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Opinions on Neutering

R

rabbitabby

Alpha Buck
Crue is a little over a year old now (I adopted him about 2 months ago, and he was told to be about a year old).

Anthony and I have been discussing the pros and cons on of neutering Crue bun, because he hasn't been.

He isn't having behavioral problems (yet?), nor litter training problems (yet?), but I'm mainly concerned about neutering to prolong his life so that he lives longer and healthier.

However I have talked with some people who suggest that his age makes surgery and anesthetics risky.

Is this too old, or would it be silly to risk anything since I am not having problems with him? Does neutering have a huge impact on the longitude of their life, or the quality as they age?

I'm thinking, don't fix it if its not broken.. but.. :?

Suggestions or personal thoughts?
 
we had Squidgy 'done ' this year. We're not sure how old he is exactly, but he's at least 5. There are relatively few complications if you have a bunny savvy vet. Squidgy didn't have huge behavioural problems, but he was slightly erratic in using his litter tray. He now uses it 95% of the time.
Another factor is getting a friend. If they are both neutered/ spayed, it makes bonding much easier, and of course, prevents babies:D
 
We have 9, 2 males and 7 females and they are all neutered/spayed. Most on the forum would recommend it I should imagine. There shouldn't be a problem at one year old, very young or very old maybe.

Neil
 
Only females are prone to cancer if unneutered. If you are never planning on getting a female as a friend for your boy, then fine to leave him unneutered but if there's a chance that one day you might, you'd be better getting him fixed younger now than waiting till he's older. It's not a complicated op for boys, just check that you have a vet who knows rabbits as many don't - rabbits must never be starved before surgery, and need a sedative and gas rather than conventional anaesthetics used for cats and dogs.

Being left as he is won't shorten his life at all though - a forum member had a boy live to at least 16 unneutered! :)
 
If you are not intending to get Crue a girlfriend and he is not exhibiting any behavioural problems then its not essential he is neutered. Does get health benefits from spaying (protection from uterine infection/cancer) but Bucks are only at risk of testicular cancer if one or both testes are not fully distended. Crue is certainly not too old to be neutered but if he is to be a single Bun and does not have behavioural issues then as you say, if it aint broke why fix it.
Although I wonder if Crue would like a Doe friend with no risks of a paternity suite........:? ;)

Janex
 
One year old is prime of life for a bunny :) They don't really count as old until at least five years old but they can still be spritely at ten in some cases :)

Talk to your vet first though and check that they are experienced with neutering rabbits :)
 
I did not realise that mostly only females benefitted from being altered.. good to know!! Crue has a beautiful temperment has never exibited any "manly" behavior.. the worst he does is toss things at me that I put so perfectly in place in his cage.. :lol: He decorates like a man at least.. :rolleyes: Just kidding!

I will leave him be for the time being then, considering we have no issues.. As I mentioned in a previous post about litter training, he is doing great for having only worked at it for a short time! Before we adopted him, he was confined to a very small cage with little to NONE outside run time.. :( :( :( So I'm wondering if having to go potty in his hutch for so long, in a way, trained him to stay there.. who knows.

Thanks for everyones advice!!!!
 
hi, at my practice we actual castrate males conscious. We inject local anaesthetic into each testicle then sit the bunnies almost in an upright position (they go into a trance). Some welfare campaigners say it is cruel and believe that the bunny only sits still cos it is scared to move. However, we look at it from the point of view that seeing as 1 in 100 HEALTHY rabbits die under general anaesthetic, we would rather a bunny being scared to move for 5 mins (thats if they are infact actually scared?!) whilst the castrate is done, than risk a life with a general anaesthetic. As i understand, not many vets do it this way but it works really well, the bunnies suffer no after affects (that we are aware of, and there is only the operation itself to get over, rather than the op and the anaesthetic). My boy was castrated this way and once its done, the rabbit carries on as normal!
 
kat_g said:
hi, at my practice we actual castrate males conscious.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, I haven't come across that before. It's certainly interesting. It could be a great solution for older rabbits too. I know a few rescue/owners that have old males that would be risky for anaesthetic so can't be neutered/paired up.

Tan
 
Tamsin said:
That's interesting, I haven't come across that before. It's certainly interesting. It could be a great solution for older rabbits too. I know a few rescue/owners that have old males that would be risky for anaesthetic so can't be neutered/paired up.

