Spaying!

[DottyRabbit]

Hey guys

I was just wondering if anybody knew the risks for spaying?! I am definitely getting Lottie spayed soon but was just curious.. I know there's always a risk putting any animal under anesthetic, but know that it's more for buns. Are there any facts or figures anywhere on the risk factors?

Thanks!

 

[JBun]

There are always risks for any surgery and especially for spays as they are a more invasive surgery than neuters. But there is also the risk of a non breeding rabbit having a greater chance of developing uterine cancer if it isn't spayed. So there are risks either way. Picking an experienced vet can make a big difference as well.

 

[agnesthelion]

I agree with Jenny. Find a rabbit savvy vet. And actually, if you find a good bunny vet, they will tell you that there actually ISN'T a higher risk for anesthesia in rabbits vs other animals. It is the same. There is an RO member named Geoff who is a vet who will concur with that. My rabbit savvy vet told me the same thing. It's kind of a "myth" that rabbits going under is riskier than other animals but it's not the case.
I was very nervous getting my girl spayed but I found a good vet and the procedure was very smooth. Not sure where you are located but this is how I found my vet and there is a FAQ section on here too that can help you interview a potential vet.

http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

 

[Maureen Las]

The more successful surgeries a vet does the better . It really does depend on the vet chosen, the vet's knowledge of rabbit"s and anesthesia. Be sure and read all the articles in Lisa's thread above.

If the vet is hesitant seek out another ..

 

[whitelop]

I totally agree if a vet is hesitant, then find another.
I haven't gotten my bun spayed yet, but I spent hours on the phone calling around trying to find a vet that A) sees rabbits B) spays rabbits. There were only like 3 that did and they weren't rabbit savvy enough for me. So I called the last vet and it turns out that he is almost exclusively rabbits and an ARBA judge. So that is pretty rabbit savvy if you ask me! hahaa.

The risks are greater the older your rabbit is, but I think the risk of cancer is probably greater than the risk of a spay.

Just go with who you feel the most comfortable with, ask them a lot of questions and make sure they know what they're doing! Good luck!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Found a vet we really trusted and in 26 procedures, not on problem.