Rabbit form and function Flashcards
What is the lifespan of the rabbit? What is the gestation period?
5-10 years
1 month
What is the HR and RR of a rabbit?
HR = 150-300bpm RR = 30-60 brpm
What is the tidal volume and body temperature of a rabbit?
Tidal volume = 4-6ml/kg
Body T = 38.5-40
What is the function of the large pinnae?
Sound
Thermoregulation
What are the vessels used on a rabbit for venipuncture?
Marginal vein Auricular artery Lateral saphenous vein Cephalic vein Use local anaesthesia
What type of lip do rabbits have?
Cleft lip
How often do rabbits nose twitch? Why do rabbits have a very sensitive nose that they don’t like to be touched?
150 times/min
Nose is their only blind spot
Why are rabbits eyes at particular risk of trauma?
Protuberant
Dental disease
What produces the tear film of rabbits? What does this allow?
Harderian glands
Allows periods without blinking
Do rabbits have a tapetum lucidum? What is distinct about their retina?
No tapetum lucidum
Merangiotic retina - localised blood vessels
What can cause exopthalamus in rabbits? What is responsible for this?
Increased blood pressure if frightened, disease
Retrobulbar venous plexus
What is the additional extraocular muscles in the rabbit?
Palpebral depressor
Part of rectus dorsalis
The eye drains via what vein?
External jugular
What is the dental formula of a rabbit?
I 2/1
C 0/0
PM 3/2
M 3/3
What type of teeth do rabbits have?
Hypsodont - high crown, enamel past gumline
Aradicular - continuously grow
Elodont - no true root
At what rate do rabbit teeth grow?
Incisors = 3mm/week Cheek = 3mm/month
Why are rabbits hard to ET tube?
Laryngeal spasm Large cheeks, Long tongue Small glottis Narrow oropharynx
What type of breathers are rabbits? Where is their epiglottis located?
Obligate nasal
Rostral to soft palate
Do rabbits have a large or small thoracic cavity? How do they maintain respiratory efficiency?
Small
High chest wall compliance, low residual capacity
What muscle drives breathing in a rabbit?
Diaphragm
What are the lung lobes of the rabbit?
Left = cranial, middle, caudal Right = cranial, middle, caudal, accessory
Do rabbits have much collateral circulation? which vein has no anastomoses (cf to dog)?
No
External jugular
What type of fermenters are rabbits? Do they have a gallbladder?
Hindgut - very efficient
Yes
What helps mastication in a rabbit? How many layers of muscle are in the oesophagus?
Strong tongue
3 layers - striated muscle
What are the 4 salivary glands of the rabbit? What are they rich in?
Sublingual, mandibular, zygomatic, parotid
Amylase rich
Can rabbits vomit? Why?
No - well developed cardiac sphincter
What shape and pH is a rabbit stomach?
J-shaped
pH 1-2
The SI in the rabbit is short. What does it secrete? What is this?
Motilin
Enzyme that stimulates motility
What is found at the ileocolic junction of a rabbit? What is this?
Sacculus rotundus
Enlargement of intestines, contains lymphoid tissue
What is found at the end of the proximal colon of a rabbit? What is this?
Fusus coli
Part of colon that separates soft and hard faeces
How many sacculations do the proximal and distal colon of rabbits have?
Proximal = 3 Distal = 0
Rabbits have a giant caecum. What is the purpose of this?
Microbial fermentation of carbohydrates and production of caecotrophs
What happens to carbohydrates after they are fermented in the caecum?
Become VFAs
Absorbed across the caecal wall
Give examples of 2 indigestible gut fibres of the rabbit. What do these do?
Lignin, cellulose
Encourage motility, reduce caecal retention time
What are the soft and hard faeces of a rabbit?
Soft = caecotrophs Hard = indigestible fibre
What are caecotrophs covered in?
Mucus
Prevent stomach acid killing bacteria - bacteria need to continue replicating
What causes caecotrophs to be returned to the caecum? why? What happens after this?
Peristalsis
allows further fermentation
Caecum contracts and expels caecotrophs to proximal colon - moves through rapidly with no absorption
What is coprophagy? What nutrition does this provide?
