Rabbit Medicine Flashcards
Where do pet rabbits descend from? How does dominance compare in the wild and domestically?
European wild rabbit
- WILD = male is dominant
- DOMESTIC = female is dominant
What is part of normal behavior in rabbits? What is common in intact rabbits?
digging and chewing
urine spraying
What is especially important to keep up with in rabbit husbandry?
GROOMING - more needed in long-haired breeds, which are prone to matting
- brush hair and clip toenails monthly (digging helps naturally wear the nails)
- flea come around anal area
What are some consequences of poor grooming with rabbits?
- GI stasis - hair ingestion during shedding
- pseudo-impaction - fecal matter around anal area
What is the optimal space for a rabbit?
- space for 3 hops
- enough room to stand on hind legs
- levels for climbing
Why does rabbit urine stain easily?
contains a lot of calcium
What bedding is ideal for rabbits?
shredded cardboard boxes, straw, or hay
- rabbits enjoy soft bedding, but may consume it and cause GI issues
What material for enrichment should be avoided in rabbits?
those with small metal pieces
What makes up a majority of the rabbit diet? What is commonly added?
hay
2 cups of leafy greens per pound - spinach, kale, parsley, dandelion, chard
What is the optimal breakdown of macronutrients for rabbits? How many times a day do they typically eat?
- 12-16% protein (18-19% in lactating does)
- 20-25% fiber
- 2.5-4% fat
30x per day (grazers) –> fast transit time (19 hours)
What 3 types of food should be avoided in rabbits?
- high-starch - oats, cereal, corn, wheat, crackers, bread, pasta –> decrease cecotrophy, predisposes to enterotoxemia
- high-fat
- vitamin supplements - produce all they need in cecotrophs
+ excess pelleted food, fruit, and treats
What does the age of maturity in rabbits depend on? What is the average length of gestation?
breed –> smaller = matures faster
short - one month
How are does differentiated from bucks?
DOES = short distance between anus and vagina (groove, pointed shape)
BUCK = wide distance between anus and penis (circular, rounded tip)
What is the average life span, body temperature, HR, and RR of rabbits?
8-10 years
101-104 F
200-320 bpm
32-60 bpm
What is the average water consumption and urine production in rabbits?
50-150 mL/kg/day
10-35 mL/kg/day
(highly variable!)
What is the dewlap? What is unique about rabbit feet?
fold of skin over the throat in (intact) female rabbits used to line nest with fur when kindling
no footpads –> pododermatitis when shaven, obese, on wire, pregnant, emaciated, or large breed
Where are scent glands found in rabbits?
- chin
- anus
- inguinal
What is the musculoskeletal system of rabbits like? What does this predisposed them to?
- delicate compared to muscle mass with thin bone cortices (7-8% of body mass)
- pelvic limb muscle mass is 13% of total body
- spinal cord ends with S2 > S1 > S3
back (L6-L7) and long bone fractures
What is obesity in rabbits associated with? What are commonly musculoskeletal issues in adults?
unkempt appearance, accumulated cecotrophs
DJD, vertebral spondylosis
How should rabbits be approached when going in to handle? How are they properly lifted?
poor peripheral vision - approach from side at eye level
- press down on back with one hand and the rear with the other
- slide one hand under ventrum
- lift thorax first, rear last
- lower rear first for best support
What are 2 alternative methods of holding rabbits? What is avoided?
- head in crook of the elbow
- dorsum against handler’s chest while supporting thorax with one hand and rear with the other
scruffing - stressful, fragile skin/SQ, inadequate rear support
What way of restraint anecdotally has been associated with calming rabbits down?
dorsal recumbency
- NOT commonly seen
What is indicative of alertness, GI discomfort, and pain/dyspnea in rabbits?
nose twitching
loud teeth grinding
neck stretched out
stressed rabbits decompensate acutely
How are eyes directed in rabbits? What does this lead to?
laterally
- panoramic view for predator detection
- blind spot beneath mouth
What 4 things are unique about rabbit eyes?
