Rabbit form and function Flashcards

1
Q

What is the lifespan of the rabbit? What is the gestation period?

A

5-10 years

1 month

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2
Q

What is the HR and RR of a rabbit?

A
HR = 150-300bpm
RR = 30-60 brpm
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3
Q

What is the tidal volume and body temperature of a rabbit?

A

Tidal volume = 4-6ml/kg

Body T = 38.5-40

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4
Q

What is the function of the large pinnae?

A

Sound

Thermoregulation

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5
Q

What are the vessels used on a rabbit for venipuncture?

A
Marginal vein
Auricular artery 
Lateral saphenous vein
Cephalic vein 
Use local anaesthesia
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6
Q

What type of lip do rabbits have?

A

Cleft lip

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7
Q

How often do rabbits nose twitch? Why do rabbits have a very sensitive nose that they don’t like to be touched?

A

150 times/min

Nose is their only blind spot

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8
Q

Why are rabbits eyes at particular risk of trauma?

A

Protuberant

Dental disease

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9
Q

What produces the tear film of rabbits? What does this allow?

A

Harderian glands

Allows periods without blinking

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10
Q

Do rabbits have a tapetum lucidum? What is distinct about their retina?

A

No tapetum lucidum

Merangiotic retina - localised blood vessels

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11
Q

What can cause exopthalamus in rabbits? What is responsible for this?

A

Increased blood pressure if frightened, disease

Retrobulbar venous plexus

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12
Q

What is the additional extraocular muscles in the rabbit?

A

Palpebral depressor

Part of rectus dorsalis

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13
Q

The eye drains via what vein?

A

External jugular

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14
Q

What is the dental formula of a rabbit?

A

I 2/1
C 0/0
PM 3/2
M 3/3

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15
Q

What type of teeth do rabbits have?

A

Hypsodont - high crown, enamel past gumline
Aradicular - continuously grow
Elodont - no true root

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16
Q

At what rate do rabbit teeth grow?

A
Incisors = 3mm/week
Cheek = 3mm/month
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17
Q

Why are rabbits hard to ET tube?

A
Laryngeal spasm
Large cheeks,
Long tongue
Small glottis
Narrow oropharynx
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18
Q

What type of breathers are rabbits? Where is their epiglottis located?

A

Obligate nasal

Rostral to soft palate

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19
Q

Do rabbits have a large or small thoracic cavity? How do they maintain respiratory efficiency?

A

Small

High chest wall compliance, low residual capacity

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20
Q

What muscle drives breathing in a rabbit?

A

Diaphragm

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21
Q

What are the lung lobes of the rabbit?

A
Left = cranial, middle, caudal 
Right = cranial, middle, caudal, accessory
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22
Q

Do rabbits have much collateral circulation? which vein has no anastomoses (cf to dog)?

A

No

External jugular

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23
Q

What type of fermenters are rabbits? Do they have a gallbladder?

A

Hindgut - very efficient

Yes

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24
Q

What helps mastication in a rabbit? How many layers of muscle are in the oesophagus?

A

Strong tongue

3 layers - striated muscle

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25
Q

What are the 4 salivary glands of the rabbit? What are they rich in?

A

Sublingual, mandibular, zygomatic, parotid

Amylase rich

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26
Q

Can rabbits vomit? Why?

A

No - well developed cardiac sphincter

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27
Q

What shape and pH is a rabbit stomach?

A

J-shaped

pH 1-2

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28
Q

The SI in the rabbit is short. What does it secrete? What is this?

A

Motilin

Enzyme that stimulates motility

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29
Q

What is found at the ileocolic junction of a rabbit? What is this?

A

Sacculus rotundus

Enlargement of intestines, contains lymphoid tissue

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30
Q

What is found at the end of the proximal colon of a rabbit? What is this?

A

Fusus coli

Part of colon that separates soft and hard faeces

31
Q

How many sacculations do the proximal and distal colon of rabbits have?

A
Proximal = 3
Distal = 0
32
Q

Rabbits have a giant caecum. What is the purpose of this?

A

Microbial fermentation of carbohydrates and production of caecotrophs

33
Q

What happens to carbohydrates after they are fermented in the caecum?

A

Become VFAs

Absorbed across the caecal wall

34
Q

Give examples of 2 indigestible gut fibres of the rabbit. What do these do?

A

Lignin, cellulose

Encourage motility, reduce caecal retention time

35
Q

What are the soft and hard faeces of a rabbit?

A
Soft = caecotrophs
Hard = indigestible fibre
36
Q

What are caecotrophs covered in?

A

Mucus

Prevent stomach acid killing bacteria - bacteria need to continue replicating

37
Q

What causes caecotrophs to be returned to the caecum? why? What happens after this?

A

Peristalsis
allows further fermentation
Caecum contracts and expels caecotrophs to proximal colon - moves through rapidly with no absorption

38
Q

What is coprophagy? What nutrition does this provide?

