, a lot of energy put into pastimes that have destructive results, excessive false pregnancies...
Did you ever had an intact doe as free roam pet?
Oh, and one time a wild buck slipped through the fence and knocked up my doe, I know, that is a freak incident not possible where there's no wild population of european rabbits, but still..



If there aren't medical issues like allergies it comes down to what marketing you like best. Vets don't live with your dog, and that has nothing to do with rabbits.



I opened up a lot of rabbits, none of them alive - I'm pretty sure I know exactly know why I wouldn#t try that stunt, cutting it to pieces is one thing, putting it back together still alive is another. I didn't learn to do it, and I have neither tools or drugs.



Keeping rabbits locked up isn't natural. Almost nothing is. That's not a good argument. We live in a symbiosis, rabbits are exploiting a way to continue existing by using humans. They are prey animals, so some loss of the genetic pool - either by spaying or not breeding - is actually quite natural.

I can understand some of your activism, the other side did a lot of propaganda and brainwashing (the issue isn't as clear cut on non-englisch boards), but flipping into the opposite extreme doesn't make things better.



No, don't. Everyone who breeds rabbits knows that that propaganda is flawed. It doesn't help to not talk about it.

Thank you, I learned a lot from this. I will try to remember this, and keep it in mind if I ever talk about it again.

 

[Niomi]

I have a foster dog that needs to be neutered. There is a ban on all elective surgeries so that all masks, gloves, etc. can go to hospitals that need them during this pandemic. Spaying and neutering are elective surgeries, and my dog can not be neutered until this crisis is over. There is plenty of time to think things over.