Rabbits Flashcards
(161 cards)
1
Q
Lifespan Heart rate Respiratory rate Tidal volume Rectal temperature Water intake Urine output
A
5-10 years (average 6/7) 150-300bpm 30-60bpm 4-6ml/kg 38.5-40*C 50-150ml/kg (variable) 10-35ml/kg (variable)
2
Q
Sexual maturity Gestation length Litter size Newborn weight Packed cell volume Total protein Urine specific gravity Urine pH
A
16 weeks (4-8 months) 30-33 days 1-8 30-80g 33-50% 49-71g/L 1.003-1.035 8-9
3
Q
Features of the head
A
Large erect (or floppy) pinnae Large protuberant eyes Cleft lip Twitchy nose Vibrissae Specialised dentition
4
Q
What do the ears do for the rabbit?
A
Thermoregulation
Funnelling sound
Can rotate 270*C
5
Q
Why are the ears useful for us?
A
Administering medications and fluids
Blood sampling
6
Q
Do they have a third eyelid/nictitating membrane?
A
Yes
7
Q
What gland in the eye produces a very stable tear film?
A
Harderian gland
8
Q
What does the single ventral lacrimal punctum drain into?
A
Nasolacrimal duct
9
Q
Protuberant eyes means……
A
Higher risk of trauma
10
Q
What is the main cause of eye issues?
A
Underlying dental disease
11
Q
Does the eye have a tapetum?
A
No
12
Q
What kind of retina do they have?
What does this mean for the eye exam?
A
Merangiotic
13
Q
Large/small retrobulbar venous plexus (orbital venous sinus)- important to note during enucleation
A
Large
14
Q
Exopthalmos *
A
Eyes become more protuberant looking
15
Q
Retrobulbar ……………. is common (check for dental disease)
A
Abscessation
16
Q
What is the additional extraocular muscle that rabbits have called?
A
Depressor palpebrae
17
Q
Rectus dorsalis muscle
A
Easily located with minimal dissection
Can be used to stabilise globe during surgery
18
Q
The large retrobulbar venous sinus is outside/inside the extraocular muscles
A
Outside
19
Q
Drainage from the eye is via the ………..
A
External jugular
20
Q
What kind of teeth do rabbits have?
A
Hypsodont teeth
Reserve crown, enamel extends below gumline
Aradicular/elodont (open rooted/no true root)
Peg teeth
21
Q
……… teeth exceptionally common in pet rabbits *
A
Overgrown
22
Q
What does chronic dental disease alter?
A
Skull morphology
23
Q
Nose twitching
A
Normal at rest (up to 150/min)
Rate increases if interested in something (or anxiety sometimes)
24
Q
Why is it very sensitive to touch on the nares?
A
Blind spot here and adaptations to compensate for it:
Sensitive pads on nares
Vibrissae
25
............. nasal breathers
Obligate
26
Epiglottis is rostral/caudal to soft palate
Rostral
27
Compensations for small thoracic cavity *
High chest wall compliance
Low functional residual capacity
Diaphragmatic contraction drives breathing
28
Very sensitive to respiratory ..........
Irritants
29
Lobes of the right lung have?
4
| Cranial, middle, caudal and accessory
30
Lobes of the right lung
4
| Cranial, middle, caudal and accessory
31
Lobes of the left lung
3
| Cranial, middle, caudal
32
Thymus
Persists in adult rabbit
| Found in the cranial mediastinum
33
What makes intubation challenging?
Long tongue
Small glottis
Narrow oropharynx (large cheeks)
Laryngospasm
34
Types of tubes for intubation *
V gel tubes
| Endotracheal tubes
35
Systolic blood pressure
90-135 mmHg
36
Total blood volume
50-75 ml/kg
37
Little ............. circulation
Collateral
38
Electrical conduction system
Is simple
| Sinoatrial node consists of small group of cells
39
No ................ in external jugular vein
Anastomoses
40
Venupuncture sites
| Most useful one? *
Jugular
Lateral saphenous
Cephalic
Marginal ear vein
41
.............. fermenters
Hindgut
42
Large ............., huge .............
Stomach
| Caecum
43
Will select ........ over fibre
Concentrates
44
Highly efficient ..............
Food converters
45
Dental disease tends to occur secondary to .........
