is it a myth that spaying rabbits prevents uterine cancer?

[Geoff's people]

Having no facts to back it up with, this is my theory on the subject.

A wild rabbit is designed to bear a litter of young evey 4 weeks so will always in her life be either pregnant or lactating. Our Pet rabbits even if bred from do not have this work load, so if a part of the body that is designed to be continually in use is left idle, it will atrophy and give rise to disease.


To compare to a female dog (though they should be spayed anyway) in the wild generally only the alpha pair will be allowed to produce young in the pack, so it is biologically normal for some females to not reproduce, the 'phantom' pregnancy that often results is an evolutionary bonus allowing another female to become nurse should something happen to the dam.
Hence not so high incidence of uterine cance in different pet species:thumb:

 

[VikkiVet]

Good thoughts there Geoff's People. Biologically its actually more likely to be the opposite. The tissues don't atrophy from non-use they actually lose their regulation, leading to cancer, because they aren't used for their intended purpose.

Rabbits are induced ovulators, which means that the egg is only released from the ovary if they are mated. But the ovaries themselves still go through waves of activity, that occur in all mammals, where eggs are grown to a certain stage and then atrophy if not ovulated. A complex system of hormones regulates these waves, which are at higher levels in the spring - hence spring baby bunnies and spring fever, as many hormones come from the regulatory centre in the brain and affect many tissues, neither of which are removed when neutered. So, if an animal has all these hormones being produced (as Geoff's People says, more in rabbits that are intended to breed a lot vs animals that aren't) they still work the target tissues, such as the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for a litter. But that never happens. So the uterus cells keep getting told to do things but the next step doesn't occur. Eventually the signals get confused and cells start to divide in weird ways, or the regulation of their division gets altered so they no longer listen to the signals. A bit like if you kept poking someone, eventually you get a different reaction! This results in diseases such as hyperplasia (too many cells) and cancer (cell division without regulation). Similar mechanisms are the reason why women who haven't had children are more likely to get certain types of breast cancer and why in-season ferrets have to be mated or they die because their hormone levels are just mental! They are still investigating the exact hormonal mechanisms of how it comes about, so we don't yet have a "cause". But that's the ins and outs of it, in a nutshell.

 

[Diamond heart]

thanks all very much -

it has clarified some issues for me

i really do hope no-one was offended by me raising the question - i really just was curious.

and curiosity cured the cat

have a wonderful weekend
x

 

[Diamond heart]

vikki vet

i was going to get some rest but then i saw this post - and wanted to say a special thanks for the data research links -


and to blue_vix with the longer post too

actually i could go on....

much appreciated all
x

 

[William]

it is something I've heard on other forums, so I guess some people do question whether it's a myth :? but it makes perfect sense, it's not like it sounds far fetched, so I don't know why it's questioned so often.

 

[Vegan_Bunny]

I've always been under the impression that females of any species were more likely to develop cancer. I hardly had a problem with cancer when I kept male rats but I know plenty of people who kept female rats and had a massive problem with tumours and cancer.
Dogs are generally spayed because it reduces the risk of cancer so I would assume this would be the case for rabbits. My friend never got her dog spayed and she developed a tumour in one of her boobs, she had to get it removed and was spayed at the same time because the vet said that this would reduce the cancer risk hugely. Obviously it wouldn't prevent lung cancer or something similar but animals/people generally get cancer in the reproductive organs...there is a proper reason for this, something to do with the tissues etc but I'm not 100% sure what that is.

I have, however, done some research in the past about the study of uterine cancer in rabbits and found nothing that proved the figures. Apparently there has only been one study done and the reason the "80%" figure came up in does over 5 was because they used LESS older bunnies in the case study than younger bunnies. This obviously doesn't make it very accurate and would distort the results. This is just what I found but I don't know how reliable this info is.

I am 100% for spaying and would ALWAYS spay/neuter my animals. It's much fairer on them since they would feel frustrated if intact and would also reduce other health issues.

 

[willowholly]

I didn't have Holly Spayed until she was almost 5 years old & by then she had an ovary as big as a golf ball because of cancer.She also made phantom nests most of her life which I think is cruel so after that I had Willow & B both spayed at 5months.Will NEVER not spay until late in life again

 

[VikkiVet]

I think the 80% figure relates to the original 1940s paper, not sure how many animals were in that study or whether there was any bias in the study as its too old to access online. But lots of studies with different design parameters confirm that the incidence is at least 50% which is enough for me. We did a rabbit cadaver practical on adult rabbits, and of 80 rabbits I think over 50 had some sort of abnormality when we opened them up i.e. had no signs of disease before they were euthanased, not chosen because they did/didn't have uterine abnormalities etc.

 

[donna-arc]

All I can add is what I have seen with my own eyes - proof enough for me.

I work at a veterinary surgery used by two rabbit rescues - we, therefore, spay hundreds of rabbits each year. I would estimate half the females we spay have signs of uterine cancer. Some of these it has spread to other parts of the body - meaning the doe will die of cancer she would not have developed if she had been spayed.
We have seen signs in rabbits as young as two. We also see it in does that have been used for breeding so this does not prevent the cancer.

