How to tell if a doe has been fixed by the vet?

[jimmywalt]

Is there a way to tell if a doe has been fixed by a vet and can't have babies?

We purchased an adorable holland lop doe at a farm auction. Unfortunately she didn't come with any information at all.

We bred her about a week ago and she acts nice and sweet still. I've read, and experienced myself, that most pregnant does are nasty.

I found this comment in another thread "A bred doe is nasty after breeding, and pretty much through the entire pregnancy. If a generally peaceable doe is shooting daggers at me, and throws a fit when I try to touch her, she's as good as bred."

So can I somehow look at her belly and see if she has scars from a vet fixing her? Or how can I know other than try every 30 days for a few months (which I really don't want to take the time to do).

 

[LPH_NY]

I can't offer much, but my satin does have both been just the same during pregnancy as they were before. That is to say, they were always personable. I do not think it is the standard that a bred doe is always nasty.

I've never looked at a spayed rabbit, but there would definitely have to be a scar. There is no way to spay a rabbit or cat or dog without putting them under and cutting open the abdomen. It would leave a scar. Maybe it would be a very small scar and hard to find, but if you can't find one, I doubt she'd be spayed. And having found her at a farm auction, why would she be? It is prohibitively expensive to get a rabbit spayed.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Our does have not "changed" after breeding either ... as far as i can tell... The nice ones are still nice... the not nice ones are still not nice... and the basket cases are Still basket case-ie...

Not really certain is one can tell is a rabbit has been spayed or not..... i just read on a FB group of a person that took their doe in for a spay... and when the surgery was started... the vet discovered the rabbit had Already been spayed.... ( poor critter to go thru that Twice ! )

 

[akane]

There is no predictable behavior after breeding. Some are less aggressive and often people will try breeding a grumpy or outright violent doe in the hope she calms down. Some do get more aggressive. Some do not change. I've had a few of each. Some rabbits you can't tell at all they are pregnant unless you are very good at palpating.

Current surgery doesn't really leave any mark on hair covered areas. Shaving might reveal a scar but no guarantee there so not much point trying it. That's why they have various methods like ear tipping on feral/stray cats to show an animal is altered. Odds are if she sold for cheap at an auction she's not spayed because most places you can sell an altered rabbit easily and often for $50+. Unless they just didn't care about eating the cost in order to get rid of her quickly it's doubtful an altered rabbit would end up at an auction with no info it was done. That's not to say there aren't a million and one reasons why a doe never produces a litter. Fat buildup, cancer, tumors, infection, mummified fetus.... the older the rabbit is the more likely such problems occur.

 

[Zass]

NO WAY. Bred does do not have to be nasty.

I never want to bring MORE nasty tempered animals or overly hormonal ones into this world, so I remove bad tempered animals from my breeding programs ASAP. Not biting the hand that feeds you is a survival trait, and I tend to believe that nicer pet animals have better chances at having a good life.

All of my current does are sugar sweet when pregnant and nursing, and they are good mothers too. A careful breeder can select for such things if they wish to.

So, if she came from very good pet lines, you may see no behavior changes at all.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Each doe is unique in temperament. I don't like does that get nasty, period, so mine all stay sweet before, during, and after pregnancy. Except for one, and as soon as her kits are weaned, she's being culled (primarily for that reason).

The problem with spaying is that it's become such a routine procedure, not all spays leave a scar. My dog's spay-spot didn't scar over...my cats either. I can't swear by rabbits, but the same might hold true; often, a spay requires one, MAYBE two stitches, so it's a very small incision to begin with.

The best way to tell if she's spayed or not is to breed her, which you said you already did. If she was spayed, I don't know if she'd accept a buck's advances. If he successfully mounted and fell off a few times, palpate to see if she's pregnant about 11 to 14 days later; if she palpates open (unbred), try breeding again. Three's the charm for me, after three failures I usually call it a bust.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The only time I have ever noted a behavior change in does after breeding is with my maidens. Some of them are downright insulted that I put them with a buck and let him "have his way" with them. :roll: I have had a couple that held grudges for days grumbling and generally giving me an earful every time they laid eyes on me. :lol: But once they forget, all is forgiven and they go back to their normal selves.

Like Kyle said, I doubt a spayed doe would lift for a buck at all. Mounting behavior is normal with rabbits when showing dominance, but if the buck was successful and fell off dramatically, I would say she isn't spayed. Whether it will result in a litter is another matter.

Or how can I know other than try every 30 days for a few months

Try palpating her as Kyle said. If you don't feel anything, go ahead and rebreed her at that point.

However, DO NOT assume that if she accepts the buck that he didn't get her the first time. A doe will willingly rebreed even if pregnant... but at least you will only be behind by two weeks if she didn't take the first time.

Text in italics below is from http://www.fao.org/docrep/t1690E/t1690e05.htm

In most mammals the progesterone secreted during gestation inhibits oestrus and the pregnant female refuses to mate, but a pregnant doe may accept mating throughout the gestation period. Indeed, in the second half of pregnancy this is the most common behaviour (Figure 10).

A breeder cannot therefore use the sexual behaviour of does as an indication of pregnancy. Mating occurring during gestation has no dire consequences for the embryos. Unlike the phenomenon observed in the female hare, superfoetation (two simultaneous pregnancies at two different stages of development) never occurs in rabbits.


I have actually tested this here at my barn on a couple of does and found that it is true- brought to the buck again halfway through pregnancy, they were very both very willing, but delivered their litters on schedule for the first mating.

 

[Schipperkesue]

I have had both grumpy and friendly pregnant does. I have had does that became grumpier when pregnant and does that became friendlier when pregnant. I don't think there is a hard and fast rule here.

However, spaying a rabbit can be a very costly procedure and if you got your rabbit at an auction I highly doubt she is spayed. Most people who put that kind of money into an animal and then sell it may be a little more particular about where it goes and getting their 'investment' back.

 

[dayna]

If my does were nasty after being bred they'd go to freezer camp.

So it's not an indication. I would say if the buck fell off then wait and see if she has kits. If not, try again.