Uterine Cancer in Rabbits

http://buckysbunnies.tripod.com/UC.html

The above link has an interesting article on Uterine Cancer in rabbits and has the actual study where hrs people states that 80% of rabbits will get uterine cancer.

Hum
read it, thought that uterine cancer was a greater occurrence due to not breeding
guess it isn't, and it's a huge reason for decreased fertility,
so other than understand a mechanism on rabbit infertility, but those got to freezer camp, now I'm less likely to try to get a older rabbit into production.

I really really don't like the confrontational attitude of the author of the report with regard to rescues. "Quoting" the word rescue is not needed (in my op) and detracts from her points, for me anyhow.
I honestly think pet people who want the longest lived healthiest rabbit possible (one hopes) are better off spaying and neutering their pets. I do understand her point about it being expensive. Rescues universally work to collaberate with vets - they don't set vet pricing. verts set the pricing based on business models and what things cost them as well as what the market will bear. To suggest a rescue could get a vet to drop the price is fairly simplistic.

Actually, this is really interesting, because it is a case of two totally different groups wanting something totally different from their rabbits, and therfore ignoring each other, at best.

Meat breeders like me don't expect to keep a rabbit long enough for it to die of old age related diseases, but we can forget what a resource the pet community is for disease research and treatment.

Like Jack, I ignored uterine cancer--I need the rabbits to breed, and I don't expect to have them into old age. And like Jack, I hadn't considered what that means about waning fertility of older does.

I understand Brody's irritation with the author's characterization, I don't think flinging accusations aback and forth is useful, where as the sharing of information is. We, the meat breeders, know a lot about optimum nutrition, the pet people know a lot about disease prevention and treatment. Together we would make healthier rabbits.

But then some of us would want to eat them. And the brouha-ha would begin anew...sigh.

you are so so right - yet another place a little common sense from BOTH positions could go a long long way

Imagine how cool it would be if there was a link BETWEEN nutrition and uterine cancer, say, and there was a way to prevent it and have your does produce well into later years! And imagine if we each had half of the equation....

eco2pia":3pdt975d said:

Imagine how cool it would be if there was a link BETWEEN nutrition and uterine cancer, say, and there was a way to prevent it and have your does produce well into later years! And imagine if we each had half of the equation....

Click to expand...

Human studies show links between all kinds of cancer and nutrition-- why not just carry it over into other species? If Irecall correctly, human uterine cancer and High fat diets pretty much go hand in hand. Also, stress is a huge factor in cancers--and just how stressfull is a pregnancy?

First I really didn't consider that too confrontational, second I think there are a lot of meat breeders who are a wealth of info on all aspects of rabbit raising! Just this forum alone there is a wealth of info on health. This article addressed the issue of "skewing" studies to fit the needs and agendas of various groups. I think the article brought to attention other cites on cancer in the rabbit world and how different studies used different numbers of rabbits and also different age groups to come up with their final numbers.In the end it did not dis the fact that rabbits like everything else get cancer but that the actual percentage is a gray area and not a baldly stated 80% or whatever is being given. If certain groups want certain info out there then they should expect to come under scrutiny if there is alternate info out there as well. Breeders have every right to write articles and publish their own info just as much as the House rabbit Society does.

WELL SAID

but she provided no evidence of anybody with any kind of reputation saying uterine cancer is in 80% of rabbits either ...
I found examples as soon as I hit google - so at least I now know why she (a breeder I presume)is so worked up ... however the facts seem to support the 80% if the rabbit lives long enough
a couple of links of interest
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resource ... terine.htm - she covers similar info but with much less judgement (and yes I re-read the first link - I still think the author was unnecessarily confrontational)
this one reads enough like the original link I had to double check that I wasn't reposting - however this positioning is much less judgemental (in my opinion) and probably the original author http://www.rabbited.0catch.com/UC.html

I personally don't have much of an opinion as to how... um she said it, she backed up what she said and wrote it in a professional manner
I actually like the 'truth on pine shavings' paper she put up, and that she linked the scholarly research articles....
I read the House one, and well, it was, well, lacking, and as someone with a medical background, I understand where those papers were coming from, so

As long as your rabbit isn't on a heavy medication processed by their liver
Or you are not researching a medication that my effect or be processed by the liver
you are fine.

I compare that to the House article written by someguy about 5 rabbits and how they had shaving....

The article is an opinion piece and from a communications point of view the article was very well written. There is nothing confrontational about the article at all. There is only how the individual reader interprets it. I particularly like how the author cites their sources to the original studies, it means they did real research and did not just website surf like too many people do these days. It is quite clear that the author is not against spaying or neutering, they're just against the scare tactics rescue groups use to get people to spay and neuter their pets. One of the main points of the article is the fact none of the groups claiming that 80% of female rabbits will get uterine cancer can provide proof that they actually do. Not even veterinarians can prove it. The original study that most of these rescue groups use as their main source simply proved that a female rabbits risk of uterine cancer increases with age, not that 80% of female rabbits will get uterine cancer which almost every rabbit rescue group out there claims.

all I'm saying, and I'll stand by it, is her attitude towards rescues is needlessly confrontational.. in an ideal situation surely everybody with a vested interest in animals works together for the betterment of that species?

" The veterinarian community not working for "rescue" groups is
also mute on the subject, some cite book references but do not
share their experiences with us. Those who benefit from a relationship
with rabbit "rescue" just regurgitate what "rescue" tells them to"
I think the key factor - as I've mentioned is that if one wants a long lived rabbit spaying her makes sense - the older the rabbit is the higher the incidence of uterine ccancer (as demonstrated by all the studies I have found on this subject) I don't think Green (the oft quoted study) was rescue oriented and supect that people who use the number have probably only read bits of his study. I haven't looked for the full copy on line myself to be honest. The use of ", " is demeaning and confrontational .. I don't think that's simply a matter of opinion. Breeders, women, ethnic groups name your category "nobody" needs the "" if legitimate. The author may be young and not realize how offensive the quotes are and that's fine. My point was really that the information was good and interesting but the tone was a shame as it took away from the good information in the article.

And your average pet home and your average should be spayed and nuetered if at all possible - for health, for longevity and to reduce behavioural concerns. In my opinion only but my opinion is based on a whole lot of years of experience.

Ok, chill
I read it, it expounded on a point that I had some difficulty believing, and provided research to point out that cancer is a major factor in declining fertility....
Hmmm, that in useful information, that she has issues with well intentioned rescues putting out bad info, I understand that, at no point did she out and out attack rescuing rabbits,

So why the butt hurt?

I really don't like being told to chill ... nor was I trying for a "butt hurt" whatever that is .. jus' sayin'.. I'm not unchilled not am I worked up about this - just trying to be clear .. I appreciate the link I found it interesting and thought provoking

I was just pointing out a flaw in the article that could get in the way of people getting the most from the information ... and contemplating the old adage "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar"

:respect:

Please! Think how your words will seem to the other person before you hit submit. There are valid points being made here that I think are being lost because of how they are expressed.