To Spay/Neuter or not?

[dragonmaster]

I was just wondering how many of you spay/neuter your rats, and do you personally reccommend it?

The research I've done seems to come up split on wether or not it's a good idea. Some claim that it reduces the chances of cancer in females, but has no real effect on males except to possibly cut down on odor. Some claim that it is far to perilous for the rat to be attempted except at the direst of need.

Almost all of the rats in shelters, particularly the SPCA, say that they will be spayed or neutered before being adopted out. I realize that this is the standard policy for shelters with larger animals, but did not realize it was so standard in rodents. I figured that if the SPCA does it that regularly, maybe it's really a good idea.

I was just wondering what all you rat afficianados thought about it.

[CrazyHorse]

they do that?

[Padfoot]

Biggest fear about that is the anesthesia. Being such small animals, the slighest mistake on the anesthesia administration and monitoring can result in the death of the rodent. I'll take lab animals class next semester, and what I was told by some of the students that had already taken that class is that half the animals die in the anesthesia, even with the recomended doses. Of course, the anesthetic used in class is not the safest (being an injectable one, instead of a inhalable one), but still, it's a high risk.

[pinkie1205]

Also the vet has to be qualified. Neutering is less invasive, but it has to be done right. It's not like neutering a dog. Spaying is invasive but it reduces the risk of neutering.

A lot of people neuter so they can house males with females and vise versa.

[Skratikans]

also, when they do use anesthesia, isoflourine is the best choice, since there are the least complications with it, that's what my vet uses when I have my male mice neutered, it truly reduces the smell by 95% and they are nicer and can be housed together easier. With anesthesia, there is always a chance of death- no matter how good the vet is.

[ratty_ratkins]

i had a male rat nueterd because i became alergic to rats, and his cagemate passed away, and so did my mothers. she has a girl, so i got him nueterd so he can live with her. however we are wishing we got the female spayed because soon after that a huge tumor started growing on her breast.
oh yeah, also with the nueter... he got an abcess that was very nasty and required warm compresses and two rounds of anti biotics

[Skratikans]

what happened to the female? where you able to get her tumor removed?

[Vanilla_Rat]

I never had any of my rats neutered or spayed and wouldn't unless I HAD to, because of the risks.

[GeishaGirl]

Yeah, nither have I because of the risks... but I did hear fixing them can extend their lives a bit. Not a lot thou...