Dental disease in rabbits under UK primary veterinary care: Clinical management and associated welfare impacts

Abstract

Background: Dental disease is a painful and highly prevalent condition in companion rabbits. However, the dental disease management techniques currently employed by UK primary-care veterinarians and potential associated clinical welfare implications are scarcely described.

Methods: Anonymised clinical records from primary-care practices participating in the VetCompass programme in 2019 were manually reviewed to identify cases of dental disease in rabbits. Clinical welfare implications were assessed through retrospective analysis of clinical signs, diagnostics and treatment information.

Results: A total of 2219 rabbit dental disease cases were recorded in 2019. The most frequently recorded clinical signs were reduced food intake (25.1%) and reduced faecal output (10.9%). Diagnostic dental radiography was performed in 2.2% of cases. Tooth trimming (including using burs, rasps and nail clippers) was conducted on 34.0% of cases; 6.1% of rabbits undergoing cheek teeth trimming had the procedure performed while conscious. Dietary modification was recommended for 21.5% of cases. Dental disease was the primary reason for death or a contributory factor in 51.2% of the cases that died.

Limitations: Accurate dental disease diagnosis relies on detailed veterinary examination and confidence in diagnosing rabbit dental disease, which may vary.

Conclusion: Dental disease is a major welfare concern for rabbits, as indicated by the high frequency of detrimental clinical signs, the potentially suboptimal treatment methods used in some cases and its frequency as a full or contributory cause of death. Greater owner and veterinarian awareness of dental disease signs and further veterinary education on appropriate diagnostic and treatment methods could improve the welfare of affected rabbits.

Keywords: Oryctolagus cuniculus; VetCompass; animal welfare; pain; teeth.

FIGURE 1

The most frequently recorded clinical signs in rabbit dental disease cases (n = 2219) under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2019. ‘Other or unspecified dermatological change’ included any mention of skin issues other than perineal faecal accumulation, myiasis or under/overgrooming; this may have included pruritus, alopecia and/or mite infestation. ‘Other or unspecified oral mucosa change’ included any mention of oral mucosal damage other than oral bleeding, ulceration or abscessation; this may have included gingival hyperplasia or tongue lacerations. Full clinical sign definitions are given in Supporting Information S1

FIGURE 2

Percentages of rabbits undergoing visual oral examination, radiography and computed tomography while conscious or under sedation or general anaesthesia, from the 2175 cases of dental disease that had at least one diagnostic method recorded. Individual rabbits with dental disease may have undergone multiple types of diagnostic methods

FIGURE 3

Percentages of rabbits undergoing tooth trimming events while conscious or under sedation or general anaesthesia, from the 754 cases of dental disease that underwent tooth trimming. The number of rabbits that underwent trimming of a specified tooth type is shown in brackets next to that tooth type. Some rabbits with dental disease underwent tooth trimming on both incisors and cheek teeth (n = 102)