Sunday, December 27, 2009

Why spay and neuter rabbits?

  • Altered
    rabbits are healthier and live longer than unaltered rabbits.

    The risk of reproductive cancers (ovarian, uterine, mammarian) for
    an unspayed female rabbit stands at is virtually eliminated by
    spaying your female rabbit. Your neutered male rabbit will live
    longer as well, given that he won't be tempted to fight with other
    animals (rabbits, cats, etc.) due to his sexual aggression.

  • Altered
    rabbits make better companions.
    They are calmer, more loving,
    and dependable once the undeniable urge to mate has been removed. In
    addition, rabbits are less prone to destructive (chewing, digging)
    and aggressive (biting, lunging, circling, growling) behavior after
    surgery.

  • Avoidance
    of obnoxious behavior.
    Unneutered male rabbits spray, and both
    males and females are much easier to litter train, and much more
    reliably trained, after they have been altered.

  • Altered
    rabbits won't contribute to the problem of overpopulation of
    rabbits.
    Over 15 million adorable dogs, cats, and rabbits are
    killed in animal shelters in this country every year. In addition,
    unwanted rabbits are often abandoned in fields, parks, or on city
    streets to fend for themselves, where they suffer from starvation,
    sickness, and are easy prey to other animals or traffic accidents.
    Those rabbits who are sold to pet stores don't necessarily fare any
    better, as pet stores sell pets to anyone with the money to
    buy, and don't check on what kind of home they will go to. Many of
    these rabbits will be sold as snake food, or as a pet for a small
    child who will soon "outgrow" the rabbit.

  • Altered
    rabbits can safely have a friend to play with.
    Rabbits are
    social animals and enjoy the company of other rabbits. But unless
    your rabbit is altered, he or she cannot have a friend, either of
    the opposite sex, or the same sex, due to sexual and aggressive
    behaviors triggered by hormones.

  • Spaying
    and neutering for rabbits has become a safe procedure when
    performed by experienced rabbit veterinarians
    .
    The House
    Rabbit Society has had over 1000 rabbits spayed or neutered with
    approximately .1% mortality due to anesthesia. A knowledgeable
    rabbit veterinarian can spay or neuter your rabbit with very little
    risk to a healthy rabbit. Don't allow a veterinarian with little or
    no experience with rabbits to spay or neuter your rabbit.

[sorry, can't find attribution! whoever originally wrote this, thank you!]

Posted via email from rabbitmatch's posterous

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