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Freddy can't be neutered :(

vergo97

Warren Scout
Freddy was booked in to be neutered today but the vets then phoned up my dad and were saying that they were very reluctant to do the op because of his age. I'm quite sad that we won't be able to get him a friend but I'm glad that the vets said that rather than just going ahead with the neutering with there being such a high risk. At least I know that I've done everything I can to try and get him a friend, and it's just not a possible thing to do.
 
He's about 6, everyone's kept telling me that he is old but I've read on here that people have had rabbits neutered that are older but now that the vets have said that he is too old I wouldn't want to push them into neutering him as they don't seem very confident that he'll make it through the op.
 
I'd never ask a vet to go ahead if they aren't comfortable, but sometimes it can just be a case of that particular vet isn't experienced enough to feel comfortable. With older rabbits, they can do a blood test prior to an op to check organ function. My understanding is the trouble with anaesthetics in older animals is if organs such as the liver aren't functioning at full efficiency their don't clear the anaesthetic as quickly. So they check the function with a blood test first :)
 
Would you be willing to take him to a different vet? I'm sure that one with more experience neutering buns would be willing to do it :thumb: and more confident
 
why a friend

He's about 6, everyone's kept telling me that he is old but I've read on here that people have had rabbits neutered that are older but now that the vets have said that he is too old I wouldn't want to push them into neutering him as they don't seem very confident that he'll make it through the op.

is it you who wants another rabbit. He may be happy without one, especially as he is older and more fixed in his ways
 
My dad said he doesn't think they did a blood test, they were just not keen on doing it because of his age. I could see about trying a different vet, I don't know if there are any around here that are more experienced as this is the best vet we've been to so far, and I think my dad might be reluctant because the vets are getting him to believe that Freddy is very old.

I thought that most rabbits are happier with a companion :?
 
There's a couple of members around newark area make a post asking of recommended vets in newark
 
My dad said he doesn't think they did a blood test, they were just not keen on doing it because of his age. I could see about trying a different vet, I don't know if there are any around here that are more experienced as this is the best vet we've been to so far, and I think my dad might be reluctant because the vets are getting him to believe that Freddy is very old.

I thought that most rabbits are happier with a companion :?

They are generally happier with a companion but it can't always be so.

I would take the advice of my vet, who is an exotics specialist, as I trust him completely.

Whatever happens - don't think he is old by any means. 'In times past' rabbits were, indeed, lucky to live until 6. Those were the days when they were just stuck in a hutch at the bottom of the garden, with a very poor diet. Thankfully, we know much better now, so they live much longer.
 
happy

My dad said he doesn't think they did a blood test, they were just not keen on doing it because of his age. I could see about trying a different vet, I don't know if there are any around here that are more experienced as this is the best vet we've been to so far, and I think my dad might be reluctant because the vets are getting him to believe that Freddy is very old.

I thought that most rabbits are happier with a companion :?

I think you will find your bunny is like a dog or cat. happy on it's own. you don't see dog or cat owner saying I must get a companion for them. especially, as you have to get then doctored, in able to get them to live together.
 
I think you will find your bunny is like a dog or cat. happy on it's own. you don't see dog or cat owner saying I must get a companion for them. especially, as you have to get then doctored, in able to get them to live together.

Rabbits are neither a Cat or a Dog. They have very different needs and in general they do require the companionship of another Rabbit.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/b_buds_jul_04.pdf

But sometimes this is not possible and therefore they need to have as much human company as possible, preferably living as a House Rabbit
 
I think you will find your bunny is like a dog or cat. happy on it's own. you don't see dog or cat owner saying I must get a companion for them. especially, as you have to get then doctored, in able to get them to live together.

Yeah but dogs are pack animals who have been domesticated over 1000's of years and evolved to consider humans as part of their pack, the wild equivalent of domesticated cats are solitary animals who fight to defend their own territory and don't need same species company. Rabbits are much more recently domesticated with very close links to their wild ancestors- as seen in their very obvious prey nature and behaviour comparable to wildies. Wild rabbits live in colonies of 10 or so, with other nearby rabbits (sometimes 100's), so they are very much a sociable animal and their communication systems are very far removed from humans (vs dogs who read body language and cats who mimic language). So in most cases bunnies do better with a friend although obviously this is not always possible.

