Desexing rabbits advice

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This topic has 2sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 11 months ago by DanaNM.

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- 04/01/2021 at 3:09 AM
  lkate
  Participant
  3 posts
  I have a three year old mini lop male. I love him more than anything.
  
  I live in a relatively rural area of Australia where the local vets don’t deal with a lot of small animals/rabbits very often. My previous vet said not to worry about desexing my bunny since there is a decent risk of side effects from the anaesthetic or infection. However, I’ve started seeing a vet who is used to small animals and she recommends getting my bun desexed as she said it will considerably extend his lifespan. He is an exceptionally healthy, happy and friendly bunny who is very fit.
  
  Does anyone have any experience/advice with desexing their bunnies who are a bit older? Would it change his personality much after being desexed? Is it true that desexing a male extends their lifespan (I’ve heard this about females but not males before)? Obviously I only want the very best for him but I’d never forgive myself if something happened to him during surgery/recovery.
- 04/01/2021 at 3:34 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17029 posts
  It’s normally not a problem to desex an older male bun. Shelters and rescues do this all the time.
  
  In some places, the problem might be to find a vet who has the proper equipment and anaestethic agent to anesthesise rabbits safely. That said, it’s a very simple and quick procedure and the rabbit is only under for some minutes.
  
  Male rabbits are primarily castrated for behavoral reasons, or because they are to live with another rabbit. The health advantages are few (its very different for female buns), but in later years, testicular cancer has become more common in rabbits. This is likely due to better overall care and vet care, which allows rabbits to live longer lives. Testicular cancer is typically only seen in old rabbits.
- 04/01/2021 at 7:49 AM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  Yeah, I agree with Bam. 3 is definitely not too old to neuter, but the main reasons for neutering males are behavioral, or for bonding purposes.
  
  If you are seeing lots of hormonal behaviors from him (marking, honking, circling, nipping), then those would calm down with neutering, but you shouldn’t see any other huge behavioral changes.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
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