A hands off exam of the patient in its carrier should be performed first. From this the veterinary nurse can assess if the patient is collapsed or dyspnoeic, which would require immediate critical...
A 1-year 11-month-old, 2.1 kg, male intact crossbreed rabbit presented to Abercorn Veterinary Clinic, Edinburgh after being fostered through a rabbit charity. Clinical examination by a veterinary...
Taking a thorough history is a cornerstone of exotic animal medicine: estimates of the prevalence of husbandry-related diseases vary depending on the study, but it is generally agreed that inadequate...
The selected species considered in this article are monogastric hindgut fermenters: they have a single, non-compartmentalised stomach, and a large caecum that is the site of microbial fermentation...
Small exotic mammals are prone to stress in hospital environments and should be given time to become accustomed to their unfamiliar surroundings. These species have high sympathetic tone that can...
As discussed, rabbits require a source of low-quality roughage, as well as a handful of non-selective pellets, and some fruit/vegetables in small amounts. Ideally, they should receive at least 80% of...
Rupert was a 6-year-old, male neutered, crossbreed rabbit belonging to one of the clinic's veterinary surgeons. He was fully up to date with vaccinations against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic...
An understanding of the natural lifestyle of rabbits makes it easy to see why the traditional way of keeping rabbits impacts on their welfare. What an owner considers to be a behaviour problem may...
Within private practice a dedicated veterinary nurse, who is well trained, could also set up a nutrition service. The Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians has a board certified training...
The ideal diet for pet rabbits is unlimited grass-based hay, green leafy vegetables, and limited high-quality, hay-based pellets (Bradley, 2004). As they age, geriatric rabbits are fed the same foods,...
Health checking is important to allow early detection of disease and maintain health (RSPCA, 2017a). The findings of this study suggest that while most owners performed some form of health checking,...
The following week, Dominic was brought back into the surgery with his companion. Rabbits living with a bonded companion can find social isolation stressful, so hospitalisation of both animals is...
Rabbits have a long narrow mouth, with limited mandibular and maxillary movement as well as a pair of large incisors and tongue. All these contribute to difficulty visualising the epiglottis for...
From their teeth to the end of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the digestive system of rabbits is designed to enable them to get as much nutrition as possible out of high-fibre vegetation of low...
Rabbits are obligate herbivores and their cyclical digestive process requires high amounts of fibre to meet nutritional needs. In the wild, rabbits primarily consume tough fibrous grasses and leafy...