- no tapetum
- extensive orbital venous plexus - exophthalmos seen with heart disease and thymomas
- single ventral lacrimal punctum - changes course at proximal maxillary bend and apex of main upper incisor
- lack a menace response
What is a merangiotic fundus?
rabbit retinal blood vessels and myelinated nerve fibers emerge from optic disc at 9 and 3 o’clock positions
- nonpigmented in albinos (New Zealand white)
- pigmented in others
What is the major thermoregulatory organ in rabbits? What blood supply is present?
ear
central atery and veins –> used for pulse ox and laser-based BP
What is the vertical ear canal seen in rabbits?
diverticulum separated by tragus
What are 4 common lesions associated with rabbit ears?
- stenosis at flexion (lops) - predisposes to otitis externa
- wax accumulation (lops)
- bacterial otitis (lops) - can lead to vestibulitis if tympanum is ruptured
- ear mites - severe crusting
How is temperature evaluated in rabbits? What are some cases of hypothermia and hyperthermia?
evaluate at the beginning of the exam while holding the rabbit vertically with support of the legs - insert thermometer at a 45 degree angle, then flatten the angle parallel to the vertebral column
- HYPO - ambient temp, dehydration, circulatory collapse, sepsis
- HYPER - ambient temp, stress, obesity, infection, neoplasia
Can rabbits vomit? What is the normal pH of adult and weanling stomach contents?
no - well developed esophageal sphincter
- ADULTS - pH = 2 to kill bacteria
- WEANLINGS - pH = 5-6, prone to diarrhea
What is the sacculus rotundus? What lesion is commonly seen?
anatomical structure found at the terminal ileum of rabbits, rich in lymphoid tissue (ileocecal tonsil)
impaction due to luminal narrowing
What is the verminform appendix?
terminal structure of the rabbit cecum rich in lymphatic tissue
Where does the colon begin in rabbits? What separates the proximal colon from the distal colon?
ampulla coli
fusus coli - acts as a pacemaker for contractions and separates dry pellets from cecotropes
What 7 substances are found in rabbit cecotropes?
- fatty acids
- microbial protein
- vitamin B
- sodium
- potassium
- nitrogen
- water
(increased goblet cells in colon secrete mucus to coat cecotropes)
What does appetite disruption commonly lead to in rabbits? What are some possible etiologies?
alters motility and normal microbiome of the GIT –> stasis!
- abrupt changes to diet
- inadequate diet
- hair accumulation in stomach
- GI disease
- FB
- stress
- liver/pancreatic disease
- dental/respiratory disease
What diagnostics are commonly used for GI stasis? What are 4 parts of therapy?
palpation, radiographs, CBC/chem/UA
- fluid therapy - IV or SQ
- analgesia - opioids (can slow further), NSAIDs, IV Lidocaine
- motility enhancers - only if not obstructed
- assisted feeding - SLOW, small amounts - resistance can cause aspiration and further trauma
What is recommended in cases of severe GI stasis?
hospitalization - IV fluids, GI protectants and antiulcer therapy (PPI, Omeprazole), surgery for obstruction
What are 5 parts of monitoring rabbits with GI stasis?
- signs of pain
- hydration
- fecal output
- fecal consistency
- appetite
How is the oral cavity of rabbits examined?
narrow - can use an otoscope or nasal speculum +/- sedation for a full exam
What kind of teeth do rabbits have? What is their dental formula?
elodont (continuously growing) + hypsodont (long-crowned)
2 (I 2/1, C 0/0, PM 3/2, M 3/3) = 28
What are peg teeth?
second maxillary incisors located behind the first ones, which make contact with the incisors on the mandible
What are 3 common dental abnormalities seen in rabbits?
