Rabbits Flashcards
Describe Rabbit Teeth
They have extra upper incisor teeth (peg teeth) and all of their teeth are open rooted and can overgrow/malocclude
what are some important anatomic considerations for rabbits
Lightweight skeleton with strong hindlimb muscling, hindgut fermentors, small lung volume
Lifespan and gestation of rabbits
lifespan: 6-15 yrs
gestation: 29-35 days
how should you restrain a rabbit?
TOWELS! give them traction as well
how large should a rabbit house be?
2-3 hops in all directions
Rabbits are __ volume and __ extraction feeders. They are coprophagic and eating their __ feces is critical for proper nutrition. They need a __ fiber diet of > __ DM and dietary calcium.
Rabbits are high volume and low extraction feeders. They are coprophagic and eating their night feces is critical for proper nutrition. They need a high fiber diet of > 18% DM and dietary calcium.
what are feeding recommendations for rabbits?
- 1/4 C/lbs BW/ day high fiber pellets at the most
- timothy hay free choice
- 1/4 -1C fresh dark green/day
- alfalfa based foods and hay ok for growing kits only
describe the difference between a heterophil and eosinophil
heterophil: lobulated nucleus and small, diffuse, red, cytoplasmic granules
eosinophil: lobulated nucleus and numerous, round, intensely red, cytoplasmic granules
a normal het:lymp ratio is 3:7 -5:5 (more lymphs than hets)
Snuffles/Pasteurellosis is caused by __ and spread by any secretions and rabbits are predisposed by __. Clinical signs depend on the site of infection and can be in the __, __ and __.
Snuffles/Pasteurellosis is caused by P. multocida and spread by any secretions and rabbits are predisposed by stress. Clinical signs depend on the site of infection and can be in the respiratory tract, inner ear and lymph nodes/cutaneous abscesses.
Nasal discharge, snuffling, crusty areas on the forelimbs, torticollis, head tilt, SQ swelling and fistulous tracts are possible clinical signs of what?
Snuffles
diagnosis and treatment of snuffles
diagnosis: culture of abscess, titers or PCR
treatment: no cure, but can slow progression with medical management and by use of cidal antibiotics with gram - spectrum (enro, gentamicin). Surgical treatment is removing the intact abscess like neoplasia
prognosis of snuffles
generally poor long term, warn owners that it recurs
Encephalitozoonosis is caused by Encephalitazoon cuniculi and is usually __ and __ . The clinical signs are __ and __ is the most common clinical sign.
Encephalitozoonosis is caused by Encephalitazoon cuniculi and is usually subclinical and zoonotic . The clinical signs are acute and toricollis (acute head tilt) is the most common clinical sign.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Encephalitozoonosis
Diagnosis: serologic antibody tests IgM and IgG and PCR organism detection
Treatment: fenbendazole (panacur) and dexmethasone
prevention of encephalitozoonosis
prevent urine-oral contamination from does to kits
Anorexia is the __ reason why rabbits come to the vet
Anorexia is the most common reason why rabbits come to the vet
__ is the most common cause of GI stasis and caused by a __ fiber diet and __ water or __
Stress is the most common cause of GI stasis and caused by a low fiber diet and inadequate water or pain
GI stasis Clinical signs
- Waning of day pellet production
- Waning appetite
- Thick doughy gastric contents on palpation (GI tact dehydrates before systemic dehydration)
- systemic signs of illness are late
- eventual death
Treatment of primary GI stasis
Rehydration, force feed, motility enhancers (cisapride), motility enhancers, offer fresh greens and hay
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease
RHDV is caused by a calicivirus that is highly pathogenic and highly contagious with a very low low infectious dose that is stable for up to 12 weeks in tissue. Fulminating liver necrosis and DIC are what cause death. Treatment is unrewarding.
T/F: <4-8 weeks old rabbits may be unaffected by RHDV1 and develop immunity
T
T/F: Subacute cases of RHDV survive the acute phase and die of liver failure several days later
T
T/F: there is no vaccine for RHDV2
F
T/F: Rabbit hemorrhagic disease is still considered a foreign animal disease and is reportable
T
Explain liver lobe torsion in rabbits
UNCOMMON, but occurs to the right lateral liver lobe or caudate lobe. This causes clinical signs of a flat bunny and GI stasis acutely. They may have a low PCV and it can be confirmed by ultrasound. Treatment includes a surgical lobectomy (medical management only works in 3/7 cases)
Hematuria v Porphuria
Hematuria has RBC’s on urine sediment and porphuria is more common than hematuria, fluorescing with UV and red in color
common hematuria r/o’s
cystic calculi/sludge and uterine adenocarcinoma
what is the most common neoplasia in female rabbits?
uterine adenocarinoma, 50-80% at > 3 years
Tx and Prevention of uterine adenocarcinomas
OHE
Rabbits have a __ cervix for each horn, the ovaries are very __ from the ovarian ligament and __ is a major problem in OHE’s
Rabbits have a separate cervix for each horn, the ovaries are very distant from the ovarian ligament and fat is a major problem in OHE’s
Describe Pregnancy Toxemia/Ketosis in Rabbits
This is usually seen in late pregnancy when energy demands are high with it being more common in obese or stressed rabbits. Rabbits may have abortions, dyspnea, death, etc. or clear urine which indicates acidity. These cases are difficult to treat with supportive care so the best course of action is prevention by a good diet, BCS and low stress.
Bladder Stones in rabbits are usually __ or __ and can be prevented by feeding __ and __
Bladder Stones in rabbits are usually calcium carbonate or oxalate stones and can be prevented by feeding timothy based pellets and hay and encouraging water intake
__ is the ear mite in rabbits and can be treated with __, __ or __ but may also need debridement in severe cases
Psoroptes caniculi is the ear mite in rabbits and can be treated with ivermectin, selamectin or tresaderm but may also need debridement in severe cases
what flea treatment is not safe and reported to be fatal in rabbits?
Frontline
if a rabbit comes in with a cutarebriasis lesion or “warbles” how should you treat it?
Put local anesthetic in the port -> Extract the whole bug, possibly enlarging the whole but don’t kill it and not remove it as that will cause a toxic reaction -> flush it and give antibiotics as needed
