Rabbits Flashcards
Lifespan Heart rate Respiratory rate Tidal volume Rectal temperature Water intake Urine output
5-10 years (average 6/7) 150-300bpm 30-60bpm 4-6ml/kg 38.5-40*C 50-150ml/kg (variable) 10-35ml/kg (variable)
Sexual maturity Gestation length Litter size Newborn weight Packed cell volume Total protein Urine specific gravity Urine pH
16 weeks (4-8 months) 30-33 days 1-8 30-80g 33-50% 49-71g/L 1.003-1.035 8-9
Features of the head
Large erect (or floppy) pinnae Large protuberant eyes Cleft lip Twitchy nose Vibrissae Specialised dentition
What do the ears do for the rabbit?
Thermoregulation
Funnelling sound
Can rotate 270*C
Why are the ears useful for us?
Administering medications and fluids
Blood sampling
Do they have a third eyelid/nictitating membrane?
Yes
What gland in the eye produces a very stable tear film?
Harderian gland
What does the single ventral lacrimal punctum drain into?
Nasolacrimal duct
Protuberant eyes means……
Higher risk of trauma
What is the main cause of eye issues?
Underlying dental disease
Does the eye have a tapetum?
No
What kind of retina do they have?
What does this mean for the eye exam?
Merangiotic
Large/small retrobulbar venous plexus (orbital venous sinus)- important to note during enucleation
Large
Exopthalmos *
Eyes become more protuberant looking
Retrobulbar ……………. is common (check for dental disease)
Abscessation
What is the additional extraocular muscle that rabbits have called?
Depressor palpebrae
Rectus dorsalis muscle
Easily located with minimal dissection
Can be used to stabilise globe during surgery
The large retrobulbar venous sinus is outside/inside the extraocular muscles
Outside
Drainage from the eye is via the ………..
External jugular
What kind of teeth do rabbits have?
Hypsodont teeth
Reserve crown, enamel extends below gumline
Aradicular/elodont (open rooted/no true root)
Peg teeth
……… teeth exceptionally common in pet rabbits *
Overgrown
What does chronic dental disease alter?
Skull morphology
Nose twitching
Normal at rest (up to 150/min)
Rate increases if interested in something (or anxiety sometimes)
Why is it very sensitive to touch on the nares?
Blind spot here and adaptations to compensate for it:
Sensitive pads on nares
Vibrissae
…………. nasal breathers
Obligate
Epiglottis is rostral/caudal to soft palate
Rostral
Compensations for small thoracic cavity *
High chest wall compliance
Low functional residual capacity
Diaphragmatic contraction drives breathing
Very sensitive to respiratory ……….
Irritants
Lobes of the right lung have?
4
Cranial, middle, caudal and accessory
Lobes of the right lung
4
Cranial, middle, caudal and accessory
Lobes of the left lung
3
Cranial, middle, caudal
Thymus
Persists in adult rabbit
Found in the cranial mediastinum
What makes intubation challenging?
Long tongue
Small glottis
Narrow oropharynx (large cheeks)
Laryngospasm
Types of tubes for intubation *
V gel tubes
Endotracheal tubes
Systolic blood pressure
90-135 mmHg
Total blood volume
50-75 ml/kg
Little …………. circulation
Collateral
Electrical conduction system
Is simple
Sinoatrial node consists of small group of cells
No ……………. in external jugular vein
Anastomoses
Venupuncture sites
Most useful one? *
Jugular
Lateral saphenous
Cephalic
Marginal ear vein
………….. fermenters
Hindgut
Large …………., huge ………….
Stomach
Caecum
Will select …….. over fibre
Concentrates
Highly efficient …………..
Food converters
Dental disease tends to occur secondary to ………
Poor diet (low fibre)
Fibre essential to ……… *
Gut health
They do/don’t have a gall bladder
Do
Strong tongue ensures ………. *
All food is masticated prior to swallowing
Pairs of salivary glands
4 Parotid Sublingual Zygomatic Madncibular
……….. rich saliva released in response to ………….
