Rabbits Flashcards
Describe rabbit diet
Strict herbivores that eat mostly in morning and evening (crepuscular), have high water intake and high fiber requirements. Diet should be majority high quality hay (timothy, orchard grass), plus some greens and limited pellets/treats. Cruciferous vegetables should be given in moderation due to gas. Avoid goitrogenic plants and plants with oxalic acid (spinach, swiss chard, beets, parsley), and foods high in sugar or starch.
What are normal rabbit behaviors?
Digging/burrowing, grooming ~16% of the day. Can be litterbox trained. Daily enrichment and exercise is required along with rabbit-proof environment.
What are considerations for rabbit housing?
House away from guinea pigs due to bordetella risk. Provide thick substrate on the bottom of the cage, provide a hiding spot. If housed outside, use caution to avoid diseases + parasites.
What is the average rabbit lifespan?
8-10 years
Describe rabbit dentition
Second pair of maxillary incisors called “peg teeth”, have more premolars than molars, have no tooth roots, mandible is narrower than maxilla, have mild lingual points on mandible cheek teeth, buccal points on maxilla cheek teeth
Describe rabbit skin and musculoskeletal systems
Delicate skin, molt twice a year, no footpads (don’t shave feet- leads to pododermatitis), no sweat glands. Intact females have dewlap. Skeleton is lightweight and muscle predisposes to vertebral injury. Spinal cord terminates in sacral vertebrae.
Describe rabbit digestive system
Tongue has a central lingual prominence. They are hindgut fermenters with strong lower esophageal sphincter (CAN’T vomit). Stomach is very acidic and have large amount of GALT. Saccullus rotubdus is lymphoid structure at the end of ileum that increases in size with infection or lymphoma. Have a large cecum with vermiform appendix at the end. Fusus coli is a pacemaker that controls fecal pellets, separates proximal and distal colon. Selectively retain highly digestible fibers. 2 fecal types- hard pellets and cecotrophs for re-ingesting (provide vitamin B and amino acids, passed in morning at at night, covered in mucus to survive stomach acid)
Describe the rabbit cardiovascular system
Have a small heart with left and right cranial vena cava and large coronary sinus.
Tricuspid vale is actually bicuspid. Have limited collateral circulation which can lead to ischemic damage.
Describe the rabbit respiratory system
Obligate nasal breathers (epiglottis dorsal to soft palate), no lobules in lungs, thymus persists throughout life.
Describe the rabbit urinary system
Calcium absorption INdependent of vitamin D (urinary excretion of Ca is high and can lead to stones). No carbonic anhydrase in kidney so less able to deal with high acid. Female urethra is within vaginal vestibule, NOT external
Describe the rabbit reproductive system
Females have no uterine body, have a duplex uterus and 2 cervices and are induced ovulators. Male have no os penis and open inguinal canals (testes can retract)
Describe the rabbit ocular system
Have a blind spot under their mouth, large orbital venous plexus (makes enucleation risky). Lacrimal puncta narrows along maxillary incisors; if teeth are diseased they can cause excessive tearing.
Describe rabbit ears
Pinnae are used for thermoregulation, only have vertical ear canal. Limited collateral circulation so can have necrosis. Vein is marginal, artery is central.
Describe venipuncture in rabbits
Use lateral saphenous vein, jugular, marginal ear bein, cephalic, or medial saphenous. Develop hematomas easily and blood clots quickly. 1% body weight can be taken.
What are the differences between rabbit blood and other mammal blood?
Have more biliverdin than bilirubin; have heterophils instead of neutrophils (causes caseous pus); normal for them to have lots of reticulocytes and higher total calcium concentrations. Inflammation is commonly seen as a high H:L ratio, poikilocytosis, hypercholesterolemia, increased fibrinogen, and thrombocytosis. Uncommon to see leukocytosis, left shift, or toxicity.
What blood values bear poor prognoses
Hyperglycemia (severe= GI obstruction), hyponatremia, elevated BUN
What PE finding carries a poor prognosis?
Hypothermia
How is a rabbit neuro exam different from other species?
Menace response, consensual PLR, postural reactions, and cutaneous trunci are unreliable
Do you fast rabbits before anesthesia?
No- they can’t vomit + GI stasis is very important for them
Where would you place an IV in a rabbit? What would you use for pre-med?
Cephalic, lateral saphenous, maybe marginal ear vein (necrosis/hematoma risk high), IO if necessary. Pre-med with midazolam, butorphanol, or ketamine
Why is intubation so difficult in rabbits?
Due to their dorsally placed epiglottis, small mouth, laryngospasms, and abundant soft tissue in cheeks
What are the risks of anesthesia in rabbits?
Hypotension (have atropinesterases so use glycopyrrolate), hypothermia, pain
What are causes of GI problems in rabbits?
Inappropriate diet, dysbiosis, gastritis/enteritis, obstruction, ileus
Describe obstruction in rabbits
Caused by fibrous material, foreign body, neoplasia, etc. Display acute, distended stomach/intestines, decreased gut sounds, +/- hypothermia, hypotension, brady/tachycardia, hyperglycemia may occur (>350), azotemia may occur. May have partial response to medical treatment, complete response requires orogastric decompression, gastrotomy, or enterotomy
