The rabbit as a species: clinical needs that go unnoticed

The distinction is not a taxonomic curiosity. Lagomorphs have two pairs of upper incisors: behind the two large visible incisors sit two smaller teeth, called peg teeth, which rodents do not have. A full rabbit dentition counts twenty eight teeth and all of them, incisors included, grow continuously. The wear that keeps them at the right length comes from the lateral movement of the jaw while chewing long fibre, not from gnawing hard objects.

• Elodont teeth: they grow throughout life and only wear down if the diet demands prolonged chewing.
• Hindgut fermentation: the caecum hosts a flora that extracts nutrients from fibre and produces caecotrophs.
• Caecotrophy: the rabbit eats soft night faeces rich in vitamins and microbial protein, usually without the owner seeing it happen.
• Inability to vomit: the structure of the cardia prevents vomiting, so an obstruction never resolves on its own.
• Mainly nasal breathing: an obstruction of the nasal passages causes rapid respiratory distress.
• Light skeleton with powerful muscles: a violent struggle during incorrect handling can fracture the lumbar spine.

Each of these features leads to a practical rule. The most important is that hay is not a side dish but the mechanism that keeps teeth and gut in order at the same time.

Dental disease is among the most frequent reasons for consultation in pet rabbits and in most cases the root cause is dietary. A diet low in long fibre shortens chewing time, so the molars wear unevenly and develop spurs that cut the cheek and tongue. The rabbit eats less, wear reduces further and the circle closes on itself. The roots, growing upwards and downwards, may then involve the orbits or the nasolacrimal duct.

In rabbits a slowdown of gut motility is an emergency, not a passing upset. When the gut stops, caecal flora shifts, gas builds up, distension causes pain, pain reduces motility further and the drying contents become harder to move. The picture is known as gastrointestinal stasis, and the word constipation describes it badly because it suggests a local problem when the event is systemic.

1. Reduced or absent faeces over the last twelve hours: counted by looking at the litter tray, not from memory.
2. Refusal of food, including favourite items, lasting beyond twelve hours.
3. Faecal pellets smaller than usual, irregular, or strung together by hair.
4. Hunched posture, tense abdomen, reluctance to move, tooth grinding.
5. A tight abdomen, or gut sounds that are either very loud or completely absent.
6. Sitting still in a corner with half closed eyes and lowered ears.

The upstream causes are almost always the same: a diet low in long fibre, pain of dental or urinary origin, environmental stress, sudden change, lack of movement. That is why management does not end when the animal starts eating again, but includes finding what triggered the episode.

Pet rabbits have their own vaccination calendar, often ignored because vaccination is mentally filed under dogs and cats. In Europe prophylaxis covers myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease, which includes two antigenically distinct variants. The second variant reshaped the epidemiological picture in recent years, so coverage should be verified rather than assumed from a vaccine given long ago.

Neutering deserves a separate note. In entire females uterine disease becomes frequent with age, and published post mortem series agree in listing it among the most common causes of death in that population. The exact percentage varies with the case series considered, so the useful criterion is different: if the female is not intended for breeding, the conversation about neutering should be opened at the first consultation, not after symptoms appear.

A rabbit digs, hops, rises on its hind legs to look around and runs in a straight line for short bursts. A cage sized on its outline while sitting still prevents all of these behaviours. Welfare guidance uses functional criteria rather than absolute measurements, and they are easy to check at home.

A frightened rabbit can contract its hind muscles hard enough to damage its own spine. That is why it is never lifted by the ears or by the scruff alone, and every hold supports the hindquarters. Many animals accept being moved far better inside an open carrier they walk into themselves, without being grabbed.

• Always support the hindquarters with one hand while the other holds the chest.
• Place the animal on a non slip surface and keep it close to your body to reduce swinging.
• Do not put it on its back with the head tilted: the stillness that follows is a fear response, not relaxation.
• Use a carrier with a top opening, so the consultation does not begin with a forced extraction.
• Bring a recent faecal sample and the amount of hay eaten over the last week to the appointment.
• Do not fast a rabbit before sedation unless explicitly instructed: the species cannot vomit and prolonged fasting worsens motility.

One figure about anaesthesia is worth knowing: multicentre studies on peri anaesthetic mortality in companion animals report a markedly higher risk in rabbits than in dogs and cats. This does not mean avoiding necessary procedures, but choosing a practice with documented experience in exotic pets, asking how monitoring is handled and how the return to eating after recovery is planned.

Because rabbits hide signs of illness, home monitoring is worth more here than in other species. A handful of figures collected the same way each time reveals a deviation days in advance.

1. 1

   Weigh the animal weekly

   Same day, same scale, ideally a kitchen scale with a container. A steady loss over two consecutive weeks is a reason to book a visit even with no other sign.

2. 2

   Look at the litter tray before cleaning it

   Note whether the faecal pellets are numerous and of regular size. A drop in number or diameter often precedes loss of appetite.

3. 3

   Measure the hay actually eaten

   Put the day's amount into a container and check what is left in the evening. It is the most sensitive indicator of dental pain.

4. 4

   Check the perineum

   Daily in warm months, twice a week otherwise. Soiled or damp fur is the condition that precedes flystrike.

5. 5

   Watch posture

   Note whether the animal stretches out on its side, stays hunched, or changes how it places its feet. A short weekly video makes comparison immediate.

6. 6

   Book the annual check

   It should include an oral examination with a proper instrument, weight, auscultation and a review of vaccine coverage. In older rabbits the interval shortens.