Question about Neutering

[Dahlas]

I'm having my three boys neutered in a few weeks.
I decided to call my local vet, who knows NOTHING about rats, and ask them if they had ever done a rat neuter, how thy would do it and how much.......Well the price wasn't bad...$90 but it all went down hill from there. They had never done a neuter wasn't sure if you did it the same as a rabbit :shock: Started talking about he thought you had to use c-rings to tie it off....but not sure. :? Said he could give it a try :shock: Let me tell you it did not instill confidence in me at all.
So we are staying with our original plan..and the other vet in the city who knows what he is doing..
I was just hoping to get them done earlier....their appointment isn't until they are 11 weeks old...I couldn't get anything sooner....
So my question is....since my vet didn't know how to neuter a rat....How do you neuter a rat...anyone know the actual procedure?
I have heard people on here talk about two different types....anyone know what they are and how they do them?

 

[jorats]

I really have no idea about the procedure itself.
I never asked my vet how she does it.
But I think you are smart, staying with a more knowledgeable vet.

 

[Dahlas]

Jo if you get talking with her again could you ask her?......I would be very curious to know if it is done similar to rabbits.....Or just what is involved in doing it.....Do they cut of the scrotum or do they just open it and remove the testicles and leave the scrotum?.....just curious

 

[jorats]

Oooh! Look what I found! complete with pictures.

http://ratguide.com/health/figures/neuter_figure_1.php

 

[jorats]

Here's something of interest from that same site:

It is reported that there are several vets who prefer to do abdominal neuters. These two scrotal neuters were quick and easy and in total both were done and completed in 1 hour; each surgery taking a maximum of 20 minutes from primary incision to final suturing.

Abdominal neutering is usually carried out when one or both testes are retained (undescended), but it can carry a higher risk due to being longer and much more complex, and will also require post operative analgesia.

Recovery time is quicker with a simple scrotal neutering, than with any abdominal surgery, and I would recommend this method for neutering bucks. We have neutered many bucks that have come through our Rodent Rescue and have had no complications, and a 100% success rate.

I don't know why Debbie D recommends abdominal neuters.

 

[Dahlas]

Thank you....your the best... ..that was one thing my vet was talking about......abdominal neuters.......scared the crap out of me....cause he didn't sound like he had a clue :lol:

 

[Dahlas]

Jo that looked very straightforward....I have seen many dog and cat neuters and that didn't look any different.......I'm going to email that to my vet....but will still go to the other vet......

 

[jorats]

That's a good idea to email to your vet, give him a better idea about it.
So is that like a rabbit neuter?

 

[Dahlas]

No not at all.......not according to my vet....

 

[Godmother]

My vet seems to have done an abdominal neuter on Bill. It worked very well. The cost was reasonable, too: about $75.

In general it seems as if there are more complications with neuters than with spays, even though you would expect the opposite.

Debbie Ducommun claims that there is more likely to be pain with the scrotal neuters, but she doesn't elaborate on this.