A

Eating of caecotrophs directly from the anus

Vitamins B and K, protein

39
Q

What protein and fibre composition encourages and discourages caecotroph consumption?

A

High protein, low fibre - encourages consumption

Low protein, high fibre - discourages consumption

40
Q

Why are rabbits prone to osteoporosis and fractures?

A

Light fragile skeleton

Indoor life - little sunlight, poor diety

41
Q

The skeletal formula of the rabbit varies. What is the usual formula?

A
C7 
T12
L7
S4
Cd16
42
Q

What muscles are particularly powerful in a rabbit?

A

Hindlimb

Epaxial

43
Q

Rabbits have furry feet. Why are feet prone to ulcers? When might this be more common?

A

No footpads

If overweight or poor hygiene

44
Q

Do rabbits have thick or thin skin? What are the 3 types of hair they have?

A

Thin skin

Undercoat, short guard hair, long guard hair

45
Q

How often do rabbits moult? When? Where does moulting begin on the body?

A

2x year
In Spring and Autumn
Head - works down

46
Q

What are dewlaps? Do both sexes of rabbits have them?

A

Fat under the chin

Yes - more prominent in females

47
Q

What type of kidneys do rabbits have?

A

Unipapillate - single renal papilla

Single medullary pyramid

48
Q

Rabbits require high calcium for their constantly growing teeth. What is unique about how rabbits acquire and metabolise calcium?

A

Most animals only absorb calcium needed from the diet, excrete little
Rabbits absorb all calcium in diet and excrete in urine

49
Q

Where in the GI is calcium absorbed? How?

A

Intestines

Diffusion

50
Q

What 2 hormones in the rabbit prevents dangerously high calcium levels? What does this cause?

A

PTH and calcitonin

Cause kidneys to excrete XS calcium by forming CaCO3 in urine

51
Q

What is the pH of rabbit urine? What colour is it?

A

pH 8-9

Colour yellow to dark red, depends on diet

52
Q

High calcium causes what type of urine? What happens if this is prolonged?

A

Thick, creamy urine

Urolithiasis (stones)

53
Q

At what age do rabbits sexually mature?

A

16 weeks

54
Q

How often are rabbits receptive? Do they have postpartum oestrus?

A

Every 5-6 days

Yes

55
Q

What is the average litter size of rabbit kits? How many does this mean per year?

A

10

60 per year

56
Q

What type of ovulators are rabbits? How long is their oestrus?

A

Induced

12 hrs

57
Q

Dystocia is rare in rabbits. How long does parturition last and what is it called?

A

30 mins

Kindling

58
Q

How often do kits feed per day? What is rabbit milk like?

A

Only 3-5 mins/day

High calorie, high fat and high protein

59
Q

How is maternal immunity provided to rabbit kits?

A

Placental transer

60
Q

What is milk oil in rabbits? What does this mean for hand reared rabbits?

A

Milk containing fatty acids - bacteriostatic properties

No milk oil = high mortality

61
Q

How is milk oil produced in rabbits? What causes milk oil to be no longer necessary?

A

Milk mixing with digestive enzymes

As taking in plant matter, bacteria colonise and decrease pH - no longer need milk oil

62
Q

What causes pseudopregnancy in rabbits? What are the signs and treatment?

A

Infertile mating or male presence
Large mammary glands and abdomen
Pluck belly to make nest
Naturally regresses

63
Q

What type of uterus do rabbits have?

A

Bicornuate, duplex uterus

2 cervixes, no uterine body

64
Q

Why are rabbits difficult to sex, particularly when young?

A

Retract teste into inguinal canal of abdomen

Cannot extrude prepuce until 8 wks

65
Q

Where are the 3 scent glands present in rabbits? (present in both sexes)

A

Inguinal (2 pockets either side of genitals - crusty)
Submental
Anal

66
Q

Where are the scrotal sacs in a rabbit? What do they have on them? At what age should they be castrated and why?

A

Cranial to penis
Large epididymal fat pads
3 months - castrate each other!

67
Q

Describe the vagina and oviducts in rabbits

A

Large sacculated vagina

Long convoluted oviducts

68
Q

What is an extra function of the mesometrium in rabbits?

A

Fat storage

69
Q

Why should female rabbits be neutered?

A

Many offspring

High risk of uterine cancer

70
Q

Out of cats, dogs and rabbits, which have the most RBCs??

A

Dogs have most
Cats have least
Rabbits in the middle

71
Q

What haematological abnormality is normal in rabbits?

A

Polychromasia - different colour

Anisocytsosis - different size

72
Q

What is the RBC lifespan of a rabbit? What is the most common WBC?

A

57 days

Lymphocyte

73
Q

What are neutrophils called in a rabbit? What colour do they stain?

A

Heterophils

Pink

74
Q

What type of nuclei do rabbit eosinophils have? What colour do they stain?

A

Bilobed nuclei

Pink