Spaying our bunny, worried

[Baby2017]

Hi,
Our little girl is booked in for a spay soon.
Am I doing the right thing? We don’t plan to get a friend for her but just read that it may be better for her health in the long run but can’t help worrying I’m putting her through an unecessary surgery. What if she doesn’t recover well

 

[InspectorMorse]

Hello

Spaying is definitely the best thing for a Doe as the risk of Uterine Adenocarcinoma in unspayed Does is extremely high. A study found that over 80% of unspayed Does develop Uterine Adenocarcinoma by the age of 5, cutting their life expectancy in half. By insuring you register with a Rabbit Savvy Vet the risks of spaying is minimal compared to the risks of not spaying and the Doe succumbing to Uterine Adenocarcinoma.

The RWAF has a lot of well researched information about all matters related to providing the best care of pet Rabbits

Neutering/Spaying
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/medical/neutering/

How to identify a Rabbit Savvy Vet
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-welfare-association-fund/our-work/rabbit-friendly-vets/

List of Rabbit Savvy Vets
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-...abbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/


The importance of Rabbits having a companion of their own kind
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/behaviour/rabbit-companionship/

 

[Omi]

I completely agree with Jane's post. The main reason to have a Doe spayed is the known and well-documented risk of Uterine Adenocarcinoma. Other reasons are that an unspayed Doe can be aggressive and territorial, plus the fact that they will sometimes be driven by their hormones and have phantom pregnancies.

Sending lots of vibes that your Doe recovers well from her spay.

 

[Shimmer]

I've always had my rabbits neutered. They get a vet check before the operation. They should be fit and eating well. Girls are usually at least 6 months old and 1kg, but it depends on the breed as well. Some don't get to 1kg as adults, and giants should be a bit older as they are slow to mature. Rabbits should never be starved before an op - so make sure she has eaten as usual on the day. You may need to syringe feed when she gets home, but your vet will advise. She should have eaten something before she comes home. Keep her quiet overnight, and provide an optional heat source as she will struggle to regulate her temperature immediately after an anaesthetic. She should be eating the next day, but keep an eye on poo output and do top up feeds if necessary. She needs to be kept from jumping, etc until she's had her post-spay checkup, so she doesn't cause any damage to the scar site while she heals. She should also be given some pain relief to give her at home.

 

[Baby2017]

Thank you for your replies an reassurance.
She had her check up a couple of weeks ago.
She absolutely loves to jump on things so that’s going to be a challenge. I will have an enclosure set up for her so she can be closed in at night, she usually has a large cage but she has to jump in and out of it but I think during the day I might have to change the shape of the enclosure so it goes around the sofa to avoid her jumping.
I assume she’ll try and clean her wound, I just hope she doesn’t do any damage.

I have blankets and a little soft cat den for her, I fully expect her to push them out the way and lie on the floor tho.

Should I expect her to be a little quieter on the first couple of days?

 

[Omi]

I would say it's likely that she'll be quieter for the initial 24 hours and may not eat very much. As others have said, you should monitor her food intake and also her poo output, giving syringe feeds if necessary. Pain relief will certainly be appreciated for the first few days.

 

[Pets mum]

Good luck for your bunny spay, as others have said you are doing the right thing for her long-term health. Your vet will give you full instructions when you collect her, so try not to worry too much.