Spaying and Neutering Rabbits

Female rabbits should be spayed for four reasons:

• by the age of 6 years, there is more than a 50% probability of uterine cancer, not to mention a variety of other reproductive problems (breasts, ovaries, etc.)
• spayed females won't contribute to the problem of overpopulation of rabbits
• spayed females tend to be happier, less aggressive, more friendly; some females are utterly miserable from hormonal problems (bunny PMS) until they are spayed
• spayed rabbits are easier to litter train.

Male rabbits should be neutered for three reasons:

• neutered males won't contribute to the problem of overpopulation of rabbits
• neutered males don't spray (except in the presence of another male), are less aggressive, and are relieved of the intense need to mate which limits their ability to enjoy other things in life
• neutered males lose their hormonal urge to mark territory with urine and poop and are therefore easier to litter train.

Surgery can be as safe on rabbits as on any animal

Many vets say that surgery is not safe on rabbits. These are vets who aren't aware of the latest techniques. DON'T HAVE THEM SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR RABBIT!! Using isofluorene as the anesthetic and appropriate surgical and after-surgery techniques, spaying and neutering of rabbits is as safe as for any other animal.

At what age should rabbits be spayed or neutered?

• Females should wait until they are 6 months old.
  
• Males can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend, usually around 3-1/2 months of age, but many vets prefer to wait until they are 5 months old.
  

When is a rabbit too old to be spayed or neutered?

Vets will have their own opinions on this, but in general, after a rabbit is 6 years old, anesthetics and surgery become more risky.

It is always a good idea, in a rabbit over 2 years of age, to have a very thorough health check done, including full blood work. This may be more expensive than the surgery, but it will help detect any condition that could make the surgery more risky. This is especially important if anesthetics other than isofluorene are used.

If the history of a female rabbit is not known, how can one know if she has been spayed already?

The probability is very high that she hasn't.

One can shave the tummy and look for a spay scar. However, when vets use certain stitching techniques, there is no scar whatever. Hopefully, these vets will tatoo the tummy to indicate the spay has been done, but otherwise, the only way of knowing is to proceed with the surgery.

What does the surgery cost?

• Most vets charge somewhere between $55 and $120!!
• Most spay and neuter clinics charge between $25 and $50 dollars.

How can I find a vet that can do the surgery safely?

Don't assume that a vet who works with breeders or 4-H knows much about rabbits. Such vets tend to approach rabbits as stock animals rather than as beloved companions. They may never have done a spay or neuter and "treatment" of any difficulty may amount to euthanasia (when dealing with stock or show animals, the financial bottom line may be the primary consideration).

Go through the vets in the phone book, if necessary. Vets who are listed as vets of exotics are most likely to know rabbits. Ask direct questions, and don't hesitate. After all, you are considering hiring this person as your employee to do a job for you. You have every right to ask questions. If the vet seems offended, or unwilling to discuss this level of detail, it isn't a vet you want to trust your bun to!

• about how many rabbit clients does the vet see in a year?
• how many spays/neuters OF RABBITS has the vet has done in the past year?
• what was the success rate?
• if any were lost, what was the cause?
• does the vet remove both uterus and ovaries? (they should)
• does the vet do "open" or "closed" neuters? (closed is preferable--let your vet explain the difference)
• is entry to the testicles made through the scrotum or the abdomen? (Entry via the abdomen, as is done in dogs, unnecessarily increases the trauma for male rabbits)
• does the vet require withholding of food and water prior to surgery in rabbits? (It is better not to do this--rabbits can't vomit, so there is no risk of that during surgery, and rabbits should never be allowed to get empty digestive tracts)
• what anesthetics are used (some vets are quite successful with anesthetics other than isofluorene, but the bunny is "hung over" after surgery, which increases the probability that s/he will be slow to start eating again, which can lead to serious problems if not dealt with
• follow the (excellent!) advice given by David Stubbs:

  Review the procedure (op and immediate post-op) with your vet. Ask how problems will be detected: how often will they (the vet and the techs) look in on your kid and what will they look for?. What will they do pre-op to find any potential problems? How will they support your bun in the hours after surgery: O2, warmth, quiet (barking dogs and yowling cats in the next cage are probably not helpful), and stimulation? What are they going to do to make it come out right?! Ask questions! That will get your vet's attention. Let them know you're concerned and that you'll be paying attention.

What pre- and post-operative care should one give?

Give the rabbit acidophilus for a couple of days prior to surgery, just to be certain that the digestive system is functioning in fine form. Don't change the diet it any way during this time.

After the surgery, continue giving acidophilus until the appetite has returned to normal.

Inspect the incision morning and evening. After a neuter, the scrotum may swell with fluids. Warm compresses will help, but it is nothing to be overly concerned about. With any sign of infection, take the rabbit to the vet immediately.

Keep a newly spayed female away from all male rabbits (neutered or not), as serious internal damage can be caused if a male mounts her.

After surgery, keep the environment quiet so the rabbit doesn't startle or panic, don't do anything to encourage acrobatics, but let the rabbit move around at her own pace--she knows what hurts and what doesn't.

Some vets keep rabbits overnight. If your vet lets you bring your bunny home the first night, note the following:

• Most males come home after being neutered looking for "supper"-- be sure they have pellets, water, and some good hay (good, fresh alfalfa is a good way to tempt them to nibble a bit)
• Most females want to be left alone, are not interested in eating at all, and will sit quietly in a back corner of the cage (or wherever in the house they feel they will be bothered the least)

The following morning, or at latest by the next evening, it is important for the rabbit to be nibbling something. It doesn't matter what or how much, as long as she is taking in something, so the digestive tract won't shut down. If she isn't, tempt her with everything possible, and as a last resort, make a mush of rabbit pellets (1 part pellets, 2 parts water, run through blender thoroughly, add acidophilus, and feed in pea-sized bits with a feeding syringe through the side of the mouth)

Occasionally a female will pull out her stitches. Get her stitched up again, and then belly-band her by wrapping a dish towel around her whole middle and binding that with an elastic bandage wrapped snuggly over it. If she can breath normally, it isn't too tight.