Tan
Click to expand...

Not something I would contemplate for any of my Bucks. What if Bun kicked out during the proceedure :? :shock:

Janex
 
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kat_g said:
However, we look at it from the point of view that seeing as 1 in 100 HEALTHY rabbits die under general anaesthetic,
Click to expand...

:shock: I am surprised at these figures. ARC have had in excess of 1500 bunnies of both sexes operated on, this would be neuterings, dentals, amputations, abscesses, tumours etc. We have only lost about 6 or 7 of these usually due to either the seriousness of the underlying problem or an undiagnosed heart condition, these would not necessarily have been whilst under anaesthetic but could have been within the first 24 hours of surgery. I think 2 of these were actually whilst under anaesthetic.

Given a good vet with good anaesthetic techniques and good post operative care I would hope that the loss rate would be a lot lower.
 
elve said:
Only females are prone to cancer if unneutered.

Being left as he is won't shorten his life at all though - a forum member had a boy live to at least 16 unneutered! :)
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that boy buns are more likely to get test-wotsit cancer if un-neutered?
 
kat_g said:
seeing as 1 in 100 HEALTHY rabbits die under general anaesthetic
Click to expand...

Isn't that statistic a bit outdated now due to advances in anaesthetics like isofluorane being used a lot more frequently?

Some welfare campaigners say it is cruel and believe that the bunny only sits still cos it is scared to move.
Click to expand...

Every time I've taken my bunnies to the vets they have been good as gold. I asked my vet why they lay down on their tummies with their legs splayed out and it *is* because they're scared!
 
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I thought boy buns were still at risk of testicular cancer even if they didn't have undescended testes, but that the figure was quite low?
I would be tempted to neuter him anyway, if he's healthy. There may come a time when you decide to have him neutered (for behavioural/health reasons or to get him a friend) and at least now you KNOW he's healthy, if you put it off a year then there's a chance he may develop breathing problems or something else that would make the op riskier.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Not something I would contemplate for any of my Bucks. What if Bun kicked out during the proceedure :? :shock:

Janex
Click to expand...

I agree, considering many many bunnies hate to be handled anyway, I would be very uncomfortable with the idea that mid incision or tie the buns moved and caused serious damage :? unless of course they were sedated then local aneasthetic given, that would make it less risky for injury but still I feel that with modern anaesthesia and courses for vets now that a GA is still the safest route. 1 in 100 to me sounds like a vast over estimation. Ive been doing ops for 13 years and we rarely loose an animal ( I can count them on less than 2 hands) due solely to anaesthesia and considering we did anything between 5 and 40 ops a week thats def not 1 in 100!

Crue, I would agree with Bens mum that getting him neutered now whilst in optimum health is a good idea as like she says, there may be a point when you want to get him a companion or once he hits 18 months he could become a typical teenage male!:lol: One of my regular boarders has now hit this stage and he has become very territorial and possessive even though he is one of the sweetest and well socialised buns ive ever met! Needless to say he is going in for the op soon! Obviously this doesn't happen to all buns! But it might!
 
I would always get a rabbit neutered (unless they were old or in poor health). Every rabbit needs a rabbit friend and if the are neutered it makes it much easier for them to bond.
 
He is going in for a checkup here in the next few weeks so I will discuss it with the veterinarian. I do agree with everyone saying I should do it now while he is in good health.

I'm not too sure that we will add another bun friend any time soon. (I wouldn't mind, I would love it, but I don't know that Anthony would be too keen on it. Don't get me wrong, he loves Crue, but is a one-pet-per-species kinda guy..)

I'll definately talk it over. Especially considering that "what if" he becomes a pain in the rear end with boyish antics in the next few months to come :lol:
 
I see absoutely zero reason to fix this guy!!!
If you are not going to get new bunnies ans he is healthy now and he behaves well then there is NO reason to do it!!! He is 5 ans he is in great shape.
By getting him fixed isn't going to help one bit for his house cleaning :)
Let him be happy and healthy as he is now. I wouldn't do it for any reason at this age after reading about him other than a needed medical procedure because of a consition he had right now...he has none. Enjoy him as he is.
JMO
 
Lol Wuzzy, See, you're opinion, just how you stated it, is the half in my head saying, "No, Don't do it! No reason!" Because he really is a perfectly behaved bunny.
 
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