Rabbit Nutrition

Question 1

How much of day spent eating?

Answer 1

70%

Question 2

Too many cereals can cause..

Answer 2

Enteritis

Not enough teeth wear down

Question 3

Fibre..

Answer 3

Need high fibre
Indigestible fibre e.g. grass/hay for intestinal health (gastro motility) and teeth wear
Digestible fibre for fatty acids - 50% of energy req.

Question 4

Calcium

Answer 4

Rabbits keep absorbing Ca, don’t provide too much

Question 5

P:Ca

Answer 5

1.5:1

Question 6

Causes of dental disease (4)

Answer 6

• Congenital/hereditary - born with skull abnormality
  e. g. Netherland Dwarf
• Accidents e.g fractured jaw
• Calcium/Vit.D deficiency (selective feeding/lack of sunlight)
• Lack of chewing/grinding (fibrous food e.g. hay)

Question 7

Consequences of malocclusions

Answer 7

• hooked on cage bars/wire (overgrown incisors)
• cheek abscesses (elongated crowns of molars)
  Elongated crowns on lower cheek teeth - spikes:
• anorexia/weight loss (not eating)
• excess salivation
• lacerated tongue
• flystrike

Question 8

Consequences of poor bone & tooth quality

Answer 8

• periodontal disease
• tooth fractures
• tooth rot abscesses
• nasolacrimal duct infection

Question 9

Grade 1 dental disease

Answer 9

Normal, healthy teeth

Question 10

Grade 2 dental disease

Answer 10

Early signs of disease, no clinical signs

Question 11

Grade 3 dental disease

Answer 11

Teeth start to grow out of alignment and become maloccluded

Overgrown crowns and hooks (can be trimmed but regrow)

Question 12

Grade 4 dental disease

Answer 12

Advanced

Roots affected, crowns break off

Question 13

Grade 5 dental disease

Answer 13

Infection, poor quality bone, abscesses

Poor prognosis for rabbit

Question 14

Treatment options

Answer 14

• Surgical removal of incisors
• Trimming of incisors and molars (Ev. 4-6wk)
• Provide sufficient Ca & Vit. D

Question 15

Gap where canine teeth usually are

Answer 15

Diastema

Question 16

Rate teeth grow

Answer 16

2-3mm/week

Question 17

Hay and grass should make up what % of diet?

Answer 17

80% min.

Question 18

Alfalfa hay

Answer 18

Should be avoided

High Ca content can lead to bladder stones or crystals

Question 19

Digestion of caecotrophs provides..

Answer 19

Vit. K & B

Question 20

Protein % for adult, neutered rabbits

Answer 20

12-17%

Question 21

Protein % for growing or lactating rabbits

Answer 21

18-19%

Question 22

Dried food should make up no more than…

Answer 22

5%

Question 23

Rabbits drink..

Answer 23

50-100ml/kg/day water

Question 24

Dehydration can result in

Answer 24

Gastro-intestinal stasis, urinary crystals, trichobezoars (hairballs)

Question 25

Rabbit tastebuds

Answer 25

approx. 17,000

Question 26

Fruits and carrots

Answer 26

High in sugar so only small amounts

High sugar can affect gut microflora (dysbiosis) because rabbits can’t digest sugars effectively

Question 27

Fresh food (e.g. green leafy veggies) should make up..

Answer 27

15% DI

Question 28

Avoid feeding..

Answer 28

Raisins, corn cobs, peanuts

Choking hazard

Question 29

When altering diet..

Answer 29

Do it slowly

Gut flora sensitive to change, can cause severe diarrhoea

Question 30

Obese/overweight rabbits prone to

Answer 30

osteoarthritis, pododermatitis, heart disease, flystrike