| There are many good reasons to spay
or neuter your rabbit, not the least of which are medical, though they may not be as
obvious as the behavioral and population control benefits.
Female rabbits seem to have a high risk of developing
uterine cancer. One study found 75 percent of a population of female New Zealand White
rabbits had uterine cancer by the age of six years. Uterine cancer has been diagnosed in
rabbits as young as 18 months of age, and vets have seen a very high occurrence of the
cancer in rabbits over the age of three years.
Male rabbits are at risk of developing
testicular cancer in their later years, although the risk is not as great as that of
uterine cancer in females. Several diseases involve the male reproductive tract and others
are transmitted by sexual intercourse.
Knowing the benefits of having your
pet spayed or neutered should be balanced with the risks or complications of the surgery.
Rabbit anatomy and physiology are different than in other pet animals, making the
surgeries, in some ways, more difficult.
(Excerpted from VetTalk, read the rest of this story.)
Editor's note: Because
rabbit surgeries are different from other animals, it is highly
recommended that you see a vet who is very rabbit experienced and
whose practice sees rabbits on a regular basis - at least 50 per
year. See our list of local
rabbit-experienced veterinarians if you do not already have
access to one.
SAN DIEGO HRS
SPAY/NEUTER REBATE PROGRAM
The first of its kind, a new “rabbit
only” Spay/Neuter Rebate program from San Diego HRS is now in place!
Rabbit caretakers who get their rabbits spayed or neutered can mail
a copy of their receipt to San Diego HRS and get a refund for a
portion of the surgery cost.
Rebates are $25 for a neuter (male
rabbits) and $40 for spay (females).
To get your rebate, mail a copy of your
rabbit's surgery receipt to:
San Diego
HRS Spay/Neuter Fund
P.O. Box 261553
San Diego, CA 92196-1553
Rebate checks are mailed out
approximately every three weeks.
To find a rabbit-savvy veterinarian in San Diego County,
visit our list of Rabbit-Experienced Veterinarians.
If you are not located in San Diego County, visit the HRS
national website for a national
list of recommended veterinarians.
Updated
03/03/09 |
