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Study highlights scale of rabbit dental disease
“This new research highlights a major welfare crisis in pet rabbits caused by dental disease” – Dan O'Neill.
Data shows that over 15 per cent of pet rabbits are affected.

More than one in seven pet rabbits under primary veterinary care in the UK has a dental disease, making it a ‘major welfare concern’ according to a new study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).

The researchers also found that being older, male, and having a low bodyweight were significant demographic risk factors for the development of dental problems.

The findings are based on an analysis of patient records from 161,979 rabbits which had been under first opinion veterinary care in the UK during 2019.

The results showed that 15.36 per cent of the rabbits had been formally diagnosed with dental disease. Male rabbits were 1.23 times more likely to have dental disease than female rabbits.

Rabbits that were at least five years old had 7.58 times the risk of developing dental diseases in comparison to rabbits less than a year old. Being heavier than 2kg also led to a higher risk, compared to weighing less than 1.49kg.

However, although previous studies with smaller sample sizes suggested that being lop-eared or brachycephalic were risk factors, the researchers did not find this to be the case.

Charlotte Burn, associate professor in animal welfare and behaviour science at the RVC, said: “Any rabbit can suffer dental disease, and these new findings suggest that owners and vets should particularly watch out for it as rabbits get older, especially if the rabbits are thin and male.
 
“Interestingly, this very large study didn’t show any association between rabbit head and ear shape and dental disease at all, casting doubt on whether brachycephalic and lop-eared rabbits may be more affected than other rabbits.”

Dan O’Neill, associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at RVC, added: “This new research highlights a major welfare crisis in pet rabbits caused by dental disease. Owners have a legal duty to protect their animals from unnecessary suffering. This can begin with ensuring all rabbits get an appropriate diet of mainly hay and grass.”

The study has been published in the journal Vet Record.

Image © Royal Veterinary College

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FIVP Practice Matters podcast returns for Series 2

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced that its podcast, FIVP Practice Matters, will be returning for a second series next year.

The bi-weekly podcast will return on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 with an episode on sustainability with Alison Lambert. The second series will include a range of new and familiar guests sharing veterinary initiatives and news from independent practices.

The podcast is available on Spotify and will now also be released on Apple Podcasts. More details about FIVP and the podcast can be found on its website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Further cases of H5N1 confirmed in Norfolk

APHA has officially confirmed that two more cases of H5N1 have been found on premises in Norfolk.

Testing confirmed that highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 was present at premises near Attleborough, as well as premises near Hingham in South Norfolk. The case near Hingham follows a slaughter on suspicion which was declared on 23 December.

A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone have been implemented at each premises, and all the poultry on each premises will be humanely culled.

A third case has also been identified near Beverley in East Riding of Yorkshire.

APHA is reminding bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow biosecurity measures to prevent more outbreaks. Details on the current disease control zones and biosecurity guidance can be found on the APHA website.