RSS
Home
Cancer is common in un-spayed and un-neutered rabbits. What are the signs and what can you do?
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
Uterine, ovarian, and mammary cancers in female rabbits and testicular cancer in males are common in rabbits that have not been spayed or neutered. A rabbit lives to approximately 8 to 12 years of age, but in an un-spayed female at 6 years old, the probability of uterine cancer is 50% and 85% for ovarian and mammary cancer according to the House Rabbit Society.
One of the first signs of uterine, ovarian, and testicular cancer is a small bloody discharge or blood in the urine. If your rabbits urine is red or pink in color (not orange or yellow), you should make an appointment with your vet to have their urine tested for blood.
Another sign of cancer could be if you feel a small lump under your bunny around the area of the testicles in the male, and the general location of the ovaries in the female. Rabbits do tend to get other "growths" under their skin that are not cancer, but at the rabbit rescue, we have had two females where cancer started as a small lump and spread upward and outward along the mammary glands.
These cancers can spread to the lungs as well causing labored breathing. However, if your bunny raises his or her head to breath and has labored breathing, it is not always a sign of lung cancer as rabbits are prone to upper respiratory problems if they have been in drafts or dusty areas. If your bunny does exhibit signs of labored breathing, have your veterinary run tests and/or take X-rays to diagnose the problem.
Unfortunately, chemotherapy treatments have been designed for dogs and cats but not for rabbits. The toxic drugs could cause more pain and suffering than the cancer itself. If your bunny has cancer, the best thing you can do for him/her is:
- Provide regular pain treatment such as metacam (it is sometimes also mixed with tramadol but check with your vet)
- Keep them well hydrated
- Supplement their food with strong B-Complex Vitamins and maybe even antibiotics as the cancer will weaken their immune system.
Don’t let your vet convince you that the best thing you can do is put your bunny down. With decent pain medicines, your bunny can still enjoy life to some extent. Your bunny will know when it is time to go, just be with him or her, love them, cuddle them, and give them everything they love to make their remaining time with you happy.
Of course, the best action is prevention. Spaying or neutering your rabbit could greatly reduce the risk of them ever having to deal with cancer.
For more info: Articles by Lianne McLeod, DVM at About.com and the National House Rabbit Society FAQ sheet and Red Urine Information sheet
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
