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Spaying older does

TheThreeB's

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

When we visited the vet with our new bun, Blossom, we discussed the pros and cons of spaying in older rabbits. Blossom is around 4-5 years old.

It seems an impossible choice, to go ahead and risk the anesthetic being too tough for her, or not spaying and risking her developing cancer.

The vet did mention the possibility that we could still bond her with Spud when he's been neutered and leave her unspayed.

Any advice or experiences appreciated, thanks x
 
Hi.
IMO she doesn't seem old. I'd happily go ahead with anaesthetic and spay if she's healthy.
For peace of mind and if funds allow it I'd request a full blood profile to check vital organs function and have her on fluids before, during and after GA to help her body process. If funds are low I'd miss the bloods and just do fluids. (If she's healthy with no known health problems then personally I wouldn't be concerned).
Hope this is of some help.
 
I would want to be confident in my vet and with his general examination of her. I would also want to have bloods done to ensure that nothing obvious was of concern. If all was OK and my vet was happy to operate under GA, I would go ahead.
 
TheThreeB's said:
Hi all,

When we visited the vet with our new bun, Blossom, we discussed the pros and cons of spaying in older rabbits. Blossom is around 4-5 years old.

It seems an impossible choice, to go ahead and risk the anesthetic being too tough for her, or not spaying and risking her developing cancer.

The vet did mention the possibility that we could still bond her with Spud when he's been neutered and leave her unspayed.

Any advice or experiences appreciated, thanks x
Click to expand...


Is your vet really confident that so long as there are no unforeseen health issues, he is fine about spaying her if that's what you want?

I would have a blood profile done and as DP says, fluids are important. My vet gives me the choice and charges extra for fluids, but I feel they should be standard.

Yes you could leave her unspayed. I know there's pros and cons, and my thread about spaying your doe doesn't make the decision any easier. But in your shoes, I would definitely have her spayed. The vet can then let you know the state of her womb etc.
 
I'd get her spayed too as on balance I think it'd be the safer option. In human years I think she'd be 36-45 - that's not old :) I have to say that because of my own age & that my three are that age & older & I can't bear to think of them as anything other than young adults (that WILL live forever)
 
I would get her weight down before having her spayed. She is a bit rotund and this will add to the risks of a GA and also make the actual surgery more complicated due to the amount of fatty deposits there will be.

I'd request a post surgery blood profile and a chest Xray too.

If surgery does go ahead I'd ask the Vet to do a full Dental examination whilst Blossom is under GA.
 
joey&boo said:
I'd get her spayed too as on balance I think it'd be the safer option. In human years I think she'd be 36-45 - that's not old :) I have to say that because of my own age & that my three are that age & older & I can't bear to think of them as anything other than young adults (that WILL live forever)
Click to expand...


:D
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Such a lot to consider, I don't think I'll be rushing into anything and it sounds like I'll have to have a proper conversation with the vet about extra bloods, x-rays etc, before deciding.

It's a shame I guess that both Blossom and Spud are living alone and we won't be able to change this for quite some time. Just out of interest, if Spud was neutered / recovered and we were still deciding about Blossom, could we introduce them in the meantime. Or would spaying her later change their bond?

She is a bit fat Jane, the vet didn't seen too concerned as she will now have a proper diet and be able to exercise. But your right, we don't want anything to complicated matters.

MightyMax said:
Is your vet really confident that so long as there are no unforeseen health issues, he is fine about spaying her if that's what you want?

I would have a blood profile done and as DP says, fluids are important. My vet gives me the choice and charges extra for fluids, but I feel they should be standard.

Yes you could leave her unspayed. I know there's pros and cons, and my thread about spaying your doe doesn't make the decision any easier. But in your shoes, I would definitely have her spayed. The vet can then let you know the state of her womb etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks MM, I'll pop over and have a read through your thread :) x
 
TheThreeB's said:
Thanks for all the replies.

Such a lot to consider, I don't think I'll be rushing into anything and it sounds like I'll have to have a proper conversation with the vet about extra bloods, x-rays etc, before deciding.

It's a shame I guess that both Blossom and Spud are living alone and we won't be able to change this for quite some time. Just out of interest, if Spud was neutered / recovered and we were still deciding about Blossom, could we introduce them in the meantime. Or would spaying her later change their bond?

She is a bit fat Jane, the vet didn't seen too concerned as she will now have a proper diet and be able to exercise. But your right, we don't want anything to complicated matters.



Thanks MM, I'll pop over and have a read through your thread :) x
Click to expand...

I'd say provided you wait the 8 weeks post-neuter, you could introduce them prior to Blossom's spay, otherwise you could have an unintentional litter. Selene was unspayed when I got her - she was bonded to Helios (who was neutered) already, and she still bonded well with Elphie and Morning (at the time.) However, her hormones could mean she could react badly to the introduction. However, I also know of someone who keeps unspayed does with neutered bucks.

As with everyone else, I don't see 4/5 to be too old for a spay. So long as she's in otherwise good health, I would rather spay her now than as an emergency if she should fall ill with a uterine problem.
 
Thanks tlc, it's good to know others experiences.

She's so gorgeous and I'm getting so attached already and obviously want to do what's best for her. I have heard of rabbits going for the op and it being discovered they all ready have cancer, so it was fortunate to be found.

I don't make things easy for myself, I could have adopted from the rescue and them already spayed / neutered, but I just had to have these two, it was meant to be x
 
TheThreeB's said:
Thanks tlc, it's good to know others experiences.

She's so gorgeous and I'm getting so attached already and obviously want to do what's best for her. I have heard of rabbits going for the op and it being discovered they all ready have cancer, so it was fortunate to be found.

I don't make things easy for myself, I could have adopted from the rescue and them already spayed / neutered, but I just had to have these two, it was meant to be x
Click to expand...


Heart of gold, you have :love:
 
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