Tumor on breeding buck

lopeared · Aug 19, 2011

My breeding buck seems to have a testicular tumor that looks like the one in this picture http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.or ... mour01.htm.

It says the only cure, if it hasn't spread, is castration. This is not a pet so he will be culled. What I need to know is if the meat will be safe for human consumption or if he should become dog food or compost.

The buck in question is 2 yrs old. He still looks healthy and eats/drinks/poos and pees normally. He's not as active as normal though, acting depressed. I normally can not pick him up easily. Today I picked him up by his scruff and he just laid there, totally unheard of with this bunny. Suggestions?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the enlarged teste is about 3 or 4 inches long and very firm.

ladysown · Aug 19, 2011

eating for yourself?

I'd be inclined to open him up and look him over really well. If the cancer is confined to the teste I'd toss it into the garbage. But if there are any growths anywhere else i'd toss the whole thing. (into the garbage and not into wild animal bellies). Feeding cancer just seems like something to frown on (at least to me).

lopeared · Aug 19, 2011

I will check him over very well. I just wondered if he would be safe to eat if it HAD NOT spread. If it has he will will be disposed of in the county landfill to compost.

eco2pia · Aug 19, 2011

While this is true for an "EWW!" factor, technically cancer is not contagious in that way. However I am not smart enough to say for sure that it IS cancer, so in case it is some new funky infection/parasite, I would follow ladysown's advice and not eat him if he seems to have more than the one growth.

ladysown · Aug 19, 2011

just cook the meat really well.

akane · Aug 20, 2011

If it does turn out to be an isolated tumor and not an infection of some kind then technically it should be safe to eat. I'd just mark him as one of the dog food rabbits though and thoroughly freeze the meat before feeding.