Amylase
Presence of food in mouth
How many layers of striated muscle are there in the oesophagus of a rabbit? How far do they extend?
3
To the cardia of the stomach
Stomach lies to left/right of midline
Left
Stomach is thin/thick walled and ….. shaped
Thin
J
Why do they not vomit?
Well developed cardiac sphincter
What is the pH of the stomach? What does this mean?
1-2
Stomach and small intestine are practically sterile
Neonate stomach pH
5-6.5
Milk oil is produced from 0 to …. weeks
6
Small instestine accounts for …% of digestive
12
What enzymes does the small intestine secrete? What do these do?
What are they released in response to and what inhibits them?
Motilin
Stimulate motility in small intestine, colon and rectum (no effect on caecum)
Released in response to fat,
Inhibited by carbohydrate
What does the terminal ileum end in? What type of tissue is this composed of? *
Sacculus rotondus
At the junction with colon and caecum
Sometimes called the caecal tonsil
What does the hindgut consist of?
Caecum
Proximal colon
Distal colon
Caecum
40% of GI volume (massive)
Ends in vermiform appendix
Proximal colon *
~50cm
3 subsections- 3 haustra/sacculations, single haustra, fusus coli
Terminal portion is fusus coli- regulates passage of ingesta into distal colon, separates hard from soft faeces
Distal colon
~90cm
No sacculations
Long
Hindgut fermentation
In the caecum, micro-organisms (particularly Bacteriodes spp.) perform fermentation, producing VFA which absorb across the caecal wall
The bacteria replicate in the caecum, forming a vital source of protein
Caecal contents are expelled as caecotrophs which are eaten from the anus
Caecal pellet protected from stomach pH (1-2) by mucous covering- bacterial replication continues
Digestion of caecal pellet delivers protein to animal
Derangement of GI tract in rabbits is ……..
Common and often fatal
What controls gut motility, particularly fusus coli? *
ANS
Hormonal control of GI tract
Motilin/prostoglandin
Indigestible fibre in gut
What does this do?
Cellulose and lignin
Encourages motility
Reduces caecal retention time
Hard faeces
Contractions in proximal colon speperates indigestible particles from liquid component
Indigestible contents move to centre of lumen, further water absorbed
Hard pellets produced
Soft faeces
Smaller particles and liquid content move into peripheral lumen
Antiperistalysis returns them to caecum for further fermentation
Cecum contracts to expel soft contents into proximal colon which then move rapidly through distal colon with no further absorption
Caecotrophs
Produced ~8 hours post feeding
Eaten directly from anus
Provide source of protein, vitamin B, vitamin K
High protein, low fibre diet discourages consumption
High fibre, low protein diet encourages consumption
Diarrhoea uncommon
When do rabbits reach sexual maturity? *
Does slightly earlier/later than bucks
Earlier
Reproductive capacity
~60 kits per year (can rebreed immediately after giving birth)
What is name given to giving birth in rabbits?
What is a group of rabbits called?
Kindling
Fluffle
What kind of ovulators are rabbits?
Induced ovulators
No well defined oestrus cycle but periods of sexual receptivity
Ovulation occurs 10-13 hours after coitus
Parturition
Kindling
Lasts ~30 mins
Rarely problems with dystocia
Young are born ……….. and require maternal care
Altricial
How often do kits feed?
Once or twice daily, for 3-5 mins at a time
Rabbit milk has higher/lower fat, protein and calorie content than other mammalian milk
Higher
Nutritive value of rabbit milk
13% protein
9% fat
1% lactose
2.3% minerals
Maternal immunity is ………
Placental
Why are hand reared kits prone to mortality?
Due to lack of milk oil
When do kits start to take solid food?
~18-21 days
Sexing rabbits
Best sexed at weaning (5-8weeks) or later
Male rabbit has no nipples
Male rabbit
Female rabbit
Buck
Doe
What does penis sit within?
Rounded penile sheath
Can be extruded using gentle digital pressure from 2 months old
No os penis
What are the 2 hairless pockets on either side of urogenital area?