Poor diet (low fibre)
46
Fibre essential to ......... *
Gut health
47
They do/don't have a gall bladder
Do
48
Strong tongue ensures .......... *
All food is masticated prior to swallowing
49
Pairs of salivary glands
```
4
Parotid
Sublingual
Zygomatic
Madncibular
```
50
........... rich saliva released in response to .............
Amylase
| Presence of food in mouth
51
How many layers of striated muscle are there in the oesophagus of a rabbit? How far do they extend?
3
| To the cardia of the stomach
52
Stomach lies to left/right of midline
Left
53
Stomach is thin/thick walled and ..... shaped
Thin
| J
54
Why do they not vomit?
Well developed cardiac sphincter
55
What is the pH of the stomach? What does this mean?
1-2
| Stomach and small intestine are practically sterile
56
Neonate stomach pH
5-6.5
57
Milk oil is produced from 0 to .... weeks
6
58
Small instestine accounts for ...% of digestive
12
59
What enzymes does the small intestine secrete? What do these do?
What are they released in response to and what inhibits them?
Motilin
Stimulate motility in small intestine, colon and rectum (no effect on caecum)
Released in response to fat,
Inhibited by carbohydrate
60
What does the terminal ileum end in? What type of tissue is this composed of? *
Sacculus rotondus
At the junction with colon and caecum
Sometimes called the caecal tonsil
61
What does the hindgut consist of?
Caecum
Proximal colon
Distal colon
62
Caecum
40% of GI volume (massive)
| Ends in vermiform appendix
63
Proximal colon *
~50cm
3 subsections- 3 haustra/sacculations, single haustra, fusus coli
Terminal portion is fusus coli- regulates passage of ingesta into distal colon, separates hard from soft faeces
64
Distal colon
~90cm
No sacculations
Long
65
Hindgut fermentation
In the caecum, micro-organisms (particularly Bacteriodes spp.) perform fermentation, producing VFA which absorb across the caecal wall
The bacteria replicate in the caecum, forming a vital source of protein
Caecal contents are expelled as caecotrophs which are eaten from the anus
Caecal pellet protected from stomach pH (1-2) by mucous covering- bacterial replication continues
Digestion of caecal pellet delivers protein to animal
66
Derangement of GI tract in rabbits is ........
Common and often fatal
67
What controls gut motility, particularly fusus coli? *
ANS
68
Hormonal control of GI tract
Motilin/prostoglandin
69
Indigestible fibre in gut
| What does this do?
Cellulose and lignin
Encourages motility
Reduces caecal retention time
70
Hard faeces
Contractions in proximal colon speperates indigestible particles from liquid component
Indigestible contents move to centre of lumen, further water absorbed
Hard pellets produced
71
Soft faeces
Smaller particles and liquid content move into peripheral lumen
Antiperistalysis returns them to caecum for further fermentation
Cecum contracts to expel soft contents into proximal colon which then move rapidly through distal colon with no further absorption
72
Caecotrophs
Produced ~8 hours post feeding
Eaten directly from anus
Provide source of protein, vitamin B, vitamin K
High protein, low fibre diet discourages consumption
High fibre, low protein diet encourages consumption
Diarrhoea uncommon
73
When do rabbits reach sexual maturity? *
| Does slightly earlier/later than bucks
Earlier
74
Reproductive capacity
~60 kits per year (can rebreed immediately after giving birth)
75
What is name given to giving birth in rabbits?
| What is a group of rabbits called?
Kindling
| Fluffle
76
What kind of ovulators are rabbits?
Induced ovulators
No well defined oestrus cycle but periods of sexual receptivity
Ovulation occurs 10-13 hours after coitus
77
Parturition
Kindling
Lasts ~30 mins
Rarely problems with dystocia
78
Young are born ........... and require maternal care
Altricial
79
How often do kits feed?
Once or twice daily, for 3-5 mins at a time
80
Rabbit milk has higher/lower fat, protein and calorie content than other mammalian milk
Higher
81
Nutritive value of rabbit milk
13% protein
9% fat
1% lactose
2.3% minerals
82
Maternal immunity is .........
Placental
83
Why are hand reared kits prone to mortality?
Due to lack of milk oil
84
When do kits start to take solid food?
~18-21 days
85
Sexing rabbits
Best sexed at weaning (5-8weeks) or later
| Male rabbit has no nipples
86
Male rabbit
| Female rabbit
Buck
| Doe
87
What does penis sit within?
