October 2026
When families ask whether their rabbit really needs to be spayed or neutered, they're often thinking about litters, litter boxes or spraying. Those matter, but for female rabbits the biggest reason is something you can't see: spaying is one of the best ways to protect against serious reproductive disease, including cancer, later in life.
Unspayed female rabbits (does) face a high risk of uterine disease as they age. The most serious is uterine adenocarcinoma, a cancer of the uterus that is well recognized as common in older intact does. Others include uterine infection, abnormal thickening of the uterine lining and benign uterine tumors. What looks like blood in the urine may actually be coming from the uterus.
These conditions often develop quietly. By the time a rabbit shows signs, the disease may be advanced, and uterine cancer can spread to organs such as the lungs. Reproductive disease can also be a source of ongoing, hidden discomfort. Spaying removes the uterus and ovaries, and with them the risk of uterine cancer and many other reproductive problems.
Female rabbits can also develop mammary gland problems, including cysts and tumors, often linked to hormonal changes in the uterus. Some mammary tumors in rabbits are malignant. Spaying removes the hormonal influences behind many of these changes.
Watch for lumps or swelling along the belly near the nipples, enlarged, firm or discolored nipples, or clear or bloody discharge from a nipple. If your doe already has a mammary lump, I may recommend removing it, spaying her at the same time, and checking her chest with imaging to look for spread.
Neutering males (bucks) usually means less spraying, mounting, territorial aggression and hormone-driven chewing. Neutered rabbits are generally easier to litter train and bond more easily with a companion. Neutering also removes the risk of testicular tumors and infection.
Rabbits are social animals and are usually happiest with a bonded partner. Spaying and neutering makes that companionship possible without surprise litters.
The best timing depends on your rabbit's sex, breed, size and health, so I'll recommend an age for your individual rabbit. Older rabbits can still benefit, but they should have a thorough exam and pre-surgical testing first.
A rabbit-experienced team will examine your rabbit and talk through pre-surgical bloodwork. Rabbits are not fasted the way dogs and cats are, because their gut needs to keep moving. Your rabbit should be kept away from the sights, sounds and smells of predators, which reduces stress, and should receive careful anesthetic monitoring, active warming and pain relief before, during and after surgery, using more than one type of pain medication.
Pain control matters medically. In rabbits, pain and stress slow the gut and reduce appetite, which can lead to GI stasis after surgery. The goal is a rabbit who is nibbling hay soon after waking up.
Many rabbits go home the same day. At home, offer hay and greens right away, keep your rabbit in a clean, quiet space with soft, non-slip flooring, and watch appetite and droppings closely.
All rabbits, spayed or not, can develop sore hocks: pressure sores on the heels. They're strongly linked to hard flooring and extra weight. Soft mats covered with fleece, plenty of room to move and a healthy weight go a long way toward prevention.
Call the same day if your rabbit stops eating or produces fewer droppings, especially after surgery, seems painful or hunched, or is grinding their teeth.
Book a prompt visit for blood in the urine or bloody discharge in an unspayed doe, a lump on the belly or near a nipple, or redness, swelling or discharge at an incision.
Dr. Logan Kopp, DVM, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice), is Nashville's rabbit specialist and the only Gold-level rabbit-friendly veterinarian certified by the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund in North America. To schedule a spay or neuter consultation at Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital, call (615) 361-4646.
This article is general information, not medical advice for your pet. Reading it doesn't create a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). Please talk with your own veterinarian before making changes to your pet's care.