LA
Well-Known Member
I was on Facebook and the conversation about neutering came up. A lot of people are for it but this one lady was not and she has good reasons why:
As for neutering, I don't recommend it. I've had rats for 6 years now (all male rats, with the exception of 2 females), and haven't had any problems with them being aggressive toward people. Young male rats are rambunctious, which is normal for them. I had a pair of my male rats (Napoleon and Galileo) neutered once, and it was the biggest mistake I have ever made. Napoleon didn't react well to the anesthesia and had to stay at the vet's clinic overnight. Galileo was doing well, until that evening. I hauled him in to an emergency vet clinic later that night because Galileo's incision had split open and I couldn't get the bleeding to stop. They put him under general anesthesia again, closed the incision again, and sent him home with me (he was still out from the anesthesia). I was up all night with that poor little guy, and he died that next morning from massive internal bleeding. Apparently he had been bleeding into his abdomen... So getting my rats neutered killed one rat and almost killed the other.
I wrote back sending my condolences and I also said that I knew many people (you guys) that have had many neuters. I did talked briefly about Shelagh problem getting two boys neutered by someone not her own vet. I told her that I felt that her vet (not to put him down) was maybe not as knowledgable in neuters as he thought he was. I told her that he may SAY he know exotics but it doesn't mean he is good at surgery or neuters for that fact. It's terrible what she went though. Her poor boys.
As for neutering, I don't recommend it. I've had rats for 6 years now (all male rats, with the exception of 2 females), and haven't had any problems with them being aggressive toward people. Young male rats are rambunctious, which is normal for them. I had a pair of my male rats (Napoleon and Galileo) neutered once, and it was the biggest mistake I have ever made. Napoleon didn't react well to the anesthesia and had to stay at the vet's clinic overnight. Galileo was doing well, until that evening. I hauled him in to an emergency vet clinic later that night because Galileo's incision had split open and I couldn't get the bleeding to stop. They put him under general anesthesia again, closed the incision again, and sent him home with me (he was still out from the anesthesia). I was up all night with that poor little guy, and he died that next morning from massive internal bleeding. Apparently he had been bleeding into his abdomen... So getting my rats neutered killed one rat and almost killed the other.
I wrote back sending my condolences and I also said that I knew many people (you guys) that have had many neuters. I did talked briefly about Shelagh problem getting two boys neutered by someone not her own vet. I told her that I felt that her vet (not to put him down) was maybe not as knowledgable in neuters as he thought he was. I told her that he may SAY he know exotics but it doesn't mean he is good at surgery or neuters for that fact. It's terrible what she went though. Her poor boys.