How high is Tink's risk of cancer? (Unspayed Female Bunny)

[TinksMama]

Ok, so my bunny Tink is a four year old, female Mini Rex. She's had a few litters before I quit breeding and I was wondering how high her risk of uterine cancer is? I'm quite afraid of spaying her because of her age, and would only do it if absolutely necessary.

Tink gets along with other bunnies very well, so I don't think she'll have a problem bonding with another female.

I've seen several people on here talking about "bunny speed dating", how exactly do you do it? I have four other female bunnies that I'd like to try her with but don't really know how to do it.

Thanks in advance for answers!!

 

[JadeIcing]

In the rescue we have had girls spayed up to 8 years old.

 

[LakeCondo]

I'm pretty sure that Karen [Zrabbits] is planning to have Luna spayed after her breeding. So you might want to contact her for information. It sure makes sense to me to do it.

Usually the speed dating is at a shelter, so all the animals are fixed. I assume it's like human speed dating, except only 1 match is the desired outcome. So the person's bunny would visit each of the others, 1 by 1, & the person & the shelter staff sees how the interactions go.

 

[agnesthelion]

I'm new here and still learning but I feel like I've heard that spaying a female older than 5 years is dangerous and not recommended. So I guess if you feel like doing it look into it soon.

Good luck!

 

[ZRabbits]

I think any operation at any time of an animal's life is a risk. Orlena is correct to say that I plan to spay Luna once her breeding career is done. The possibility of cancer is very high for does, and as much as I would have total anxiety to go through it, have it every time I think about it, I would think the benefit of spaying Luna outweighs the danger of anesthesia and gives her a fighting change NOT to get cancer.

Unfortunately that's the way nature is. I'd hate for anything to happen, but if I didn't do my part to best protect Luna and she got cancer, it would be so devestating. Because I knew I didn't do everything to protect her and keep her healthy.

It's a individual decision for all to make. I've weigh all the options. Read all the data, and I still think a doe who is not being bred should be spayed.

K

 

[TinksMama]

I thought I'd do some research, and see if I could find the statistics of uterine cancer in unspayed female rabbits. The information I found was staggering. Harry S. Greene conducted a study on a colony of rabbits over 30 years, He found that 79.1% of 5-6 year old female rabbits developed uterine cancer.

Here's a link to the entire article written by a rabbit breeder: http://buckysbunnies.tripod.com/UC.html

 

[gmas rabbit]

Wow!!!!!!!!! that is incredibly high. Who would have thought it would have been that staggering of a number.

 

[LakeCondo]

Actually the author doesn't think the 79.1% is based on enough cases & a study mentioned at the end of the article found it was 50%. But even if it were "only" 40% & the mortality rate for a 4-yr-old were 2.5%, it'd still be the thing to do unless there's a high cure-rate for removing the cancer & the rabbit making it through the surgery.

I]m going to play around with some numbers to try to guestimate the life expectancies of a doe if spayed or not at age 4.