Vets in Bicester and Aylesbury caring for your pets

Neutering your rabbit

Dog vaccinations Cat vaccinations Rabbit vaccinations Worming your dog Worming your cat Fleas and your dog Fleas and your cat Neutering your dog Neutering your cat Neutering your rabbit Dental care - dogs Dental care - cats Dental care - rabbits Fly strike in rabbits Microchipping

Pet care

Rabbits are social animals and are ideally kept in pairs or small groups. If male and female rabbits are to be kept together they should be neutered to prevent unwanted baby rabbits. Same sex pairs are prone to aggression and fighting unless neutered.

Female rabbits usually make better pets if neutered. Entire female rabbits are often grumpy, can be difficult to handle, and sometimes can even be aggressive to their owners. Neutering female rabbits prevents health problems in later life including womb infections (pyometra) and uterine tumours.

Male rabbits also make better pets once neutered. They are usually calmer, less aggressive, and less likely to spray urine.

Spaying

Rabbits become sexually mature around 4 months of age. We generally advise that rabbits are spayed when they are 6 months old because the surgery is riskier in younger rabbits.

The spaying operation involves a general anaesthetic and the surgical removal of both ovaries and the uterus through an incision made in the midline of the abdomen. Rabbits, unlike dogs and cats, should not be starved before the operation. Your rabbit should be brought to the vets with some food in her carrier.

Your rabbit will be able to return home the same day. She will have dissolvable sutures under her skin that will need checking after 7 - 10 days by one of our nurses. You will notice that some fur will have been shaved from underneath where the incision will have been made. We do not routinely use buster collars in rabbits as they find them very upsetting. It is very important that your rabbit eats as soon as possible after surgery.

Castration

Rabbits may be castrated soon after their testicles have descended - usually around 4 months of age. Castration involves removing both testes under general anaesthetic through two small incisions in the scrotal sacs. Rabbits, unlike dogs and cats, should not be starved before the operation. Your rabbit should be brought to the vets with some food in his carrier.

Your rabbit will be able to return home the same day. He will have dissolvable sutures under his skin that will need checking after 7 - 10 days by one of our nurses. You will notice that some fur will have been shaved from underneath around the surgery site. We do not routinely use buster collars in rabbits as they find them very upsetting. It is very important that your rabbit eats as soon as possible after surgery.