Rabbits Flashcards
What is the scientific name of the domestic rabbit?
Oryctolagus cuniculus
What is the WHHL rabbit?
Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit
Deficiency in LDL-R –> Increased incidence of coronary artery atherosclerosis
What is the St. Thomas hospital rabbit?
Hypercholesterolemic despite normally functioning LDL-R
What is the rabbit dental formula?
I2/1, PM 3/2, M 2-3/3
What is the fusus coli?
Regulates the release of cecotrophs vs hard pellets; divides the proximal and distal colon
What is the sacculus rotundus?
Thick walled enlargement at the ileocecal junction - lymphoid tissue
What is the vermiform appendix?
Thick walled, tan colored structure at the end of the cecum - lymphoid tissue
Why are chest compressions an ineffective method of artificial respiration in rabbits? What is the preferred method?
B/c rabbits depend on the diaphragm for respiration rather than the thoracic wall. Artificial respirations can be accomplished by alternating the head up and down 30-45x/min
What type(s) of crystals are normally present in rabbit urine?
Calcium carbonate monohydrate and ammonium magnesium phosphate (triple phosphate)
Can’t Catch Me And My Pee
How many mLs of urine do rabbits produce per day?
50-75 ml/kg/day
What is the normal pH of rabbit urine?
Alkaline (~8.2)
What is the age of puberty in rabbits?
4-8 months depending on breed and size
What kind of uterus do female rabbits have?
Duplex/bicornuate (2 uterine horns and 2 cervices)
When does ovulation occur in rabbits?
10-13 hours post copulation (induced ovulators)
When breeding rabbits, how should the male and female be combined?
Bring the doe into the buck’s cage to prevent female territorial aggression
Length of gestation in a rabbit
30-32 days
How often per day do kits nurse and at what age are they weaned?
Nursed 1-2x/day
Eat solid food at 3 weeks and weaned 5-8 weeks
How much water do rabbits drink per day?
120 ml/kg
Room temperature for rabbits?
61-72F
What is the etiologic agent of snuffles?
Pasteurella multocida
What is the most common presentation of Pasteurella multocida in rabbits?
Rhinitis and vestibular syndrome
How is Pasteurella multocida diagnosed?
Culture or PCR of nasal lavage (PCR of rpoB gene)
What are the clinical signs associated with Clostridium piliforme in rabbits? What age group is most commonly affected?
Profuse watery diarrhea –> Death in 12-28 hours or found dead
Young weanlings
Pathology seen in rabbits with Tyzzer’s disease?
Necrosis in the GIT, liver and heart
What disinfection methods render C. piliforme spores non-infective?
Heat, peracetic acid or sodium hypochlorite solution for 5 minutes
What toxin does Clostridium spiroforme produce?
Iota toxin
What toxin(s) does C. difficile produce?
Toxin A and B
How does C. difficile present in rabbits?
Anorexia, depression, diarrhea, fecal staining, decreased fecal output, abdominal distension, death
Death w/o clinical signs is common
What age groups of rabbits are susceptible to C. difficile and what age groups are resistant?
Most susceptible = Newly weaned
Newborns = Resistant b/c lack receptors for toxins
What is the gold standard diagnostic for C. difficile?
Tissue culture cytotoxin assay for C. diff toxin B
What types of E. coli are naturally occurring in rabbits?
EPEC and STEC/EHEC
What lesions are associated with Treponema paraluiscuniculi infection?
Erythema and ulceration of vulva, prepuce, face, anus
What clinical signs are associated with rabbit pox infection?
Blepharitis, conjunctivitis, ulcerative keratitis, facial edema, fever, nasal discharge, high mortality
What age group is most susceptible to rotavirus?
Weanlings
What is the clinical presentation of rotavirus in rabbits?
Ranges from mild, transient diarrhea to severe diarrhea with high mortality
What virus often infects rabbits as a tissue culture contaminant and causes pleural effusion and congestive heart failure?
Coronavirus
What clinical signs are associated with calicivirus infection in rabbits?
Death w/o clinical signs OR anorexia, depression, neuro and respiratory signs, multisystemic hemorrhage and high mortality OR more mild signs
What pathologic/histologic findings are associated with Calicivirus infection in rabbits?
Periportal hepatic necrosis and DIC
What is the etiologic agent of hepatic coccidiosis?
Eimeria stiedae
What are the clinical signs of E. stiedae infection?
None to bile duct blockage, hepatomegaly, icterus, anorexia, weight loss
What age group of rabbits is most susceptible to intestinal coccidiosis and what age group is resistant?
Post-weanling rabbits are most susceptible and suckling rabbits (<20 days) are resistant
What clinical signs are associated with E. cuniculi?
Neuro signs and signs of kidney failure
Phacoclastic uveitis and lens capsule rupture if intrauterine infection
What histologic lesions would you see in a rabbit infected with E. cuniculi?
Granulomatous encephalitis and granulomatous inflammation of kidney +/- ocular lesions
What stains are needed to visualize E. cuniculi?
Giemsa, gram or carbol fuchsin
What is the name of the rabbit ear mite?
Psoroptes cuniculi
What is the name of the pinworm that infects rabbits?
Passalurus ambiguous
What species of dermatophytes infect rabbits?
Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis
What is the most frequent location of vertebral fracture in rabbits?
L7
What predisposes rabbits to gastric trichobezoar formation?
Excessive grooming, rabbits going from cold to warm climates, obesity, sedentary
What is the most common isolate from pododermatitis lesions?
Staphylococcus
What limb is most commonly affected by splay leg?
Right rear
