References
Assessing chronic pain in rabbits
Abstract
Having worked in practice for nearly a decade, the author developed a passion for rabbit welfare, husbandry and medicine. The author researched how clients view chronic pain in their pet rabbits, how chronic pain in rabbits can be measured and how this may affect routine health checks of rabbits.
It is estimated that there are 1–1.5 million rabbits in the UK, making them the third most popular pet in the country (Protexin Vet, 2024). It has always been the author's professional opinion that arthritis in rabbits often goes undiagnosed and is much more prevalent than previously thought.
This study aimed to look at how owners perceive pain in their pet rabbits because if owners were not thinking their rabbit was in pain, they would not be taken to veterinary professionals to be assessed. It may often be the case that owners are thinking their pet is just ‘slowing down’ but, in actual fact, they may be suffering from a chronic health condition such as osteoarthritis (Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, 2024a). Therefore, the owner's perception should not be underestimated.
A sample of 100 rabbit owners responded to an online questionnaire which had 15 questions varying from age, breed and diet to symptoms of pain, concurrent health conditions and mobility of their pet.
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