Spaying Surgery for 3 year old female rabbit

Question
QUESTION: Hi Dana:  I have read your column and have found that you offer very precise and accurate info. pertaining to rabbits.  I own a female dutch rabbit 3 years old and have been told that I should have her spayed so that she does not develop uterine cancer.  She did have some blood in her urine, but it tested negative and the result was an infection near her tail area which was fixed with antibiotics.  I brought her to Tufts Vet. School for Small Animals/Exotics in N. Grafton, MA and met with Dr. Joerg Mayer.  He suggested that I schedule an ultrasound the day before surgery just to make sure she does not have any cancer present before surgery, and then for me to make the decision on whether to proceed.  Another issue is that my rabbit has maloccusion in which her teeth due not align properly and has to have her points filed with a dental bur every 3 months, so any surgery she has needs to be worked around this procedure.  What exactly can be found on an ultrasound on a female rabbit, can cancer be detected, and if so, I was told that Dr. Joerg Mayer has treated rabbits with cancer successfully and that he is one of the best rabbit vets in the country.  Please respond when you have a moment.  Thank you very much.

Rhonda Wozniak

ANSWER: Dear Rhonda,

I'm not familiar with Dr. Mayer, but I'm glad you have a good bunny vet.  However, none of the very experienced rabbit vets I know have ever suggested an ultrasound pre-spay.  An ultrasound would tell the vet whether there is an abnormal mass, but it might not pick up a small uterine hyperplasia (pre-cancer), which would strongly indicate the need for a spay.

Most of the experienced rabbit vets I know will simply palpate the uterus to determine whether there are any gross abnormalities, and if all is fine (with bloodwork and general wellness exam), they proceed to schedule the spay surgery.  I cannot see how an ultrasound would make this any safer, since if she *does* have cancer, she'll have to be spayed.  And if she does *not* have cancer, she will still have to be spayed.  One rule of thumb most of the best vets I know use is:  "If a procedure is not going to change the way you treat a problem, then don't do the procedure."

I don't disagree with Dr. Mayer that an ultrasound might better inform him of what to expect before surgery. But if my expert rabbit vets are correct (and I have no reason to think they're not, since they have collectively spayed thousands of rabbits without ultrasound in advance), then it's really not absolutely necessary unless the vet already suspects some possible complication because of something palpated on physical exam.

I would suggest that you use the list linked here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

to find another experienced rabbit vet in your area and get a second opinion.  At the age of three, your bunny's risk of uterine cancer is getting higher all the time.  So the sooner this is done, the better.  No surgery is 100% risk free, but the risk of uterine cancer in unspayed, unbred female rabbits is so great that all the experienced rabbit vets I know strongly recommend this procedure be done as soon as a rabbit is sexually mature.

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Dana:

Thanks for answering my question.  The reason for the ultrasound is so that we can check and see the reason why my rabbit previously had blood in her urine (which has since cleared up with antibiotics).  Dr. Mayer has a feeling that something more is going on inside so that is the reason for the ultrasound. We just want to be sure before we continue with the spay.  However, if she has something going on and he feels the spay will not make thing better, then I may not have her spayed.  I have heard both sides regarding spaying.  However, spaying is a a lot to put a 3 year old rabbit through so I am still a little hesitant about it.  She recovers slowly so that is another issue I need to think about.  Dr. Mayer has treated rabbits with cancer and has a relatively high success rate.

Thanks,

Rhonda Wozniak

Answer
Dear Rhonda,

It's your decision, of course.  But three years of age is not at all old for a rabbit.  And her risk of uterine cancer will rise as she ages.  If she is spayed, the risk will be zero.

I would have her spayed before she develops cancer, if she were my rabbit.  I have seen too many older bunnies with uterine cancer that could have been prevented.  

I know you'll make the right decision for your bunny. Some rabbits never get cancer, of course.  But having blood in the urine is worrisome.

I hope your bunny stays well and gives you many years of love and companionship.

Take care,
Dana