Rounded penile sheath
Can be extruded using gentle digital pressure from 2 months old
No os penis
88
What are the 2 hairless pockets on either side of urogenital area?
```
Scent glands (females too)
Often have hard/crusty material in them
```
89
Scrotal sacs *
Cranial to penis
Large epidydimal fat pads
Open inguinal canal meaning testes can easily be retracted into abdomen
90
Accessory sex glands (male)
Seminal vesicles, prostate, paired bulbourethral glands
91
From what age can castration be carried out?
~ 3 months (make sure testes present in the scrotum)
92
What type of uterus does the doe have?
Duplex
Large saccular vagina
2 cervices- L & R
93
Oviducts
Long and convoluted
94
What stores fat (F reproductive)
Mesometrium
| Increases with age (can be challenging to neuter late)
95
The uterus and ovarian pedicle are ..........
Friable
96
What is pseudopregnancy cause by? And what happens to cause it?
Signs of it
```
Infertile mating or presence of male
Secretion of progesterone from CL
Enlarged mammary glands and abdomen
May pluck belly and make a nest
Regresses naturally but can occur multiple times
```
97
From what age can female rabbits be neutered?
| When is better to wait until?
10-12 weeks
But the uterus can be hard to find
Waiting until 16-20 weeks means they are slightly larger
Intubation is easier over 1Kg
If a small breed of rabbit there is nothing to be gained from waiting much loner than 20 weeks
98
Red blood cells
HCT 33-55%
Smaller than canine but larger than feline
Anisocytosis and polychromasia are normal on a smear
Lifespan 57 days
99
White blood cells
Lymphocyte most common circulating leucocyte
Neutrophils called heterophils as cytoplasm stains pink-red
Eosinophils have a bilobed nucleus and bright pink staining granules (can be difficult to distinguish the 2)
100
Skeleton is very ...... and ....... and accounts for ....-.....% of BW
Light
Flexible
6-8%
101
Vertebral formula
C7, T12, L7, S4, Cd 16 (variable)
102
Powerful ......... and ........... muslces
Epaxial
| Hindlimb
103
Tibia and fibula are ...........
Partially fused
104
How many digits are on:
Forelimb
Hindlimb
5
| 4 (at rest entire plantar aspect from toes to hock rests on ground)
105
Do rabbits have footpads?
No (furry feet)
106
Skin is very ....... and incredibly ..........
Thin
| Elastic
107
Hair types
3
Long guard hairs
Short guard hairs
Undercoat
108
Fur types *
Satin
Rex
Wool
Normal
109
Furry all over except ...........
Nose, scrotum, and inguinal area
110
How often do they moult and when?
Twice yearly
spring/autumn
Stats at head, travels down body
111
Does develop large .........
Dewlaps
112
Hair in the stomach
Normal to have some due to grooming
| Can lead to problems if the GI tract motility is slow for any other reason
113
What can having no footpads predispose them to? *
Ulcerative pododermatitis
Generally exacerbated by hard cage surfaces and unhygienic conditions
More common in overweight animals or those with a thin coat (rex)
114
How many sets of scent glands are there?
| Where are they found? *
3 sets
115
Kidneys are ...................
Unipapillate
| Single medullary pyramid (renal papilla and calyx)
116
Serum calcium concentration in rabbits
| Serum calcium concentration in most other mammals
3. 25-3.75 mmol/L
| 1. 25-1.6 mmol/L
117
How are dangerously high serum levels of calcium avoided? *
Action of PTH, calcitonin and active vitamin D3
118
Excess calcium
Excreted by the kidneys
| Forms calcium carbonate crystals in the urine once reabsorptive capacity of kidney is reached
119
Normal urine colour
Varies from pale yellow to dark red
Usually cloudy to some extent
Colour is dietary dependent
120
What can excessive, prolonged dietary calcium intake result in?
Development of urolithiasis
| Rabbits with high levels of calcium in their diet produce thick, creamy urine
121
What does high urinary pH predispose to?
Formation of insoluble calcium precipitates in urine
| several husbandry factors feed into this and results in crystal aggregation and formation of bladder and urinary stones
122
Order and family
Order: Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, pika)
Family: leporidae
123
European rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
124
Adult weight
~2-5Kg (variable with breed)
125
Rabbit behaviour
Social and gregarious species (live in small bonded family groups
Prey species
Use subtle means of communication (scent marking, body language)
Crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk)
126
Domestic rabbit behaviour, social and environment
Work best in small family groups (single-sex sibling groups, neutered pairs)
Ensure stability of:
Environment- don't disturb scent marks
Population- introducing new rabbits is tricky
127
How many breeds?
