Introduction to rabbit spaying - RAW23
This week is Rabbit Awareness Week, running from the 26thuntil the 30th of June. We will be using this opportunity to talk all things rabbits, focusing on the theme for this year which is neutering, protect and prevent.
The main topic for today is spaying, and we caught up with Katy Mackenzie, who is the veterinary surgeon at our NAWT Watford centre. Katy wants to raise awareness of the benefits of spaying your female rabbit, so has taken the time to answer your commonly asked questions.
What is spaying and what does it involve?
Spaying is the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus and is done via a small incision in the doe’s abdomen (tummy). Fur around the wound must be clipped off, so there will be a bald patch on the tummy. The skin stitches are normally done so that they are hidden inside the wound and dissolve (meaning there is nothing for the bunny to nibble on and no fiddly stitches to remove). The operation is done under general anaesthetic.
What health benefits does this have?
It removes the possibility of unwanted pregnancies and the possible risks associated with pregnancy and birth and prevents the possibility of reproductive cancers, particularly uterine adenocarcinomas.
Some other positive reasons to have your rabbit spayed include:
- Makes bonding easier.
- Can have a companion rabbit.
- Improves litter training.
- Reduces or eliminates unwanted behaviours.
- Lessens or eliminates false pregnancies.
Do you have an unanswered question about neutering? Make sure to get in touch via our contact page.
Keep an eye on our social pages over the next week, where we will be talking about castration, post-operation care, and then on Friday it is rescue day!