Eating of caecotrophs directly from the anus
Vitamins B and K, protein
What protein and fibre composition encourages and discourages caecotroph consumption?
High protein, low fibre - encourages consumption
Low protein, high fibre - discourages consumption
Why are rabbits prone to osteoporosis and fractures?
Light fragile skeleton
Indoor life - little sunlight, poor diety
The skeletal formula of the rabbit varies. What is the usual formula?
C7 T12 L7 S4 Cd16
What muscles are particularly powerful in a rabbit?
Hindlimb
Epaxial
Rabbits have furry feet. Why are feet prone to ulcers? When might this be more common?
No footpads
If overweight or poor hygiene
Do rabbits have thick or thin skin? What are the 3 types of hair they have?
Thin skin
Undercoat, short guard hair, long guard hair
How often do rabbits moult? When? Where does moulting begin on the body?
2x year
In Spring and Autumn
Head - works down
What are dewlaps? Do both sexes of rabbits have them?
Fat under the chin
Yes - more prominent in females
What type of kidneys do rabbits have?
Unipapillate - single renal papilla
Single medullary pyramid
Rabbits require high calcium for their constantly growing teeth. What is unique about how rabbits acquire and metabolise calcium?
Most animals only absorb calcium needed from the diet, excrete little
Rabbits absorb all calcium in diet and excrete in urine
Where in the GI is calcium absorbed? How?
Intestines
Diffusion
What 2 hormones in the rabbit prevents dangerously high calcium levels? What does this cause?
PTH and calcitonin
Cause kidneys to excrete XS calcium by forming CaCO3 in urine
What is the pH of rabbit urine? What colour is it?
pH 8-9
Colour yellow to dark red, depends on diet
High calcium causes what type of urine? What happens if this is prolonged?
Thick, creamy urine
Urolithiasis (stones)
At what age do rabbits sexually mature?
16 weeks
How often are rabbits receptive? Do they have postpartum oestrus?
Every 5-6 days
Yes
What is the average litter size of rabbit kits? How many does this mean per year?
10
60 per year
What type of ovulators are rabbits? How long is their oestrus?
Induced
12 hrs
Dystocia is rare in rabbits. How long does parturition last and what is it called?
30 mins
Kindling
How often do kits feed per day? What is rabbit milk like?
Only 3-5 mins/day
High calorie, high fat and high protein
How is maternal immunity provided to rabbit kits?
Placental transer
What is milk oil in rabbits? What does this mean for hand reared rabbits?
Milk containing fatty acids - bacteriostatic properties
No milk oil = high mortality
How is milk oil produced in rabbits? What causes milk oil to be no longer necessary?
Milk mixing with digestive enzymes
As taking in plant matter, bacteria colonise and decrease pH - no longer need milk oil
What causes pseudopregnancy in rabbits? What are the signs and treatment?
Infertile mating or male presence
Large mammary glands and abdomen
Pluck belly to make nest
Naturally regresses
What type of uterus do rabbits have?
Bicornuate, duplex uterus
2 cervixes, no uterine body
Why are rabbits difficult to sex, particularly when young?
Retract teste into inguinal canal of abdomen
Cannot extrude prepuce until 8 wks
Where are the 3 scent glands present in rabbits? (present in both sexes)
Inguinal (2 pockets either side of genitals - crusty)
Submental
Anal
Where are the scrotal sacs in a rabbit? What do they have on them? At what age should they be castrated and why?
Cranial to penis
Large epididymal fat pads
3 months - castrate each other!
Describe the vagina and oviducts in rabbits
Large sacculated vagina
Long convoluted oviducts
What is an extra function of the mesometrium in rabbits?
Fat storage
Why should female rabbits be neutered?
Many offspring
High risk of uterine cancer
Out of cats, dogs and rabbits, which have the most RBCs??
Dogs have most
Cats have least
Rabbits in the middle
What haematological abnormality is normal in rabbits?
Polychromasia - different colour
Anisocytsosis - different size
What is the RBC lifespan of a rabbit? What is the most common WBC?
57 days
Lymphocyte
What are neutrophils called in a rabbit? What colour do they stain?
Heterophils
Pink
What type of nuclei do rabbit eosinophils have? What colour do they stain?
Bilobed nuclei
Pink
