27 November 2020

Benefits and risks of neutering pets – what is the evidence – Rabbits and other small animals

spotlight topic: Benefits and risks of neutering pets – what is the evidence? Rabbits and other small animals Published 27 November 2020 | Updated 23 September 2022

Frerichs, K., Lennox, A.M. and Bocchine, A. (2022) Comparison of post-surgical complication rates and potential confounding factors in two common approaches for elective altering in female rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, 43, pp. 11-15 https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jepm.2022.07.001
Jenkins, J.R. (2000) Surgical sterilization in small mammals: spay and castration. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice, 3 (3), pp. 617-628 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1094-9194(17)30065-8
Richardson, C. and Flecknell, P. (2006) Routine neutering of rabbits and rodents. In Practice, 28 (2), pp. 70-79 https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/inpract.28.2.70
Perpiñán, D. (2019) Rabbit neutering. Companion Animal, 24 (4), pp. 217-225 https://doi.org/10.12968/coan.2019.24.4.217
Harcourt-Brown, F.M. (2017) Disorders of the reproductive tract of rabbits. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice, 20 (2), pp. 555-587 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvex.2016.11.010
Bradbury, A.G. and Dickens, G.J.E. (2016) Should we advocate neutering for all pet rabbits? Veterinary Record, 179 (25), pp. 654-655 https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.i6680
Foote, A.R. (2018) A review of current literature regarding the factors affecting recovery rates after routine surgery in rabbits–part 1. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 33 (10), pp. 287-290 https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2018.1499452
Foote, A.R. (2018) A review of current literature regarding the factors affecting recovery rates after routine surgery in rabbits–part 2. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 33 (11), pp.309-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2018.1507691
Farrell, S. (2020) Seasonality and risk factors for myxomatosis in pet rabbits in Great Britain. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 176, 104924 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.104924 This paper was also the subject of a review in InFOCUS which is available at: https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/seasonality-and-risk-factors-for-myxomatosis-in-pet-rabbits-in-great-britain/ The paper showed that female intact rabbits were twice as likely to be a case and that neutered rabbits were at lower risk.
Jekl, V. and Hauptman, K. (2017) Reproductive medicine in ferrets. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice, 20 (2), pp. 629-663 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvex.2016.11.016
Van Zeeland, Y.R.A. (2014) Use of a GnRH agonist implant as alternative for surgical neutering in pet ferrets. Veterinary Record, 75 (3) p. 66 https://dx.doi.org/10.1136/vr.102389