We spay rescue rabbits at cost price - meaning we make no money on the operation - so have nothing to gain from recommending it be done if we didn't fully believe it prevents uterine cancer.

So my answer would be - it is not a myth that spaying prevent uterine/ovarian cancer.

 

[Rhian33]

I'd also like to point out that with a competent vet who knows what they are doing the risk to a small furry is minimal. I choose to have my female rats spayed if they are under 6 months when they come to me with unknown genetic history as I think this is more beneficial than an op in the future to remove a tumour. I have also had 2 hamsters spayed as they had pyo. All my animals so far have made it through their ops and have lived/are living long healthy lives. The same can be said for rabbits. Very few are lost under anaesthetic or even just after if the vet is good.

 

[blue_vix]

I do think there is a point that the way some people put the risks across is done so in a way that's intended to scare. That does tend to put people off when they feel they are being emotionally blackmailed and its a shame if people don't spay because wording makes them feel negatively about the issue of spaying and results in them 'tuning out' as they say.

 

[LittleEskimo]

*holds head gingerly* so confused by this thread...

 

[Cari]

*holds head gingerly* so confused by this thread...

This. :?

 

[Aly&Poppy<3]

*holds head gingerly* so confused by this thread...

Same :shock:

 

[CrazyGal330]

I'd also like to point out that with a competent vet who knows what they are doing the risk to a small furry is minimal. I choose to have my female rats spayed if they are under 6 months when they come to me with unknown genetic history as I think this is more beneficial than an op in the future to remove a tumour. I have also had 2 hamsters spayed as they had pyo. All my animals so far have made it through their ops and have lived/are living long healthy lives. The same can be said for rabbits. Very few are lost under anaesthetic or even just after if the vet is good.

Very well put! :wave:

 

[janice]

i thought a really good idea would be the next time any of us comes across these views in a surgery if we could politely ask for his/her research on the subject and why - as a vet - he/she would lose out on paying customers by recommending the bunny not be neutered. ?

x

Most knowledgeable rabbit owners would avoid going to vets who have out dated ideas, therfore would not get themselves into conversations like this.

 

[blue_vix]

But there are a lot of rabbit owners out there who aren't that knowledgeable.
Those people who maybe get pointed in the direction of RWA information. They speak to people on forums and they speak to their vet.

Most people would assume the vet is the expert. So they have a vet in a uniform with a trusted job title saying your rabbit will die if you have it neutered because of the GA, and on the other hand a bunch of strangers saying your being cruel to your rabbit and it will die of cancer if you don't have it neutered. It is understandably confusing.

Its easy to stand from a place of knowledge and say "well I'd just change vets". The thread highlights to me that the information is not being put across to people in a way they can a) trust and b) understand.
It needs addressing if we as a responsible rabbit community intend to be successful in improving the knowledge of Joe Bloggs who got their little girl a rabbit from the garden centre when they only went in for some pansies.

 

[yaretzi]

So they have a vet in a uniform with a trusted job title saying your rabbit will die if you have it neutered because of the GA

Find me a vet that's ever said that.

If you're talking about the warning that all vets usually give regarding the risks of GA, that's a totally different thing to what you're saying a vet has said.

 

[Lea-Anne]

I'd also like to point out that with a competent vet who knows what they are doing the risk to a small furry is minimal. I choose to have my female rats spayed if they are under 6 months when they come to me with unknown genetic history as I think this is more beneficial than an op in the future to remove a tumour. I have also had 2 hamsters spayed as they had pyo. All my animals so far have made it through their ops and have lived/are living long healthy lives. The same can be said for rabbits. Very few are lost under anaesthetic or even just after if the vet is good.

:thumb::thumb:

 

[blue_vix]

Find me a vet that's ever said that.

If you're talking about the warning that all vets usually give regarding the risks of GA, that's a totally different thing to what you're saying a vet has said.

Have you totally missed the point of the thread? General warnings on the risks of GA are not what I'm talking about.

What I said is basically what the OP's vet said to her, which is why the thread happened in the first place. There is also someone else on the thread who has said this has happened to her as well.
I was making a point that everyone saying "well I would just get a new vet that one must be no good" doesn't address the bigger issue. It is good advice for the OP because she has people on here to ask but that doesn't help all the other people who are less knowledgeable that may be getting told the same thing. I haven't personally experienced it, I am working off what other people have stated they have experienced in this thread. I'm sure there are hundreds of examples on this forum of vets giving the wrong advice, like the vet who told me I should have my sneezing rabbit PTS because he probably had incurable snuffles. He didn't even have snuffles, he had a chest infection.

There are two issues here-
1) is the right information being put out to your general rabbit owner with limited specialist knowledge?
-because there are many conflicting sources and opinions even within the so called expert profession

2) is that information being worded in an appropriate way?
-providing facts and understanding, rather than attempting to scare, emotionally blackmail, or promote political agendas, because where this happens people then mistrust the validity of the information.