At Petcare Veterinary Services, located in West Hartford, Dr. Lauren Mascola is the resident veterinarian. She attended the University of Connecticut for her undergraduate education and then Tufts University for her veterinary schooling. She has over ten years of experience, as well as her own two dogs, three cats, and a total of three pets. She is thrilled to respond to any questions you have!
Letter from Vet
Throughout the course of my career, I have had numerous conversations with pet owners about spaying and neutering their animals.
The following is some information regarding the sterilization of pets: To spay or neuter a pet is the same as sterilizing them. To be more specific, you can neuter your female pet by having her spayed, and you can neuter your male pet by castrating him.
There are two categories of reasons to spay or neuter your pets: medical and behavioral. If you neuter your female dog, she won’t run the risk of developing breast cancer and she won’t get pyometra, which is a severe bacterial infection in the uterus that requires immediate surgery to treat. These are two of the most important medical reasons to do so. Dogs that have been neutered do not develop testicular cancer, and their likelihood of developing prostatic disease is drastically reduced. These are the two primary health benefits of neutering male dogs.
Behavior is the subject of the second category of explanations. Neutered females have a reduced propensity to wander and will no longer experience the menstrual cycle every six months. Neutered males have a significantly reduced propensity to roam or pursue estrous females. They will be less likely to be aggressive and less likely to “hump” (a sexual behavior or a behavior showing dominance, which dogs always perform when you have company, especially company that dislikes dogs!). Both of these behaviors are exhibited by dogs when they are in the presence of other people. In conclusion, they will have a reduced propensity to mark their territory.
Another reason to spay or neuter pets is to help reduce the number of animals that end up in shelters. The majority of veterinarians have been forced to put down animals that were abandoned or were no longer wanted. It is a task that is emotionally painful for everyone involved, including, of course, the victims themselves, who are treated extremely unfairly in the process.
The following shocking statistics illustrate how quickly populations of pets can spiral out of control if proper measures are not taken. In the span of seven years, a single intact female cat and her offspring have the potential to give birth to up to 420,000 kittens. In the span of seven years, a single intact female dog and her offspring are capable of producing 67,000 puppies.
There is no statistical data that has demonstrated any behavioral changes (other than for the better! ), observed after the procedure, which is the response to the question that is asked by many people regarding whether or not neutering will change the personality of their pet. Even if you have your Labrador neutered, he will still have the same large size and goofy personality that he had before.
Have your pet neutered. It will result in a long life that is full of happiness and good health!
Susan got her first house rabbit five years ago, and not long after that, she became heavily involved in the rescue of other house rabbits. She has volunteered her time working with rabbits at both a local animal shelter and a local group dedicated to the rescue of rabbits. Since then, she has been a co-founder of the organization 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue Inc. Susan is the person to go to if you have any questions about rabbits.
The question is: “Dear Bunny Expert,”
I recently got a bunny, so I’ve been trying to educate myself as much as I can about them through research and reading. What are some of the signs that my rabbit might be sick?
Together with Rodney the bunny, Vanessa.
A: Greetings, both to you and Rodney the bunny,
If Rodney were able to communicate with you, he would tell you that this is an excellent question that is difficult to respond to. Because rabbits are prey animals, their bodies have evolved to conceal diseases. This is a trait that has been passed down from their wild ancestors, who faced the challenge of avoiding being eaten by other animals. Learn as much as you can about your rabbit and pay close attention to it. If your rabbit does not come running to his food when you call him, this is the clearest indication that something is wrong. The diet of a rabbit typically consists of nibbling on hay throughout the day and then consuming vegetables and pellets at suppertime or whenever their schedule for those foods is. In their normal state, they eagerly anticipate meals. You will need to take prompt action in the event that a rabbit is not moving, appears to be sick, or does not want to eat his favorite food. Occasionally, it might be something as insignificant as gas, which only requires treatment, or it might be the first sign of something more serious. You need to contact your rabbit’s veterinarian as soon as possible if you are a new rabbit owner who does not have a rabbit medicine kit or who is not familiar with how to treat a rabbit for gas.
It is helpful to check on your rabbit frequently. Pay close attention to how his eyes, poops, and other aspects of his body appear when they are functioning normally. After that, you will be able to determine whether or not something seems abnormal later. Regular checkups at the veterinarian are beneficial for your rabbit.
Eyes also tell a lot. Especially ones that are wet. This could be a symptom of a number of different conditions, including pink eye, molar spurs, blocked tear ducts, or even other issues. It is best to get a checkup at the vet so that any issues can be identified early on and hopefully resolved. If immediate action is not taken, the rabbit’s refusal to eat may quickly get worse, and the rabbit may even pass away if the condition is not treated.
Because it can be difficult to diagnose illnesses in rabbits, this is the best piece of guidance I can offer you. Learn your rabbit’s routines and become familiar with its appearance; if you notice anything out of the ordinary, contact your veterinarian for assistance.
Susan Curtiss, 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue, www.3bunnies.org
The Authority on Rabbits!
Susan got her first house rabbit five years ago, and not long after that, she became heavily involved in the rescue of other house rabbits. She has volunteered her time working with rabbits at both a local animal shelter and a local group dedicated to the rescue of rabbits. Since then, she has been a co-founder of the organization 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue Inc. Susan is the person to go to if you have any questions about rabbits.
The question is: “Dear Bunny Expert,”
Why does my rabbit run, jump, and even twist his body while he’s in the air? In addition to that, he will occasionally leap into the air and twist his body while he is there. Is there a problem here? What exactly does this entail?
Carl
A: Hello there, Carl,
There is no cause for concern regarding your rabbit. This is to be expected. In this part of bunnyland, we refer to those as binkies. These are the dances of joy! They do this whenever they are excited or happy, which contributes to their overall state of happiness and contentment. This is something that my rabbits frequently do as soon as I let them out of their cages to enjoy some exercise and playtime. During playtime, I’ve seen my bonded pairs behave in this way on occasion. One of my rabbits does this when he plays with my cat. All rabbits do this and it is great when they do because then you know they are happy.
Susan