- incisor malocclusions - brachycephalic breeds predisposed, look for molar disease
- molar malocclusions - halitosis, ptyalism, purulent d/c, moist dermatits on chin (more common compared to incisors)
- tooth root abscesses
What are the most common diseases that bring rabbits to the vet?
oral cavity + digestive tract
How does the maxilla compare to the mandible in rabbits? What allows for normal wearing of the teeth?
maxilla is wider and the cheek teeth grow toward the buccal surface, while the mandibular cheek teeth grow toward the lingual surface
- grass (high silica)
- wide, lateral chewing motion (occlusal surface)
What are common signs of dental disease in rabbits?
- wet chin from drooling
- ocular disease - teary eyes, conjunctivitis
- any ADR rabbit
What is the most common cause of incisor malocclusion in rabbits? What are some causes of acquired malocclusions?
congenital –> brachycephalics
- trauma
- molar disease
- diet low in fiber
- UV light exposure
- abscesses (not as common as in cheek teeth)
What equipment is used to proper trim rabbit incisors? What is avoided?
Dremel drill with emery wheel or drill bit +/- sedation, tongue depressor (shields soft tissue) –> create a beveled edge
clippers –> can creat vertical fractures
What equipment is used for extracting incisors? How is it properly done?
specialized Crossley luxators for long, curved roots
- remove all 6 in entirety
- ablate any remaining alveolar sift tissue to destroy germinative tooth buds –> if it remains, portion of the tooth can regrow and cause abscesses
What is seen in this picture of a rabbits mouth? What are 3 common causes? What signs are associated?
molar points –> occlusal surfaces are not wearing normally
- diets with insufficient abrasive contents
- primary incisor malocclusion
- disease involving jaws or roots
ptyalism, moist dermatitis, difficulty pretending food, halitosis, purulent d/c, bony/soft tissue swelling, epiphora, periocular crusting (nasolacrimal duct obstructed)
How does disease involving cheek teeth commonly progress?
- roots elongate (maxillary roots can impinge nasolacrimal duct)
- roots penetrate periosteum and create bony swellings along the jaw
- molar density increases as wear cannot compensate growth
- tooth growth becomes distorted
- roots are resorbed and teeth are lost
- periapical abscesses form
- osteomyelitis
What are 5 normal findings on skull radiographs of rabbits?
- smooth ventral mandibular border
- normal incisor occlusion
- parallel dorsal and ventral surfaces of oral cavity
- consistent zigzag pattern of molar occlusal surfaces
- distinct, parallel, vertical grooves of cheek teeth roots
What are 6 abnormal findings of the skull radiograph in this rabbit?
- mouth cannot close completely
- incisor malocclusion
- severe cheek teeth malocclusion
- elongated cheek teeth crowns and reserve crowns
- dense cheek teeth with a loss of normal striations
- irregular periosteal border with root penetration
What are 3 options for dental imaging in rabbits?
- radiographs
- oral endoscopy - use with caution during trims
- CT - bony and soft tissue details improved
How is the rabbit prepared for molar trims? What equipment is used?
must be anesthetized
- dental platform
- cheek spreaders
- metal sleeve or spatula - protects soft tissue from drill bits as crowns are shortened and occlusal surfaces are evened
How are tooth root abscesses involving tooth roots treated? What are 3 options for closing the surgical site?
- used rads/CT to find abnormal roots at the area of infection
- remove affected teeth
- debride abscess, attempting to keep wall intact to minimize soft tissue contamination
- submit abscess wall for bacterial culture and sensitivity
- marsupialize
- leave open for flushing
- pack area with dilute antibiotic-soaked tape (metronidazole)
What are some post-op recommendations following abscesses roots and extractions?
- systemic antibiotics - Enrofloxacin, injectable penicillin
- analgesics - Buprenorphine, Meloxicam
- fluid therapy
- syringe feeding (offer normal, chopped food with incisor extractions)
- replace packing frequently until site heals by second intention
- monitor for recurrent abscessation, regrowth, or molar overgrowth
