Why Spay and Neuter?
Note: Cinnabun & Marbles, pictured here, enjoying time outside prior to RHDV. To learn more about RHDV and keeping your rabbits safe, click here.
Health
Spaying a female rabbit can be used to prevent or treat neoplasia of the uterus or pyometra and other uterine disorders. Female rabbits are at a great risk of developing uterine, ovarian, and mammary cancer if not spayed. Some studies show up to 90% of unspayed female rabbits may get reproductive cancer before age 6! This cancer can metastasize and spread through the body, attacking the lungs, liver, bones, skin, and other organs, eventually resulting in death. This is entirely preventable by having your rabbit spayed. Males can also get testicular cancer if not neutered.
Behaviour
Rabbits tend to be much happier and calmer once altered. Chewing, digging, aggressive, and territorial behaviours will all decrease (including growling, biting, lunging etc.). Altering your rabbit will make it much easier to litter train them as they will not have the same urge to mark territory, and they will not spray your home as many unaltered rabbits do once they become mature. Unspayed female rabbits may go into false pregnancies and nest build. This can be very stressful on them. Once spayed, this will no longer occur.
Overpopulation
As careful as you may be, unwanted pregnancies occur all the time. This is a very common story we hear from individuals requesting help: they have a male and female, both unaltered, but housed separately, yet one rabbit manages to get in the other one’s cage and 30 days later they have a litter. Shelters are almost always full, and it can be difficult to find a home for a whole litter of rabbits on your own. For every rabbit that is bred, it means one in a shelter does not find a home and is euthanized. Do not contribute to the over population of rabbits.
Bonding
Rabbits are very hormonal and territorial until they are altered, making bonding nearly impossible. Once your rabbits are altered, bonding becomes much easier, and they will accept each other much more readily. Even same sex siblings will likely start to fight once they become mature if they are not altered. For more information on how to bond your rabbits, please see: http://rabbitrescue.ca/useful-info/bonding/
When to spay/neuter
Rabbits should be sexually mature when altered. For female rabbits, this can be done at 5-6 months of age and for males at 3 months. Females can usually be spayed during early pregnancies without additional complications. Speak to your vet immediately if you suspect your female may be pregnant.
Finding a vet
Spaying or neutering your rabbit is a very safe procedure when done by an experienced rabbit vet. Please visit: www.rabbitrescue.ca/useful-info/vets/ to find a vet who you trust to do this procedure. Rabbits are quite different than cats and dogs, so make sure that your vet has plenty of rabbit experience. Remember, do not fast your rabbit prior to surgery. You can do pre-anesthetic blood work to help ensure there are no additional risks in putting your bunny under anesthetic (especially if your rabbit is older).
After surgery care
Make sure your vet will be providing your rabbit with pain medication after the surgery. When you pick up your rabbit from the vet you may also wish to ask for additional pain medication (which you can purchase) to be given over the next few days to make your rabbit more comfortable. If you bring your rabbit home the same day of the surgery, he/she may still be sleepy from the anesthetic. If this goes on too long, please contact your vet. Try to encourage them to eat once fully awake by offering them their favorite foods. If your rabbit is not eating by the next day, contact your vet. Some rabbits are more sensitive than others and may require force feeding after surgery for several days. Your rabbit should be on “cage rest” in their enclosure following the surgery, so that they can’t jump up on a couch/bed etc. and injure themselves or their incision site. Be in touch with your vet with any concerns.
Important to Remember
A male rabbit can still impregnate a female for up to two months after being neutered. Keep your male rabbit away from your female rabbit (even if he is neutered) while she is recovering, as internal damage can be done if he mounts her. A female rabbit can get pregnant again the same day she gives birth, so take precautions.