Nervous About Spaying...

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Love your rabbit
shop deals on amazon
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Derby is scheduled to be neutered tomorrow. While I was in to the pre surgery appointment, I questioned my vet about spaying females. Her suggestion was because the surgery is longer than males, they give the girls an intravenous during surgery. This keeps their blood pressure more even, protects their kidneys, helps them from getting dehydrated and less nauseated when awakening. They don't do it for the boys as they are only under for less than 15 minutes. You could ask your vet about this.
 
Thanks Alma. Will definitely mention that!

Thanks Orlena. Yes finding a vet has helped ease my worries.
 
So glad to hear Lisa that you found a Rabbit Savvy Vet that you really feel comfortable with.

And Alma, thanks so much for posting the information about what does go through when under anesthesia. As I have only gone through neutering with my boys, I had no idea what a doe will go through. Gives me a heads up as well, when it's time for Luna.

K:)
 
agnesthelion wrote:
Well, called another possible vet today. I know this vet, has been around for years in my area. Their yellow page ad claims exotic and small animal vet.

This vet once again said basically to not spay unless you start seeing false pregnancies or aggressive behavior. She said she neuters more than spays and very rarely sees the need to spay a lone female bun.

Beating a dead horse here but I'm so nervous and confused about this! It's not that I don't believe you guys :) but I'm curious if there are others on RO who have voluntarily chosen not to spay their female and what the outcome was.....?

The vet seemed knowledgable about buns. We talked about tumors in females and the health aspect of spaying etc but also about anesthesia and risks too.

I'm so confused on what to do. I have messages in with a couple other supposed rabbit vets. Maybe if I found one that seemed to encourage this then I would be calmer about this but I'm feeling so conflicted.....

Sorry to keep rambling and to bump a thread where I've already gotten good advice......just want to see if anyone else wants to weigh in on this.

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...

My vet just told me the same thing about not having her spayed. She said the risk is high and there is not enough evidence supporting the risk of developing cancer. It really is a hard decision and when you hear it from someone who specializes in rabbits then you have to wonder. I realize nearly everyone on here is stating it is important but I have my doubts too! I am so torn because I do not want to lose her at all now or 6-7 years down the road. Well I still have a few months to think about it but until then I hope someone on here will reply with some good news when their bunny was not spayed:)
 
The only post I recall by someone who did not spay their rabbit found that the rabbit DID have uterine cancer, Luckily it was caught in time, but the rabbit was old enough that the surgery was more risky than had it been done at a younger age.

One particular case of an unspayed rabbit dying at age 15 or whatever proves about as much as finding a person turning 100 who's been a chain smoker for 80 years. They were lucky.

A vet whose been around for many years probably doesn't keep up with the veterinary literature, so has no idea what it best.

I have yet to see a single author of a book about rabbits say that spaying isn't greatly beneficial. For example in Rabbit Health in the 21st Century it says "Unspayed female rabbits nave a very high incidence of ovarian or uterine cancer--as high as 80-90% by age three."



 
Nancy McClelland wrote:
Make sure you have a vet that does it often. Single or not, it still mitigates the behavior and eliminates the most common cause of cancer and death in bunnies. Makes them a much better companion.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

I tend to spay and neuter all my pets. I've even had my rats fixed when there wasn't any risk of pregnancy. Now that I'm confronted with it, I find myself going...Why?LOL

Starling and Pidge aren't fixed yet because they're too young, but my vet talked it over with me and recommends having it done. She did also tell me that because Lionheads are new they tend to have uncertain bloodlines that can cause anesthesia to become a problem - I'm not meaning to terrify you but my telling you is urge you to definitely find a rabbit savvy *surgery* doctor.

:pray:
 
I had my lionhead boy neutered and there weren't any problems. I was so terrified when I dropped him off, and I called the vet twice during the day to check up on him.

My girl is still too young, but I worry about getting her spayed. I am one of those that believes anything to reduce the risk of cancer should be done, so she will definitely be getting fixed when she's old enough. I'll be in a different city when baby girl grows up, so I hope I can find a GOOD rabbit doctor!

Good luck with your spay! Let us know how it goes!
 
I am going through with the spay and it is set for aug 10th. I am still very nervous but confident in my decision after talking to the vet and the many educated people on here :)

My rabbit savvy vet i found has been in practice 20 or 25 years ( can't remember which off hand) and he has never had a fatality from a rabbit spay. He said the worst case scenario is having a bit of a problem getting their digestive system working again after, but never a death.

I think if you find a rabbit savvy bet confident in the decision to spay than you may feel better.

Good luck!
 
Hi there, I feel the same way. I just cant bring myself to do it - and there are no rabbit savvy vets around here. I just cant do it - I dont know I just cant. Sullens hormones acted up during the teen time - Now as an adult she is sweet and calm - she did have two false pregnancies but got over them nicely Landy always has been very good even as a teen - she too had one false pregnancy but got over it fine.
 
christinebunnies wrote:
Hi there, I feel the same way. I just cant bring myself to do it - and there are no rabbit savvy vets around here. I just cant do it - I dont know I just cant. Sullens hormones acted up during the teen time - Now as an adult she is sweet and calm - she did have two false pregnancies but got over them nicely Landy always has been very good even as a teen - she too had one false pregnancy but got over it fine.
Click to expand...

Wow that gives me hope thank you! How old is she?
 
Does anyone know if fixing 5 year old bunny reduces risk of cancer by a lot?? And is it really dangerous to have this type of procedure at the age of 5?? Please let me know as soon as possible. I'm afraid she might already have it, therefore I'm afraid to find out and my chance to find out is tomorrow.
 
I'm not a vet (obviously) but did hear 5 years old is getting up there as far as the benefits of the surgery at that age. Do you have a rabbit savvy vet you could take her to?
 
Hi there, Sullen is 16 months old - one year and four months and Landy is about 14 months - one year and two months - it was amazing at how Sullen changed from a youngster - a teen to an adult - she is calm and sweet and very clean in her litter box habits whereas as teen she with all her hormones she was just the opposite - peeing everywhere - I had thought oh well thats just the way she is - she had gone from peeing every where to being super clean - Landy on the other hand was always clean and sweet and very well behaved and didnt change at all. They like each other and will groom each other if I sit with them and pet them both but otherwise Sullen - being the dominant one will chase Landy all over the place and occaisionally pull out some fur - So I dont let them together.
 
I would still do it at age 5, though of course it would have been better earlier. That's hindsight though & someone in another thread mentioned that a shelter had spayed an 8-year-old.



I don't know how someone's going to feel if their rabbit gets uterine cancer because she wasn't spayed. And then there's having to have a rabbit put down because it's in pain. We really should be thinking about what's best for our pets, shouldn't we?
 
Sullen would groom my 11 year old sons hair and arrange it in all kinds of ways with her mouth and paws and then she would turn around and spray at him - we would laugh and say and now the finishing touch - some hare spray - his face and hair would be all wet and his hair would stick out in all directions and he would laugh and say Sullen! You got hare spray in my eye! She wouldnt do that now - she is very clean.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top