How old is too old to be spayed?

How old do you think is too old for a female rabbit to be spayed?

Rowan is five next month she has EC but I would really like to get her done as she lives alone and I'm very concerned that she could be lonely, so my plan is for her to get a friend eventually.

I'm unemployed at the moment and didn't want to get another rabbit in case I wouldn't be able to afford emergency vet fees for two rabbits. I'm hoping that I'm going to have a job soon and will be able to afford any additional vet fees. Also if I do get this job, I won't be able to spend anywhere near as much time with her as I have been so she'll really need a husbun to give her someone else to nibble/scratch/climb over

Of course I have also become aware of the risks of a unspayed female rabbits and some cancer. Which is also motivating my decison, I'm also concerned about if the stress of the op will affect her EC. As I've heard stress can make it worse.

i understand over the age of 3 the risk of cancer in females gets higher my boy was 5 when i had him done im sure if shes in good health she would be fine

Neutering females is a harder operation than neutering males...but I guess it would depend on the general health state of the rabbit.
Some animals age faster than others:roll:

It's a really tricky one...usually I would say spay, but because of her EC I'm not so sure, as it will be a balance between uterine cancer and EC problems. I would have a serious conversation with your vet about the pros and cons of each option, whether she ever has any active problems with EC or if it's just that she's been diagnosed with it in the past etc. SarahP's buns started having terrible problems with EC straight after they were spayed so it could be an additional risk factor - although I guess if they are started on panacur at the same time it would keep the risk down. I'd see what others think, see what your vet thinks and decide from there. It may still be possible to bond her to a neutered male without her being spayed, although it could be more tricky

I had a six year old female neutered and she came through the op fine. Although I do go to a rabbit specialist vet. I also had an older doe who had chronic pasteurella and breathing problems. She had an op to have a hind leg amputated but she also came through OK. I think she was about six too. But again, it was my usual bunny specialist vet. With EC, you've got a few pros and cons to think about. I think if she were mine, I'd give a good course of Panacur to keep the EC under control, perhaps combined with some immune system boosting remedies such as echinacea, and would then immediately have her neutered.

Fix the EC first. If you done removing EC, wait for 2 mth., then re-consider the spay, you can't do 2 things at the same thing. Spay is a major surgery

Trouble is you can't necessarily 'fix' EC, it often seems to be able to lurk hidden away from the drugs and re-emerge at random points later on :?

Thankyou everyone for replying. You've given me alot to think about

Perhaps this will help clear a few things up:

Rowan has had EC for about a year now, and the vet said it was an active infection (she's had several blood tests to confirm this). Her only symtoms at the moment have been urinating and drinking more that normal, though to what degree seems to change between almost normal to a lot more than she normally would have then back again.

She is on Lapizole for life, I give her a months course then a weeks break from it. I used to only give a few days break but I was concerned about the previous months course not clearing through her system before the next course started. It was either medicating her this way, or my vet suggested I could also try just medicating her at times she's likely to be stressed - since I don't know when she is going to get stressed because anything can happen, I opted for the first option.

On the forum once someone said (I'm sorry I don't remember who) I could get her an EC positive husbun so I wouldn't be infecting a totally healthy rabbit (thats something I was concerned with). Which is why I need a job to be able to afford any health issues the new rabbit may have.

I really do apperciate all your thoughts on this, don't worry I'm not using this as a substitute for vetinary advice, but it does give me things I can bring up that I wouldn't have thought of on my own, I will be dscussing this all when I take Rowan in for her myxi booster and health check.

What is EC ?:shock:

Gaile said:

What is EC ?:shock:

Click to expand...

Encephalitozoon cuniculi is parasite that can infect rabbits and other animals that damages internal organs and their nervous system. It can damage their kidneys (like in Rowans case), and if it works its way into the nervous system can cause paralysis and head tilts for example. There is not real cure and if the damage become severe enough the rabbits can die from it. I'm sorry thats the best way I can think of for explaining it.

Unfortunately spaying any bun that isn't 100% healthy carries the additional risk whatever their age. The eldest bun we have spayed was 6years old but she was fit and well. It really needs to be something you talk through with you vet especially with the compromisation of EC.

we speyed a 9year old but only as she was in full health... normally i would say spey but with the bun still having active ec i wonder if its best to or not. i would consult a good rabbit specialist..scu has fhb or gloucesters jason burgess...he did our 9year old and does many "elderly" buns.

Thanks everyone, well my vet is the small animal specialist in the practice, and she does seem to know what she's talking about so I feel comfortable asking her what she thinks and that she'll know the best course of action