Older doe with probable uterine cancer

[savingdogs]

I have an older doe (6) who has failed to conceive. She seems to have a continual discharge from her vulva, light colored, not smelly, but constant and it creates a crusty area when it dries. She is eating and drinking well, weight is good and coat looks nice. I tried cleaning her really really well and cleaning everything in her cage, and trying to keep it all wiped clean, but eventually it becomes crusty and dirty looking again (the hair, her genitalia all appear normal).

Any ideas what would cause this? Or what I could do for her? This has been going on for approximately 3 months so I don't think it is an emergency.

 

[dewey]

Do you think there's any chance it could be VD? If VD it's treated with pen G. Could the discharge maybe be from the bladder or a bladder infection, creating something similar to hutch burn?...but there's no rawness or skin redness...I don't know...maybe a bladder or kidney infection?? Older does are very prone to issues from arthritis to cancer that can cause urine dribble or vent discharge. :/

 

[savingdogs]

It could be from the bladder, it is hard to tell just exactly what is going on down there because it gets all crusty. I soaked and cleaned it up twice, but I hate to keep giving a rabbit a bath, she hated it! If it seems like a good thing to do for her I'd be happy to.
It seems like it keeps getting all dry there, if it were urine I don't think it would be so dry. I don't think it is hutch burn because her feet are fine, although I suppose it could be something like that if urine is sitting there, but the tissue did not look too red underneath when I washed her up.

 

[dewey]

If you haven't already, can you hold her in your arm on her back and check the vent area with the other hand, like checking the vent before breeding...putting a little downward pressure on either side to see if there's gunk that needs swabbed out or see if there's anything obvious. She might not like getting the crusty outside stuff cleaned off, and if it causes pain to her I sure can't blame her, but bathing the area for now might help keep a secondary infection from setting in under the crust until you decide how to proceed. I'd take a squirt bottle or soaking wet rag, dampen the area then give it a few minutes to soak so maybe it'll wipe off easier...taking care that flies don't use it.

 

[M.R. Lops]

I read in a book that over 85% of unfixed female rabbits will get uterine cancer by a certain age (can't remember the exact age, though). Maybe it could be that, just a guess. If you know any local vet.s that work on rabbits, I would suggest taking your bunny to see a vet., but I know there aren't many rabbit vet.s out there. But, if there is one near you, that would be a good idea. Hope she gets better.

 

[dewey]

It's fairly common in does 3 years old and older.

 

[Ms. Research]

It's fairly common in does 3 years old and older.

Unfortunately that's so true. My "Rabbit" Vet stated that my boys really didn't need to be neutered. The only reason a male would be neutered is because they spray when they hit maturity. They mark their territory. And being inside rabbits, they wouldn't be as stinky if neutered. I don't intend to breed them so it is a good idea. But if they were females, it would definitely be necessary to spay due to cancer in the future. And at 3, getting too old for litters, this is when it does sometimes occur.

 

[savingdogs]

Well this was a retired show bunny I bought for my meat breeding program, we were hoping to have some offspring from her as she is so nice and had won a best of show, so she was not spayed for a reason, her offspring would have likely been better to contribute to the gene pool (she is a Creme D' Argent). I suppose uterine cancer would be an excellent reason why she did not conceive. When I first bought her I had trouble getting her to put weight on, I wonder if that was the beginning of it?

I don't believe the discharge is from her vents, but it does build up rather quickly. I gave her a bath and had her all clean and two days later it looked just as bad.

We have no local rabbit vets. Is this painful? Does anyone know? She does not appear to be in pain. She didn't enjoy her bath although I tried to be gentle (and I do know how to hold rabbits). I did palpate her tummy and felt no masses. How sad. 85%, huh?

There must already be a thread about uterine cancer in does, I'll have to search. Thanks everyone. I do bet that is what it is.

Actually, I don't see that there is one. I'm changing the name of this thread to reflect my new curiosity about uterine cancer.

 

[Ms. Research]

Well this was a retired show bunny I bought for my meat breeding program, we were hoping to have some offspring from her as she is so nice and had won a best of show, so she was not spayed for a reason, her offspring would have likely been better to contribute to the gene pool (she is a Creme D' Argent). I suppose uterine cancer would be an excellent reason why she did not conceive. When I first bought her I had trouble getting her to put weight on, I wonder if that was the beginning of it?

I don't believe the discharge is from her vents, but it does build up rather quickly. I gave her a bath and had her all clean and two days later it looked just as bad.

We have no local rabbit vets. Is this painful? Does anyone know? She does not appear to be in pain. She didn't enjoy her bath although I tried to be gentle (and I do know how to hold rabbits). I did palpate her tummy and felt no masses. How sad. 85%, huh?

There must already be a thread about uterine cancer in does, I'll have to search. Thanks everyone. I do bet that is what it is.

Actually, I don't see that there is one. I'm changing the name of this thread to reflect my new curiosity about uterine cancer.

I wish I knew more to help. I'm not sure the pain level of a rabbit. But I did read that if you hear they are grinding their teeth, that's a sign of pain. Also is she eating? They also stop eating when they are in pain. I'm fortunate to be near a "rabbit" vet, but hopefully someone will comment on this. They might not be able to diagnose it, but just a little insight helps. I know plans change, in ways like this, but we can only learn by it and hope for the outcome we planned. Unfortunately, like peanuts and the dwarf genes, uterine cancer is a Big issue in rabbits.

I hope for the best.

 

[savingdogs]

I suppose if she is carrying the uterine cancer gene and 85 percent of female unspayed rabbits eventually get it, it is a good thing I did not produce offspring from her. Cremes are a rare breed, I should breed for health and not because she was/is technically beautiful and the right "type". The right type should always be healthy, although when an animal develops a disease later in life it makes it hard to know if they carry this kind of thing.

This doe has never been a big eater, according to the prior owner. I noted she did not eat well right when I bought her. I added oats to her diet and she gained, so we tried breeding her after that. She always likes to leave a little food in her bowl so I've been keeping it filled for her to have free choice since she does not overeat like the others would. She has always been that way. However prior owner said her entire life she was like that, wanting to leave a little in her bowl. She said she thought she was like that because as a baby, the person who had her originally raised her on grass-only. I guess maybe they had a rabbit tractor? That wasn't who I bought her from, but she has always preferred fresh foods and I have made sure she had fresh greens instead of hay to tempt her appetite because that is what she likes.

Are there any other signs of pain in a rabbit? She has had this issue for awhile, I have reason to believe it could be in the later stages if it is indeed cancer, she has gone through four breedings without conceiving, and has had this discharge now for several months (at least two), possibly longer, as I was trimming her nails when I noticed it and the nails were a bit long.