rabbits Flashcards
what is the body temp
38.5-39.5
what is the pulse rate
180-220 beats per min
how do rabbits deal with thermoregulation
rabbits are very sensitive to heat
cannot sweat
burrow or stretch out to cool down
ears are essential to aid heat dispersion
prone to hypothermia post anaesthesia
list the characteristics of a rabbits ears 7 marks
long and curved
used for communication
used for air conditioning or as radiators
main IV access
IV cannula placements can be used for fluid therapy, IV medications, blood samples
list 4 areas to blood sample
lateral ear vein
cephalic vein
saphenous
jugular vein
list to IM injection sites
dorsal lumbar
quadriceps
list characteristics of the skeletal system of a rabbit 10marks
rabbits are prone to fractures of the spine and hind limb
mandible is narrower than maxilla
C7 T12-13 L7 S4 Cd16
C vertebrae is mobile and box like
T vertebrae has 12 paired ribs
in the hindlimb the fibula is half the length of the tibia and is fused with it as well as radius and ulna
rabbits have an accessory bone called os acetabuli which helps form the acetabulum (socket hip joint) along with the ischium and ilium
rabbits have 5 digits in the forelimb and 4 digits in the hindlimb
respiratory system in rabbits 6
obligate nose breathers
nose twitched 20-120 times pm
large immobile tongues makes small glottis hard to visualise
thoracic cavity is small
breathing mainly involved the diaphragm
lungs have 3 lobes
digestive system in rabbits (teeth only)
I 2/1 C0/0 PM3/2 M3/3
2 peg teeth behind the upper incisors
all teeth are open rooted
wear down by lateral movement of the mandible
incisors/ premolars and peg teeth are present at birth
no canines instead a diastema
incisors are used for cutting grass
PM and M are cheek teeth and used to grind vegetable material
digestive system in rabbits 13 marks
rabbits are herbivores
hingut fermenters
large intestine for breakdown of plant material
digestive system allows for rapid gut transit
GI long
stomach is never empty
the duodenum and ileum are long and have a small lumen
ileum terminated at the caecum at the sacculus rotundus
the large intestine which is a well developed hind gut consists of the caecum and colon
the caecum is the largest organ in the abdominal cavity
the caecum is blind ended, thin walled, sacculated and coiled around organs
the colon has a proximal colon which is 50cm and a longer distal colon which is 90 cm
rabbits carry out caecotrophy
how does the process of caecotrophy take place 6 marks
- food accumulates in the proximal colon and reverses into the caecum
- bacterial and microbial fermentation occurs
- breaking down the tough cellulose and hemicellulose walls of the plant material
- the larger fibre particles which wouldn’t be digested adequately in the caecum are selected by the proximal colon and pass out of the gut as the caecotrophs pellet
- this is re eaten directly and undergo a second digestion process
- caecotrophs are covered in mucus to form a protection from the acidic stomach and then are broken down as far as possible to become a dry faecal pellet
how are hard faeces formed
- mechanical separation on proximal colon separates ingesta into solid indigestible particles and liquid contents
- faecal pellets pass down lumen and more water absorbed from it
- liquid fraction returned to the caecum by antiperistalsis for further fermentation
how many loves does the liver have and what is the bile pigment called
4 lobes
biliverdin
the male reproductive system 5 marks
almost hairless scrotum sacs which lie cranial to penis
scrotum lies caudal to testicles
inguinal canal remains open
no os penis
no nipples
the female reproductive system 6 marks
ovaries are elongated
oviducts are coiled and long
tract is bicornuate- has two separate uterine horns to hold litters of young
each horn has its own cervix ( d and c have 1 cervix)
4-5 pairs of nipples
induced ovulator (d is spontaneous, c is induced)
