Rabbit Care & Diseases Flashcards
What is the scienfitic name for the ‘Domestic rabbit’?
Oryctolagus cuniculis
How many pairs of the following do bunnies have in their UPPER dental arcade?
Incisors:
Premolars:
Molars:
Incisors: 2
Premolars: 3
Molars: 3
How many pairs of the following do bunnies have in their LOWER dental arcade?
Incisors:
Premolars:
Molars:
Incisors: 1
Premolars: 2
Molars: 3
What are the “extra” upper incisors called in rabbits and what is the purpose of these teeth?
peg teeth
they are used as an additional flat surface for cutting greens.
T/F: Rabbits have all open rooted teeth that grow continuously throughout their life at a very rapid pace
true
they grow 10-12 cm per year.
What is unique about the rabbits skeleton?
it is very lightweight
Their muscling is much stronger than their bones
Rabbits have 340 degree vision. Where can they NOT see?
their nose
T/F: rabbits are hindgut fermenters
true
T/F: rabbits have large lung volumes
false – small
T/F: rabbits are predators
false they are prey species
How does spaying/neutering bunnies reduce fighting?
Fighting is hormone-dependent; so if you get rid of the hormones through altering them, they fight less.
How does traumatic castration typically occur?
fighting males have a goal of ripping the others testicles out.
what is the typical lifespan of bunnies?
6-15 years
MUCH shorter in unspayed females (<6-7yr) d/t uterine adenocarcinoma
T/F: rabbits are induced ovulators
true
What is the gestation length in bunnies?
29-35 days
At what age do rabbits go through puberty?
females - 4-9 m
male - 6-10 m
How should you restrain bunnies?
in a towel – scoop up and put into bunny burrito
prevent them from kicking out and injuring themselves.
T/F: you can potty train a rabbit
false – they have “preferred bathroom areas” but they are NOT trainable.
Why do rabbits need heavy water dishes?
they pick things up and knock them over.
Rabbits are prone to heatstroke when exposed to temperatures above ____F
85
Rabbits are (High/Low) volume, (High/Low) extraction feeders.
Rabbits are high volume, low extraction feeders.
they have a very large volume GI tract
Describe the DIFFERENCE in day feces versus night feces
Day – high fiber, dry, hay (majority)
Night – high protein, low fiber, soft, brown, shiny; eaten directly from anus and critical for proper nutrition
Which portion of the GI tract of rabbits is referred to as the “pacemaker” of the system and thus should be completely avoided during surgery?
Fusi coli
If a rabbit is NOT eating their night feces, what could be the issue?
- diet may be too high in CHOs (too many pellets, not enough hay)
- rabbit may have arthritis and cannot reach
- rabbit may be obese and cannot reach
What kind of diet do rabbits require?
- High-fiber pellets (timothy-based)
- Timothy hay (free choice)
- Dark greens
Why should adult rabbits NOT be fed alfalfa based foods/hay regularly?
these diets are for GROWING kits only.
What are heterophils?
rabbits version of a neutrophil
they look a lot like eosinophils.
In a normal rabbit, what should the het:lymph ratio be?
3:7-5:5
(ie more LYMPHS than hets)
if acute infection, this ratio will reverse.
lymphopenia indicates stress or steroids
Describe the following about NORMAL rabbit urine:
Color:
Mineral content:
pH:
Color: yellow-white and turbid
Mineral content: calcium (CaCO3)
pH: 8.2 (alkaline, bc herbivores)
What does acidic rabbit urine indicate?
ketosis
What is different about rabbit radiographs than other species? (4 things)
They have THIN bone cortices, so not as dense
They have POOR GI tract detail due to gas and cecum volume
They have normal sludge in their GB
They have a small relative thorax
Why is ultrasound considered NOT to be the best imaging modality to use in rabbits?
They need lots of shaving in order to have multiple windows to visualize internal contents
Usually requires sedation and lots of patience.
What organism causes Snuffles in rabbits?
pasteurella multocida
(gram neg coccobacillus)
how is p. multocida transmitted in rabbits?
secretions!
fomites
asymptomatic carriers (common)
what is the biggest predisposing factor to rabbits developing snuffles?
STRESS
shipping, traveling, resp irritation, concurrent bordetella infxn, etc.
T/F: p. multocida infection can start anywhere in the body and spread anywhere within the rabbit, its not just a respiratory infection.
true
The signs will depend on the site of infection (resp tract, inner ear, lymph nodes, cutaneous abscesses, repro tract, septicemia, non-specific)
T/F: there are many asymptomatic carriers of rabbit snuffles
true
What would be the most common signalment for acute enzootic pnuemonia in rabbits?
young rabbits
T/F: signs of pneumonia in snuffles cases is RARE.
true they typically get abscesses.
How do you diagnose snuffles?
this disease is chronic
You can culture the abscess WALL for definitive diagnosis
Titers are less ideal because 90% rabbits have titers
PCR for p. multocida is less idea because presence of bacteria does not equal sole cause of disease you see.
T/F: the curative treatment for snuffles is antibiotics
false – this disease is not curable, but we can control/prevent spread and slow the progression of the disease with antibiotics.
Medical management and surgery may also be appropriate.
However, disseminated cases are eventually fatal.
What is the BEST medication for treatment of snuffles?
A CIDAL antibiotic with GRAM NEG spectrum that does NOT get deactivated by purulent environments. Base on culture results!!!
ENROFLOXACIN/ ORBIFLOXACIN are good options; recommended for 12 weeks.
T/F: Rabbits only have an upper nasolacrimal duct opening
false – they only have a LOWER one.
the significance of this is that when you are doing a NLD flush, you can use more pressure without worrying about it coming out of the upper NLD opening.
which antibiotics are especially POOR choices for treating snuffles in rabbits?
