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To spay or not

tq9er

New Kit
Our 6 month old dalmation rex Treacle died on Monday night, a week after being spayed. She was fine post-operatively but a week later got gut stasis and despite vet care died. We are getting another female rex but i don't know what to do for the best.
The breeder says not to have her spayed and there's too much hysteria about uterine cancer. I'd appreciate some input about this dilemma.
 
Im sorry your rabbit died. I would still recommend speying though. At my practice, rabbits get 2 weeks pain relief after a spey as gut stasis due to pain can be a problem. speying has benefits that outweigh the possible consequences of not speying, even if that doesnt appear the case now.
 
I am sorry to hear about your past experience with your rabbit following a spey. It is rare that rabbits develope prooblems as a consequence of surgery with stasis beign one of the more usual problems which is why appropriate information needs to be given to people following the spey of their animals. Unfortunately uterine cancer is actually fairly common in rabbits over 2 years old with many of the slightly older buns showing early changes of this nasty disease which is otherwise difficult to detect.

I can appreciate your concerns about putting another rabbit through a neuter, however hormonal issues and uterine cancer are 2 big reasons who neutering is really essential. To avoid having to care for a rabbit post neuter you could consider getting your rabbits from a rescue which has already been neutered. If the rabbits of your preference is rex's many rescues reguarly get these through their doors. Athough they are not as common as mixed breeds rescues do get these in.
 
Sorry to hear about your bunny :(

Instead of having to go through the neuter again i too think you should have a look at local rescues for a rex :) My previous foster bunnies were both rexes, so rexes do end up in rescues :( From a rescue they will already be vaccinated and neutered generally :) xXx
 
I agree. Definitely go down the rescue route.:DNot only will you be avoiding a repeat of your tragic experience, you'll alos be giving a previously abandoned bun a home AND freeing up a space in rescue for another rabbit in dire need. So look at the difference you'll be making to 2, not one, bunnies:D
 
A rabbit should easily be able to recover from a simple spay operation. My bun Minnie was eating hays just hours after the surgery. It's very possible your breeders is over-breeding the rabbits and thus your bun has very weak genes, as such, unable to recover from the surgery.

I used to go w/ breeders years ago until I learned they didn't know the concept of genetic diversification. I have been getting rehome rabbits since then.

If you buy rabbit, you are encouraging those breeder to breed more bun as a supply. This is the condition that these rescue animals lives in

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu_JqNdp2As

So when you buy a bun, you are doing this:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNr-VrkXl8

Get yourself a rehome bun in your area, many rabbits are waiting for months in a small living area waiting for a good home.

here's a list of rescue center in UK

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/centres.asp

or go to the Rabbit In NEED section and see who's available

Or post in the rabbit in need section, many members w/ rescue centers will response to you
 
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