# Rabbit Spay Options...



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I'm hoping we can keep this a friendly and informative discussion...so new owners can look at both sides, and make their own decision.

I will start by putting the link that Summersky put up from the RWAF on spaying.
RWAF: Uterine Cancer in the doe

I personally don't spay my does unless there is a behavioral reason to such as:
Unable to bond.
Spraying
Consistently having phantom pregnancies
Particularly aggressive/territorial.

The reason that I don't is purely for the risk and the guilt factors.
While anesthetic is much safer in rabbits now, the spay operation is much more invasive than a neuter for males. With any anesthetic there is a risk of heart attacks, no matter the age or the health of the rabbit. Usually the rabbit is already ill when it has to go under and it is the lesser of the 2 evils in this case. 
If you have a rabbit savvy vet, the risk to the doe is very much decreased, it is worth mentioning.

Once the doe has been spayed, there is the possibility of secondary complications, such as chewing at wound, not eating leading to gut stasis and dehydration or infection.
Again, if your vet is savvy, all of these things carry much less risk.

I have seen how poorly does can be after a spay (I had my Jana done) and the guilt in making a healthy rabbit ill just didn't sit right with me - she didn't ask to be done - it was for my benefit (behavioral issues) and she was the one suffering for it.

Many people and organisations say that it is hard or impossible to bond unspayed does. It may be the case for some, but in my personal experience, I have had no issues with bonding unspayed does - so long as the personalities match. If the personalities clash, it won't make a difference if they are spayed or not.

Having read the above link - I am surprised to find that the 80% figure comes from a study done in meat and/or lab animals 40 years ago. 
I would be interested to see what the % would be in a study of pet rabbits now - given how they are kept, what they are fed and the medical care they get now? 
I'm not by any means saying that it wouldn't be similar - it may well be, but environment usually has a very big impact on most cancers in most animals (including us)

I'm sure there will be lots of people along shortly to give the benefits of spaying 

I just want to clarify that I am NOT saying don't spay but I believe that each owner should be able to make that decision for themselves, with all the information on the risks either way.

*Heidi*


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

If I had had a rabbit spayed, who had then had complications, then I would think twice too - but fortunately, we have never had any problems with our vet doing the ops.

Each bun has had painkillers (Metacam) for several days afterwards, and none have chewed. We keep them in and warm, and use a Snugglesafe. The only worry has been encouraging them to eat afterwards, as the does can be quite drowsy, but as long as you know your bunny's likes, you know what to tempt them with.

The wounds were actually quite small, and there were no external stitches to worry.

We did have some problems with our foster bunnies though, who were "done" by a non rabbit savvy vet. Two does got infections and cystitis, which was totally unneccessary, and one buck got an infection. That was the vet's fault, and not the procedure.

Year ago, we never spayed or neutered, and we had pairs of does and a pair of bucks living amicably together. But none of our does lived into double figures.

I don't think anyone should pressurise anyone else to neuter/spay - imagine if it went wrong? But I do still think that for most bunnies spaying/neutering is the best option.

However, if a rabbit had known medical problems, as we have had here, then the best decision might be to keep intact.

I think that if you always do what is in the best interests of the rabbit, then you can't go far wrong.

I think it is important to do your research. There is plenty to read on the internet nowadays.

Make your own decision, based on your bunny's needs, and your research, and your confidence in your vet.

Information on neutering rabbits

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/evespay.shtml

And a rabbit savvy vet is a must.


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## DollyGirl08 (Dec 1, 2012)

Ok, not as informative as you guys, but my experience with spaying is that if I hadn't got Muffin spayed when I did, she may not be here now, or at least not much longer. (she is nearly 4)
She was done mainly as a behavioural issue, she was very moody and would attack, and I also wanted to try and bond another doe to my pair. 
Anyway, when I collected her, the vet (a rabbit savvy one) said he'd found a big tumor on her womb. So it is a good thing i got her done when i did. 
Also, since her spay she is so much more chilled out, enjoys human interaction now, and it a much more pleasant bunny. 
Luckily we had no complications after the spay, and she recovered well.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

If there was an 80% risk of a spay, or even 50% risk of a spay killing my rabbit I would think twice. But there isn't. I've had all my rabbits neutered, arwen chewed her stitches but she was fine (she's just a horror!). I think an 80% risk of uterine cancer seals the deal for me. Even if a rabbit is spayed on the discovery of the cancer it may still have spread and may still kill. 
Given a good vet, appropriate aftercare and meds, I will always advocate spaying.