SMZ-TMP
Pencillins
Chloramphenicol
Opening/draining abscesses in rabbits with snuffles is impractica and ineffective. What is the better alternative?
treat the abscess like neoplasia and remove it without rupturing it.
If the abscess is already draining, leave the wound open and pack it with polaxamer gel
T/F: vaccines are a great option for preventing snuffles
false they are curerntly strain specific or not protective at all.
What is the prognosis for snuffles?
poor long term
this condition is chronic and progressive and will recur.
what is the cause of encephalitozoonosis in rabbits?
encephalitazoon cuniculi
(oblig. intracellular microsporidian protozoal parasite)
T/F: Encephalitazoon cuniculi is common subclinically among most rabbit populations and is zoonotic
true
What is the lifecycle of encephalitazoon cuniculi?
spores are passed into the environment via the urine. They are ingested and sporualte within the small intestine
They enter the bloodstream in phagocytes and spread to multiple organs (notably the brain and kidney)
They form spores in the kidney at 35d and can cause subclinical kidney damage.
they are spreading in the urine for up to 3 months.
What are the clinical signs assoc with encephalitazoon cuniculi infection?
Typically, animals are in “silent carrier states”
The infection is mostly found at necropsy.
We can see kit infections at 4-6 weeks (around the time they start to eat solids)
CNS signs are seen much later (yrs) than the initial infection
Signs can recur with stress/immunocompromise
signs include: incontinence, tremors, torticollis, paresis, convulsions, death, non-specific poor growth.
How do you diagnose encephalitozoonosis?
Difficult to do since exposure is so common.
Serology antibody testing IgM and IgG - only indicate exposure, but NEGATIVE can r/o E. cuniculi; increased in C-RP may indicate acute infection
PCR – negative does NOT r/o
Necropsy – no gross CNS signs; may have 1-3 mm pits in renal cortical surface which are pathognomonic for initial infection
what are the treatment options for encephalitazoon cuniculi?
fenbendazole/ albendazole for 30 days (caution of bone marrow suppression)
dexamethazone for acute neuro signs
+/- concurrent use of SMZ-TMP for toxoplasmosis
how can you prevent encephalitazoon cuniculi?
prevent urine-oral contamination from does to kits
use drop-thru cages, raised food, water bottles, and have good sanitation measures.
T/F: positive IgM and CRP more likely indicates active E. cuniculi infection
true
Anorexia is a very common presenting complaints in bunnies. What question do you need to ask yourself?
Can they not eat or will they not eat?
What are the 4 most common causes of GI stasis in rabbits?
- stress***
- low fiber diet
- inadeq water consumption
- pain
What clinical signs would make you suspicious that a rabbit has GI stasis?
- waning of day pellet production (size and #)
- waning appetite (they lose appetite for pellets first, greens last)
- thick doughy gastric contents on palpation (GI tract dehydration)
Later signs:
systemic signs of illness/dehydration
eventual death
how do you diagnose GI stasis in rabbits?
- clin signs + hx
-LACK of diarrhea
-Rabbit feels fine (if
primary GI stasis)
-Rabbit is ill – obstruction,
liver torsion, infection,
sepsis, etc. - lateral abdominal radiographs (increased gastric gas/distention indicates duodenal obstruction)
What does a LOW body temp indicate for a rabbit with possible GI stasis?
GI osbtruction
Liver torsion
both of which would be surgical emergencies
What would a high body temp indicate in a rabbit with possible GI stasis?
infection
What 2 diagnostics should you ensure that you perform on a rabbit with possible GI stasis?
- blood glucose (if markedly high = poor prog)
- PCV (if low, liver torsion, if high, severely dehydrated)
What is the treatment for PRIMARY GI stasis in rabbits?
- Rehydrate (SQ fluids)
- Force feed
- motility enhancers (cisapride or metoclopromide)
- offer fresh greens and hay in small amounts
- offer fresh pineapple or papaya juice
Gastrotomy is LAST resort – often FATAL
What is the treatment for SECONDARY GI stasis in rabbits?
identify and treat the primary problem
treat the stasis while managing the primary disease.
what is the prognosis for GI stasis in rabbits?
good if you catch is early
high chance of recurrence if you do not correct the low fiber diet.
What causes rabbit hemorrhagic disease?
calicivirus (RHDV1, RHDV2)
What is different about RHDV1 and RHDV2?
RHDV1 – only affects ADULT domestic rabbits
RHDV2 – affects multiple rabbit species at multiple ages
How is rabbit hemorrhagic disease transmitted?
oral-fecal, fomites, and vector-borne in blood feeding insects.
the infectious dose is low (<100 viral particles)
incubation is short (1-3d)
and the virus is very stable
What is the cause of death in rabbit hemorrhagic disease?
fulminating liver necrosis and DIC
In acute cases: death occurs within 1-2 days of onset of signs (fever, pallor, hemorrhage from nose, hematuria, circulatory shock, DIC, anorexia, dyspnea, epistaxis, conjunctivitis, ocular bleeding, ataxia, paralysis, terminal seizures)
In subacute cases: they survive the acute phase and become jaundiced and die of liver failure several days later.
T/F: Very young animals with RHDV1 develop increased immunity, but this is not true for RHDV2
true
this means that RHDV1 affects only adults, whereas RHDV2 occurs in all ages.
how do you diagnose rabbit hemorrhagic disease?
CBC– lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia
Chem – elevated liver enzymes, GGT, Tbili, CK, hypoglycemic
T/F: rabbit hemorrhagic disease is a foreign animal disease and is reportable in the US
true
What is the treatment for RHD?
unrewarding
euthanize!
T/F: there is a vaccine available for RDHV2 in the US
true