Scent glands (females too) Often have hard/crusty material in them
Scrotal sacs *
Cranial to penis
Large epidydimal fat pads
Open inguinal canal meaning testes can easily be retracted into abdomen
Accessory sex glands (male)
Seminal vesicles, prostate, paired bulbourethral glands
From what age can castration be carried out?
~ 3 months (make sure testes present in the scrotum)
What type of uterus does the doe have?
Duplex
Large saccular vagina
2 cervices- L & R
Oviducts
Long and convoluted
What stores fat (F reproductive)
Mesometrium
Increases with age (can be challenging to neuter late)
The uterus and ovarian pedicle are ……….
Friable
What is pseudopregnancy cause by? And what happens to cause it?
Signs of it
Infertile mating or presence of male Secretion of progesterone from CL Enlarged mammary glands and abdomen May pluck belly and make a nest Regresses naturally but can occur multiple times
From what age can female rabbits be neutered?
When is better to wait until?
10-12 weeks
But the uterus can be hard to find
Waiting until 16-20 weeks means they are slightly larger
Intubation is easier over 1Kg
If a small breed of rabbit there is nothing to be gained from waiting much loner than 20 weeks
Red blood cells
HCT 33-55%
Smaller than canine but larger than feline
Anisocytosis and polychromasia are normal on a smear
Lifespan 57 days
White blood cells
Lymphocyte most common circulating leucocyte
Neutrophils called heterophils as cytoplasm stains pink-red
Eosinophils have a bilobed nucleus and bright pink staining granules (can be difficult to distinguish the 2)
Skeleton is very …… and ……. and accounts for ….-…..% of BW
Light
Flexible
6-8%
Vertebral formula
C7, T12, L7, S4, Cd 16 (variable)
Powerful ……… and ……….. muslces
Epaxial
Hindlimb
Tibia and fibula are ………..
Partially fused
How many digits are on:
Forelimb
Hindlimb
5
4 (at rest entire plantar aspect from toes to hock rests on ground)
Do rabbits have footpads?
No (furry feet)
Skin is very ……. and incredibly ……….
Thin
Elastic
Hair types
3
Long guard hairs
Short guard hairs
Undercoat
Fur types *
Satin
Rex
Wool
Normal
Furry all over except ………..
Nose, scrotum, and inguinal area
How often do they moult and when?
Twice yearly
spring/autumn
Stats at head, travels down body
Does develop large ………
Dewlaps
Hair in the stomach
Normal to have some due to grooming
Can lead to problems if the GI tract motility is slow for any other reason
What can having no footpads predispose them to? *
Ulcerative pododermatitis
Generally exacerbated by hard cage surfaces and unhygienic conditions
More common in overweight animals or those with a thin coat (rex)
How many sets of scent glands are there?
Where are they found? *
3 sets
Kidneys are ……………….
Unipapillate
Single medullary pyramid (renal papilla and calyx)
Serum calcium concentration in rabbits
Serum calcium concentration in most other mammals
- 25-3.75 mmol/L
1. 25-1.6 mmol/L
How are dangerously high serum levels of calcium avoided? *
Action of PTH, calcitonin and active vitamin D3
Excess calcium
Excreted by the kidneys
Forms calcium carbonate crystals in the urine once reabsorptive capacity of kidney is reached
Normal urine colour
Varies from pale yellow to dark red
Usually cloudy to some extent
Colour is dietary dependent
What can excessive, prolonged dietary calcium intake result in?
Development of urolithiasis
Rabbits with high levels of calcium in their diet produce thick, creamy urine
What does high urinary pH predispose to?
Formation of insoluble calcium precipitates in urine
several husbandry factors feed into this and results in crystal aggregation and formation of bladder and urinary stones
Order and family
Order: Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, pika)
Family: leporidae
European rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Adult weight
~2-5Kg (variable with breed)
Rabbit behaviour
Social and gregarious species (live in small bonded family groups
Prey species
Use subtle means of communication (scent marking, body language)
Crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk)
Domestic rabbit behaviour, social and environment
Work best in small family groups (single-sex sibling groups, neutered pairs)
Ensure stability of:
Environment- don’t disturb scent marks
Population- introducing new rabbits is tricky
How many breeds?