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## JordanRose (Mar 10, 2012)

Interesting to hear people's perspectives!

Personally, the risk of cancer and behavioural issues such as aggression and phantoms far outweigh the risk of an anaesthetic.

Unless I was going to breed (and I wouldn't with rabbits. If I did, it would be ethically to preserve a particular pedigree breed), I will always neuter. Whether male or female.

I just feel it makes for a happier animal, without all the hormones surging through their systems. Gaga was aggressive before her spay- she'd growl and lunge- and now, she's so chilled out and friendly. Made a huge difference to her, I feel


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## wacky (Jan 23, 2011)

personly i would not put any of my does through it there is a big risk of not geting them to eat again causing all sorts of probs and stressfull for the doe so a would rather not do it my daughter had both her boys done and had trouble getting one of them eating again it was a stressfull time for her and the rabbit so no i would not do it


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

JordanRose said:


> Interesting to hear people's perspectives!
> 
> Personally, the risk of cancer and behavioural issues such as aggression and phantoms far outweigh the risk of an anaesthetic.
> 
> ...


See, then you've got Kimba who is so chilled and friendly like your Gaga now, she just hasn't got an aggressive bone in her. But she is unspayed. I couldn't put a girl like her with no issues through it.
Gypsy and Marley have their moments (dinner time for Gypsy) but on the whole they are fine with the others. With me they are just stand-offish not aggressive.


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## JordanRose (Mar 10, 2012)

hazyreality said:


> See, then you've got Kimba who is so chilled and friendly like your Gaga now, she just hasn't got an aggressive bone in her. But she is unspayed. I couldn't put a girl like her with no issues through it.
> Gypsy and Marley have their moments (dinner time for Gypsy) but on the whole they are fine with the others. With me they are just stand-offish not aggressive.


I can see what you're saying. It is a big op, at the end of the day. However, I personally can't see myself with an unspayed doe, whether aggressive or not.

It's interesting to read that the 80% uterine risk came to light in lab conditions so long ago- I didn't know that!- but it's still not something I would risk. Cancer can spread so quickly, like Lopside says, and I'd never forgive myself if I was to have a uterine cancer bun, where it had spread to other parts of the body.

For me, if something so serious is preventable, I'm willing to take the risk


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## ChatterPuss (Sep 4, 2010)

I have had 10 rabbits spayed of which 0% have had complications 100% are all well and healthy !!!!!


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

We always had our bunnies neutered. I have girl from rspca which may not be neutered-they didnt know so they have opened sky and because she has been done they assumed faith was too-they both can from the same home.
I would like to know if she is spayed-would X-ray show it?i assume it would?


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## RainbowMai (Jun 7, 2013)

I have always had my bunnies neutered. With my female it didn't change her behaviour one bit! She was still a little madam, and would growl and lunge, especially around food time! Greedy thing. (So I just scattered feed instead of using a bowl) after her spay she was sent home with pain relief, and had had a gut stimulant jab at the vet. It took her a while to get eating, in the ned I took her back for a second gut stimulant jab. Which did the trick. Again for me the risk of uterine cancer out weighs the risk of the anaesthetic, my vets were rabbit savvy as well which was a plus. 

With males is a much more simple procedure. I've even watched it, it takes around ten minutes! Definitely worth it.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

I don't understand why a rabbit not eating post op would be a stumbling block. It's taken most of mine a few days to eat properly post op, and yes it's a stressful time. But my vet sends me home with pain relief and gut stimulant and Zantac. If our rabbits go into stasis in normal situations we know what to do and cope with it. When arwen chewed her stitches open I had a lovely evening sat in the emergency vets listening to the continuing saga of a boy dog whose willy had popped out and wouldn't go back , interesting treatment! This was stressful cos I was worried abut arwen, although she was acting fine, and dreaming of all kinds of complications like peritonitis and septicaemia and blaming myself. I would still get a girl bun spayed without a minutes second thought. I saw what Bernie went through with Ella and her uterine cancer that spread (she was a rescue bun whose spay was too late). If one of my buns died like that and I hadn't had her spayed then I think the guilt of the fact I could have prevented it would far outweigh the guilt of my rabbit not eating for 24 hours.