~ 60 recognised breeds
128
The Lops *
Dwarf lop
Mini lop
French lop
English lop
129
Fancy coated breeds *
Angora
Rex
Satin
130
Black and white breeds *
Himalayan
Dutch
English
131
Very small breeds *
Netherland dwarf
| Polish dwarf
132
New Zealand breeds *
New Zealand Red
| New Zealand White
133
Big breeds *
Continental giant
| Flemish giant
134
Other breeds
The Lionhead
| The Belgian Hare
135
What can stress do?
Significantly reduce gut motility
136
How to gain a rabbit's trust
Take time- let them come to you/be in charge
Avoid touching the nose
Stroke round cheeks and chin to mimic natural mutual grooming behaviour
Don't pick up unless you have to
Food
137
Handling
Ideally introduce from a young age
As little as possible
Support hindlimbs to avoid damage to spine
138
Tonic immobility *
Cortisol increases
Respiratory rate increases
Heart rate increases
A fear response, should not be used as routine restraint or instead of sedation/anaesthesia- they are fully aware
139
They are browsing creatures which means that they can be .......
Highly selective
140
Feeding in the wild
Would make up the bulk of a rabbit's activity (can use food as enrichment in domestic rabbits)
141
Increasing dietary fibre decreases .........
Stress
| Ad lib feeding of long fibre essential
142
Will choose ...... and ....... over grass pellets in concentrate diet. Why problematic? *
Grains and pulses
143
Why are cereal and concentrate mixes bad?
```
High protein, high calorie
Selective feeding
Reduced caecotrophy
Boredom
Dental disease
Obesity
```
144
What do starchy foods lead to?
GI disturbances
145
What kind of fibre is essential for gut motility? *
```
Indigestible fibre
(long fibre)
```
146
Where does digestible fibre ferment?
In Caecum
| VFA production for energy
147
Excess digestible fibre means *
More caecal dysbiosis
| Lawn clipping which ferment readily
148
What should you feed rabbits?
Grass (fresh, dried, hay)- ad lib, ~ 80% of diet
A mixture of timothy, fescue, cocksfoot and meadowgrass is ideal
Alfalfa- only for growing rabbits as high protein and calcium levels, lower fibre (legume)
Clover is very high energy= weight gain
149
What should you supplement diet with?
Edible leafy plants and leafy greens
Carrot tops, beet tops, spinach, rocket
Fruit only as a treat or training aid
Complete pelleted fibre foods fed sparingly if needed- ~25g/Kg
150
What does the amount of calcium absorbed depend on?
The amount of calcium in the gut
151
What regulated calcium?
```
The kidneys (not gut)
Adapted to absorb calcium if the body needs it and excrete it if calcium levels are adequate
```
152
Dietary calcium level required for optimal health
0.6-1%
| RDA of ~510mg for a 2.5KG rabbit
153
Calcium intake depends on both ...................
The calcium content of the food the rabbit is offered and how much it chooses to eat
154
Milk oil is produced due to ........ *
Reaction of doe's milk with digestive enzymes= antimicrobial
| Doesn't form in hand reared kits
155
When does pH of stomach begin to drop?
When kit starts to take plant matter in, bacteria colonise caecum and pH in stomach drops
156
When is milk oil no longer necessary?
Once pH of stomach drops to 1-2
157
Housing requirements
```
Space to:
Sit up with ears erect
Hop
Lie down fully stretched
Play
Eat & drink
Maintain hygiene
```
```
10-20*C
variety of levels and spaces
Scent marking surfaces
Access to outside
Should always be large enough to accommodate 2 rabbits
Min enclosure size of 6ftx2ftx2ft, plus access to an outdoor run of 8ft
3 hops rule
The bigger the better
```
158
Environment
Keep it clean (but preserve scent markings)
| Clean toilet areas at least once a day
159
What does dirty environment predispose to?
Flystrike/myiasis
Pododermatitis
Respiratory disease
160
Relevant legislation
Animal welfare act 2006 (5 freedoms)
Codes of practice (Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England)
England- rabbits protected under welfare of farmed animals regulations 2007 (amended 2010)
161
Vaccinations
Myxomatosis
| RHD (viral heamorrhagic disease- caused by calcivirus)
