What is Neutering in Rats?
Neutering, also called castration or orchiectomy, is removal of the testicles in the male rat.
Benefits of Having Your Rat Neutered
Neutered rats make better pets, fight less with other rats, cannot impregnate females, and cannot get testicular cancer.
Best Time to Have a Rat Neutered
As in all pets we prefer to neuter them early in life. There is less anesthetic risk and they heal rapidly at a young age. When you bring your rat in for an exam we will palpate the testicles and determine if they are large enough. Typically on a rat this is around 4-6 months of age.
Laser Neuter of Male Rats
We use the laser on our neuters, including small animals like rats. As you will see from the following pictures there is no bleeding with the laser, which means less anesthesia time and less postoperative pain and swelling.
Anesthesia
All of our rats undergoing surgery get an exam ahead of time. This rat is being examined by one of our student externs.
Once they pass their exam they are put in a special anesthesia chamber with 100% oxygen and gas anesthesia. Over the next few minutes he slowly becomes anesthetized.
They are closely observed the whole time by our nurse anesthetist. Notice her laser glasses.
When our patient is fully anesthetized he is taken out of the chamber and put into a special mask for the duration of the surgery
Graphic photos of an actual laser neuter are on this page.
Neutering Surgery
Click on any photo to enlarge it.
Our patient has been prepped and is ready for surgery
We start the procedure by gently stabilizing the testicle before we turn on the laser
The initial cut is rapid. You can see fat over the testicle as our surgeon gently squeezes the testicle through the opening.
When fully exteriorized you can see a layer of tissue and blood vessels over the testicle. This layer of tissue is called the tunica vaginalis.
The laser cuts through the tunica vaginalis and the testicle is gently pulled out.
The blood supply is now ligated with a special suture that will slowly dissolve over several months
The laser is used to cut the testicle away from the rest of the body
Tissue glue is applied instead of sutures to aid in healing and prevent chewing
Post Operative Care
This little guy will go home (weighing a few grams less) and heal up in 1-2 days. There is no need to return for suture removal because no sutures were placed in the scrotum.
FAQ’s
Will male rats smell less when neutered?
There tends to be a decrease in the musky smell of male rats, although the amount of decrease varies.
Do neutered rats live longer?
As a general rule they will lead longer and healthier lives, especially if the neutering prevents them from getting testicualr cancer.
How long are rats fertile after neutering?
Rats are almost rendered sterile right after the surgery, although it is important to keep a male rate away from a female for up to a week to make sure it is sterile, and also for post operative recovery.
Can you keep a neutered male rat with a female rat?
As long as they get along and the male rat has fully healed from the procedure there is no room to keep them apart.