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RVC links unnatural body shapes with rabbit health issues
The study examined records from 162,017 rabbits.
The research also addresses the impacts of diet and exercise.

New research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed the effect that an unnatural body shape, as well as inadequate diet and exercise, can have on rabbits’ health.

The project is the largest of its kind to study pet rabbits, with the RVC VetCompass team investigating the body shapes of 162,017 rabbits that were in first opinion care during 2019.

The statistics highlighted that 79.7 per cent of these rabbits were classified as being short-headed (brachycephalic). The sample was also 16.8 per cent medium-headed (mesaticephalic) rabbits.

However, only 3.51 per cent of the rabbits investigated were classified as long-headed (dolichocephalic). The researchers believe that this highlights how much has changed with rabbits' body shapes, since long-headed rabbits are the most similar in shape to wild rabbits.

The research team also examined the veterinary clinical records of a random sample of 3,933 rabbits.

This enabled them to assess the frequency of the most common health disorders in rabbits.

Across the sample, the most common disorders were overgrown nails (28.19 per cent), overgrown molars (14.9 per cent) and obesity (8.82 per cent). Each of these disorders has been linked to limited exercise and unnatural diets.

The average adult bodyweight of the rabbits was 2.26kg, and female rabbits were assessed to be more prone to obesity than male rabbits.

Based upon these findings, researchers recommend that potential owners choose rabbits with a more natural body shape. They also recommend regular health and cleanliness checks, combined with good diet and exercise.

Dan O’Neill, associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at RVC and lead author of the study, said: “This new study helps us to understand that the health of our pet rabbits is heavily dependent on the choices we make as owners.

“Whether that be the body shapes of the rabbits we choose to acquire or the food and exercise we choose to allow our pet rabbits to enjoy, we play an important and influential role in determining whether their health is good or poor.”

The study has been published in VetRecord.

Image © Shutterstock

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.