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## HoneyFern (Aug 27, 2009)

Over the years I've had mostly female buns and always neutered the boys but my last two girls before my current girls both died of cancer. Molly was four years old and Willow was nearly six, they were sisters whose mum has been dumped whilst pregnant. I first noticed a lump on Molly's side which turned out to be a mammory tumour, I took her to get it removed but she didn't make it. Willow became incontinent a while later due to a mass inside her I can't remember why my vet advised against operating on her but for over a year I was constantly cleaning her and her hutch but in the end she was just so sore and it was really hot so I was constantly removing fly eggs off her, I had to make the decision to pts.

After that I booked Honey and Fern for neutering as soon as they were old enough.


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## SammyJo (Oct 22, 2012)

I will always spay neuter rabbits (even though my current three were already done before I had them - through the rescue centre)

I believe the risks of cancer are too great in doe's not to. I also had a male bunny when I was younger that wasn't neutered... Did we know we owned him!! BACK AWAY FROM THE LEG PLEASE!!! :crazy:


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Spaying or neutering isn't something I would automatically do as a matter of course except my cats I do have them neutered. I do tend to own males and they imo make better pets neutered. Dogs are different again I have an entire male unless he developed any health issues that would negate the need to have him neutered then he will remain entire.

I was of the same opinion with Barney (our male rabbit). The only reason he has now been neutered was because members suggested I get a friend for him. I have now got a young female rabbit who was spayed at the same time as Barney. The reason is quite obvious why I chose to have them neutered/spayed, I am not a breeder and never will be.

However Betty developed a complication and even hubby said we should never have put her through this. I will be honest, I have always said I will never own a female cat or dog, I will now add rabbit to that list (unless they are rescue pets that have already been spayed).

I don't doubt there are pluses to having them spayed, for my two buns hopefully they will become a bonded pair and live a long and happy life together. One major plus is it will prevent certain cancers and phantom pregnancies.

I don't think any operation should be taken lightly, to me operations are done through necessity. The risk of putting a rabbit under anesthestic is very high, and whilst there is a risk with all operations - for a rabbit the risk is much higher.

To choose not to have a rabbit spayed that is intended to be bonded with others, I do think this decision should be taken by an experienced rabbit owner, due to the possible risks involved in making that decision. 

I will add the earlier a rabbit is spayed the risk is marginally reduced compared to having an older rabbit spayed.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

sskmick said:


> Spaying or neutering isn't something I would automatically do as a matter of course except my cats I do have them neutered. I do tend to own males and they imo make better pets neutered. Dogs are different again I have an entire male unless he developed any health issues that would negate the need to have him neutered then he will remain entire.
> 
> I was of the same opinion with Barney (our male rabbit). The only reason he has now been neutered was because members suggested I get a friend for him. I have now got a young female rabbit who was spayed at the same time as Barney. The reason is quite obvious why I chose to have them neutered/spayed, I am not a breeder and never will be.
> 
> ...


This used to be the case, but isn't true any longer - provided you use a rabbit savvy vet. we have several rabbits, many of whom have regular dentals. we hav eonly had one problem, with a very poorly bun - and she survided the op thanks to a brilliant vet


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Summersky said:


> This used to be the case, but isn't true any longer - provided you use a rabbit savvy vet. we have several rabbits, many of whom have regular dentals. we hav eonly had one problem, with a very poorly bun - and she survided the op thanks to a brilliant vet


I will agree with you there, it was this point that my local vet made coupled with the comment about Barney's age that you and others suggested a I go to a rabbit savvy vet and Bernie told me about the one in Harrogate which I went to.

However there are still vets who are not rabbit savvy and not update so the risk still exists.

Unfortunately there are only a handful of rabbit savvy vets. Ideally we could do with a sticky thread listing the rabbit savvy vets throughout the UK.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

I myself have lost a rabbit young due to her developing cancer of the womb as i was unaware of her neutering status, so i shall always neuter as i couldnt go through it again


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