~ 60 recognised breeds
The Lops *
Dwarf lop
Mini lop
French lop
English lop
Fancy coated breeds *
Angora
Rex
Satin
Black and white breeds *
Himalayan
Dutch
English
Very small breeds *
Netherland dwarf
Polish dwarf
New Zealand breeds *
New Zealand Red
New Zealand White
Big breeds *
Continental giant
Flemish giant
Other breeds
The Lionhead
The Belgian Hare
What can stress do?
Significantly reduce gut motility
How to gain a rabbit’s trust
Take time- let them come to you/be in charge
Avoid touching the nose
Stroke round cheeks and chin to mimic natural mutual grooming behaviour
Don’t pick up unless you have to
Food
Handling
Ideally introduce from a young age
As little as possible
Support hindlimbs to avoid damage to spine
Tonic immobility *
Cortisol increases
Respiratory rate increases
Heart rate increases
A fear response, should not be used as routine restraint or instead of sedation/anaesthesia- they are fully aware
They are browsing creatures which means that they can be …….
Highly selective
Feeding in the wild
Would make up the bulk of a rabbit’s activity (can use food as enrichment in domestic rabbits)
Increasing dietary fibre decreases ………
Stress
Ad lib feeding of long fibre essential
Will choose …… and ……. over grass pellets in concentrate diet. Why problematic? *
Grains and pulses
Why are cereal and concentrate mixes bad?
High protein, high calorie Selective feeding Reduced caecotrophy Boredom Dental disease Obesity
What do starchy foods lead to?
GI disturbances
What kind of fibre is essential for gut motility? *
Indigestible fibre (long fibre)
Where does digestible fibre ferment?
In Caecum
VFA production for energy
Excess digestible fibre means *
More caecal dysbiosis
Lawn clipping which ferment readily
What should you feed rabbits?
Grass (fresh, dried, hay)- ad lib, ~ 80% of diet
A mixture of timothy, fescue, cocksfoot and meadowgrass is ideal
Alfalfa- only for growing rabbits as high protein and calcium levels, lower fibre (legume)
Clover is very high energy= weight gain
What should you supplement diet with?
Edible leafy plants and leafy greens
Carrot tops, beet tops, spinach, rocket
Fruit only as a treat or training aid
Complete pelleted fibre foods fed sparingly if needed- ~25g/Kg
What does the amount of calcium absorbed depend on?
The amount of calcium in the gut
What regulated calcium?
The kidneys (not gut) Adapted to absorb calcium if the body needs it and excrete it if calcium levels are adequate
Dietary calcium level required for optimal health
0.6-1%
RDA of ~510mg for a 2.5KG rabbit
Calcium intake depends on both ……………….
The calcium content of the food the rabbit is offered and how much it chooses to eat
Milk oil is produced due to …….. *
Reaction of doe’s milk with digestive enzymes= antimicrobial
Doesn’t form in hand reared kits
When does pH of stomach begin to drop?
When kit starts to take plant matter in, bacteria colonise caecum and pH in stomach drops
When is milk oil no longer necessary?
Once pH of stomach drops to 1-2
Housing requirements
Space to: Sit up with ears erect Hop Lie down fully stretched Play Eat & drink Maintain hygiene
10-20*C variety of levels and spaces Scent marking surfaces Access to outside Should always be large enough to accommodate 2 rabbits Min enclosure size of 6ftx2ftx2ft, plus access to an outdoor run of 8ft 3 hops rule The bigger the better
Environment
Keep it clean (but preserve scent markings)
Clean toilet areas at least once a day
What does dirty environment predispose to?
Flystrike/myiasis
Pododermatitis
Respiratory disease
Relevant legislation
Animal welfare act 2006 (5 freedoms)
Codes of practice (Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England)
England- rabbits protected under welfare of farmed animals regulations 2007 (amended 2010)
Vaccinations
Myxomatosis
RHD (viral heamorrhagic disease- caused by calcivirus)
