Don’t Let the Benefits of Rabbit Neutering Hop Past You
Rabbits have great reputations as gentle, easy to care for pets..with one caveat. Even with special care and responsible ownership, the numbers of pet rabbits may exponentially skyrocket without human intervention. The good news is that unwanted litters can be prevented by spaying and neutering pet rabbits. The even better news is that there are numerous bonuses to overall health and behavior following surgical sterilization.
The Obvious Choice
Rabbits are known breeders. With five baby rabbits being the average litter size, and a gestation period of less than a month, a mating pair of rabbits can potentially produce dozens of babies each year. Taking into account the possibility of a mated pair’s offspring reproducing with each other, it doesn’t take long for a bona fide rabbit takeover to occur.
The Health Factors
Rabbits are social animals and thrive in group dynamics. However, keeping two males together, or two females together, can result in serious problems. Since we know what happens when a pair of male and female unfixed rabbits live together, the only real option for environmental harmony is to neuter the male and spay the female. Since the hormones responsible for breeding are no longer produced, there is no aggression between the rabbits of males or females living together.
Additionally, once a rabbit is spayed or neutered, their risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, such as uterine infection or cancer, is drastically reduced.
A Look at the Surgery
In male rabbits, the surgical procedure called neutering involves the removal of both testicles. Ideally, a male is at least 10-12 weeks old, or whenever their testicles have dropped. While the procedure is fairly straightforward, the post-op recovery can be challenging. They can go home the same day as the surgery, but must be kept apart from their mate and other rabbits to ensure the internal sutures or skin glue remains at the incision site.
A spay involves the surgical removal of both ovaries and the uterus. Females can be spayed as early as 10-12 weeks old. If the surgery is delayed, an owner risks pregnancy and risks related to birthing.
We assess pre-anesthesia blood work to be sure that a rabbit can withstand the surgery, and carefully measure vital signs throughout their stay with us.
Responsible Rabbit Care
A rabbit that has been spayed or neutered is given the chance to live a longer, healthier life. With fewer behavioral problems and reproductive issues, sterilized rabbits can become the best possible pets for their owners.
If you have questions about rabbit health, husbandry, and overall care, please give us a call at (260) 637-7676. Our staff is always here to help at Dupont Veterinary Clinic.