If you call around for prices- make sure to ask what is included! Because you often get what you pay for. Bloodwork, IV catheter, IV fluids, pain meds,etc can all add to the price of the surgery- some places include it in the surgery price because it is mandatory and some other clinics either do not offer it for bunnies or each additional thing is another charge.
I never want anyone to discourage anyone from getting the rabbit fixed- but most low cost spay/neuter is geared toward spaying and neutering to control pet overpopulation. That is there first and foremost goal- so they will do as many surgeries as cheaply and efficiently as possible to be able to offer low prices. They most likely use cheaper injectable and gas anesthesia products to keep their cost down.
AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) clinics and other uncertified clinics often have some of the same anesthetics used in people- and they are NOT cheap. But if you have an elderly or exotic pet, safer anesthesia protocols usually involve using the more expensive drugs. For geriatric pets- in our vet clinic we use an IV induction that wears off quickly (Propofol) so that we are able to intubate them and get them on gas anesthesia right away. Other meds actually can sedate the pet and and are not quickly flushed out of the system.
I just adopted a bunny from the Humane Society- and he was neutered thru them before going to pet store to their adoption cages. It cost me $30 to adopt him- already neutered. Did they do pre-anes bloodwork, use the latest and most expensive anesthesia, etc- I am betting not. But if they can neuter/spay x amount of rabbits this way- then it makes sense. I said to my husband “I could not pay $30 to neuter my bunny as I would be too afraid of the risks involved, but I am OK with adopting a neutered rabbit for $30.” Basically once I am attached to a pet- I could never knowingly take short cuts on anesthesia, no bloodwork, etc- but if the rabbit had it done before I adopted it or brought it home and it obviously fine- then great. I usually measure my pet care decisions with what I think I can sleep with at night- if I purposefully did or did not do something vet or otherwise and it caused harm or injury to my pet- it really tears me apart inside. I had 2 cats that eventually had to be euth due to cancer from a Rabies vaccine- and it tore me apart that I made the decision to vaccinate them, even though I thought I was doing what was best- it makes me cry even now to think that I had a tiny part in what eventually killed them.
So please do your research carefully about speuter prices and what is included and their procedure. $X for a spay or neuter buys SO MUCH MORE than what you can see.
Julie
.
