To spay or not to spay...

[mae_lin]

For the background on this: I have done my research on the subject. I have two bunnies who are ‘un-fixed’ and they are both healthy and happy. I did not ‘fix’ based on the recommendation of my vet. I got a second opinion from my cousin who is a vet but in another state who agreed. Being un-spayed can prevent uterine cancer and give your bunny

Comments

[sapphiredonna]

I respect your decision to not spay your rabbits. as you pointed out, unspayed rabbits can have long, heathy lives. however, rabbits that are not spayed have a higher risk of preventable cancers and I personally would feel guilty if one of my rabbits developed a preventable disease.

I also don't like the general attitude that goes along with not fixing rabbits; I'm not saying this is why you've chosen to not alter your buns, but a lot of people seem to have the attitude that they don't want to spend $200 on a $20 pet. in my opinion, those people should not have any pet; the value of an animal should not be based on how much it would cost to replace them. it also raises the question of if they'd pay for medical care for trauma, or if $200 on x-rays is also too much.

so, while I agree that spaying is not necessary for a bun to have a long, healthy life, I'm still going to recommend it to everyone. they can chose to have it done or not.

[darkangellilith]

I chose not to spay my rabbit as well under the advice of the Veterinarian. He told me that in his experience as a Doctor for almost 30 years, he has only seen two incidences of uterine cancer and that in his opinion there is a higher risk of death under anesthesia.

[gwenyvere4]

Everyone has a right to make whatever decision they feel is right for their own pet. I never had neutered rabbits before my current one because it was not a common procedure for them then.

However, I think that asking people not to voice their opinions is kind of ridiculous. If you don't want to hear peoples' thoughts, then the solution is not putting information on public forums - which, by their nature, invite people to give their opinions. Someone expressing that they disagree with your decision may seem "negative" to you, but that's part and parcel of group discussions. You can always go to your vet with questions if you don't want to hear what other people think.

[kaceyjane]

IAWTC

[voyevoda]

I will agree with this. Tones should stay mature and helpful, yes, but disagreeing on something and people defending their points passionately (while maintaining a respectful tone) is just something that comes with being on a public forum voicing opinions.

[cichgirl02]

This. I'm sorry if someone was rude to you, and that should be avoided at all times. But people have strong opinions on the subject, and if they are not rude in doing so, they should be free to state them, as this is a public forum.

I know I've seen comments that I thought were rude, and those that I didn't agree with. Both got my hackles up, but I really only think the rude ones should be prohibited.

[dream_in_flame]

great post!

Just because someone might not agree with your thoughts or actions doesn't mean they need to be rude in response. I got what IMO was a somewhat abrupt/rude comment once on here and was basically told not to get my panties in a wad. Nobody should have to defend themselves in a forum that's meant for help and advice.

[angelicvampyre]

Honesty I desex almost ever animal in my house hold, birds are the only exception to this rule. I know that if I pass away tomorrow none of my animals would be turned into backyard breeders, they are more likely to be rehomed and I don't have to worry about opps pregnancy. Honesty the Message to desex dogs and cats is out there so why should it be any different for rabbits? Also any good vet the risk of the op is low, my vet runs a rabbit clinic and she has not lost a rabbit yet in a standard op so saying that there is a large risk from the op I am not sure about. As for uterine cancer being increased when the rabbit is spayed I have never hear of that so can't comment on that. To be blunt I personally think anyone that does not desex their pets is being irresponsible