At least your vet was honest and didn't go ahead with an operation he wasn't comfortable with. It would be horrible for you to lose your bun :( I hope other people on RU can help you find a more confident vet, but if he ends up staying a single bun I'm sure he'll have a long and happy life with an owner that loves him! Which any bunny would be lucky to have :)
 
I think you will find your bunny is like a dog or cat. happy on it's own. you don't see dog or cat owner saying I must get a companion for them. especially, as you have to get then doctored, in able to get them to live together.

Rabbits are not at all like dogs and cats, rabbits are prey where as dogs and cats are predators. It gives them completely different instincts. Cats in particular are naturally solitary hunters, where are rabbits live in social groups which offer security and protection.

Pets rabbits do in general like companionship, though there are a few exceptions. Ideally rabbits should have companions but if that's no possible it's your job as an owner to provide that companionship and some rabbits do form close bonds with their human instead :)
 
if it's a rabbit vet you have seen then i would go with their advice. if not, i would go to a rabbit vet and have the pre-op tests done for peace of mind. i don't think around six is too old to be neutered, but i would absolutely want it done by a confident rabbit savvy vet. :wave:
 
I'll start a thread to see if there are any rabbit savvy vets nearby, the vet we go to at the moment are generally good but some of the things they say (like Freddy being towards the end of his life) make me not completely confident in them.

I'm not sure how I get my dad to believe that another vet might be able to neuter Freddy as he does seem to believe the vets when they said Freddy is quite old.
 
not fighters like dogs

Rabbits are not at all like dogs and cats, rabbits are prey where as dogs and cats are predators. It gives them completely different instincts. Cats in particular are naturally solitary hunters, where are rabbits live in social groups which offer security and protection.

Pets rabbits do in general like companionship, though there are a few exceptions. Ideally rabbits should have companions but if that's no possible it's your job as an owner to provide that companionship and some rabbits do form close bonds with their human instead :)

Well why do we here so many cases of rabbits having to be doctored in order to get them to live with another rabbit. Well I would say that goes to show they are not all that eager to live with another rabbit. Fancy doctoring the poor thing to change its ways
 
Well why do we here so many cases of rabbits having to be doctored in order to get them to live with another rabbit. Well I would say that goes to show they are not all that eager to live with another rabbit. Fancy doctoring the poor thing to change its ways

The doctoring is to prevent the hundreds of baby rabbits you'd get with two unneutered rabbits living together :lol: They'd get on just fine without it but without preventing breeding, and with no checks on number from predators and seasonal weather changes they'd be producing 6-8 babies every four weeks.
 
We have lots of older rabbits neutered. At six years old unless there was a specific health reason I would be happy to get bunny neutered. As others have said it would be worth getting a second opinion from a more experiences vet.

If there is a specific health reason other than age stopping him from being neutered then we have had good success with hormone implants. Our old Frenchie is currently living happily in a group on the implant as he can't be neutered due to a range of health problems
 
Well why do we here so many cases of rabbits having to be doctored in order to get them to live with another rabbit. Well I would say that goes to show they are not all that eager to live with another rabbit. Fancy doctoring the poor thing to change its ways

I am guessing from this post that all your rabbits are unneutered and living solitary lives?
 
Well why do we here so many cases of rabbits having to be doctored in order to get them to live with another rabbit. Well I would say that goes to show they are not all that eager to live with another rabbit. Fancy doctoring the poor thing to change its ways

In the wild rabbits have acres of space. They live in large social groups. Domestic rabbits aren't very different at all in their behaviour from wild rabbits, so they also ideally need to live with other rabbit/s. What's different is that domestic rabbits don't have nearly as much space as their wild cousins, so won't necessarily live in harmony in the space we are able to give them (as well as the obvious need to prevent them from always breeding in captivity).

We neuter them to calm their hormonal and territorial behaviour to allow them to live happily together and not fight. Plus of course to prevent breeding. Neutering rabbits these days is a routine operation. Yes, it's a stressful thing to undergo, and it takes a few days to recover from it, but it is for the benefit of the rabbit in the longer term.
 
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