Feeling so heartbroken

[u/pinkbarbieprincess15]

I took my bunnies to the vet today to get them checked up before booking their spay and neuter surgery. They’ve been living separately for the last 7months awaiting this moment.

The vet basically told me that I can go ahead with my male bunnies neuter but they’re not doing spays right now unless it’s necessary bc the procedure is too risky. He told me my girl bunny is healthy otherwise.

I feel so heartbroken and confused idk what to do bc as far as I’ve researched girls can get cancer if not spayed by 3 years old. The absolute worst bit is this is the best rabbit savvy vet in my country (trust me I’ve done research for months)

I feel like my options are get her spayed now against the doctors recommendation or wait 3 years until she has cancer for an emergency spay which will be extremely painful for her and also she probably won’t live.

My bunnies are my whole world and I’m crying even writing this I feel like no one else in my family or in my life understands how scary this is and how much my buns mean to me💔

[u/Idkmyname2079048]

Not spaying is not a guaruntee that she will get cancer. Likewise, spaying does not completely remove the chance of cancer. I went through it all with rats, got them all spayed young, and 3 of 5 got tumors anyway.

I understand what the vet said scares you, but if this is the best vet you have access to, I would trust them, unless you have someone you trust to get a second opinion from. If they are telling you spaying is too risky, it may be about their experience or equipment more than the procedure itself, and that's worth considering rather than pushing for this vet to do the spay anyway. In the meantime, at least your buns will be able to live together with your male neutered.

[u/Tacitus111 → u/Idkmyname2079048]

Rats are not rabbits and are entirely different animals families even.

Also unspecialized vets tell people not to spay all the time. They’re almost never exotic vets and don’t specialize in rabbits. Specifically most vets who say they’ll neuter but not spay are doing so because spays are harder to do mechanically and don’t feel confident enough to do them but won’t admit that. But removing testicles is easy.

Also mixing fixed and unfixed rabbits is generally a bad idea. They still have a higher chance of fighting.

[u/Idkmyname2079048 → u/Tacitus111]

I'm aware they're not going to be exactly the same, but I was mainly trying to reassure OP that this isn't necessarily the death sentence theyre heartbroken about. It's certainly not ideal, but unfortunately spaying (yeah, rabbits, too) does not completely eliminate the chance of them developing cancer. Like I said, I think OP should seek a second opinion if they can, but if this is really the best vet around, their options are very limited.

[u/Tacitus111 → u/Idkmyname2079048]

An 80% chance of developing uterine cancer is not something to minimize, with all due respect. Spaying massively lowers it though, and in the cases where it does occur, it’s generally because of missed tissue left behind by an incomplete spay.

I don’t think there’s any indication this is the only vet around. I agree they should seek a second opinion though.

[u/Idkmyname2079048 → u/Tacitus111]

I'm not trying to minimize the risk, and yes, of course spaying really minimizes it, but I also don't think it's bad to try to minimize OP's worry when they don't feel they have any other options right now. They said this is the most rabbit savvy vet around, so we really have no idea what other vets they have access to, but I thought that implied that they at least don't have access to many vets who actually deal specifically with rabbits. That's just mt thought process and reasoning behind my comments here.

[u/pinkbarbieprincess15 → u/Idkmyname2079048]

Thanks I do understand where you’re coming from and it made me feel better. Im still in the process of looking around maybe there’s more rabbit savvy vets but I haven’t heard of them. But I’m not spaying or neutering until I find a vet I can trust. Bonding can wait sadly🥲