THE RABBIT

I. Introduction

• A. ORDER: LAGOMORPHA

• 1. FAMILY: Leporidae (includes rabbits

and hares)
• Rabbits
• Hares
• 2. FAMILY: Ochotonidae
• Pikas
 I. Introduction

Rabbits
(1) social animals
(2) dig burrows
(3) make nest and line with fur
(4) young blind and helpless
(5) susceptible to myxomatosis
(6) warrens
 I. Introduction

Hares
(1) usually solitary
(2) do not dig burrows
(3) rest in depressions called "forms"
(4) young born fully furred with eyes
open
(5) generally larger than rabbits
(6) not susceptible to myxomatosis
I. Introduction

• 2. FAMILY: Ochotonidae

Pikas
(1) shorter ears and legs
(2) live in rocky terrain
(3) store food for winter
I. Introduction

• B. DOMESTIC RABBIT

• 1. Derived from European wild rabbit

• 2. Scientific name: Oryctolagus cuniculus
• 3. Many breeds: New Zealand White, New
Zealand Red, California, Dutch Belted, Lop,
Dwarf, Angora, Belgian Hare, Polish, Flemish
I. Introduction
• 4. Research uses
• a. Advantages

• (1) good antibody producers

• (2) large body of research already done on rabbits
• (3) large enough for some major surgical
procedures
• (4) some genetically unique strains available
I. Introduction

• b. Disadvantages:
• (1) variable response to anesthetic agents
• (2) more prone to cardiovascular failure
• (3) stress prone diseases such as coccidiosis
• (4) respiratory disease due to Pasteurella decreases
gaseous exchange
II. BIOLOGY
• A. Lifespan:
• 1. 5-10 years, record 15 years
• 2. Commercial usually 2-3 years
• 3. Laboratory: a few days to several years

• B. Disposition and Behavior:

• 1. alert and docile, adapt readily to cages
• 2. frightened rabbits may kick, jump or scream
• 3. can occasionally get attack rabbits
• 4. play with feeders, water bottles and lickers
• 5. males spray urine
• 6. adult males fight with other adult males
II. BIOLOGY
• C. Teeth:
• 1. dental formula: I:2/1 (peg teeth), C:0/0, P:3/2,
M:3/3
• 2. incisors grow continuously

• D. Urine:
• 1. creamy yellow, turbid due to calcium crystals
• 2. pH = 8.2; moderate proteinuria normal

• E. Temperature: 99.1-103 F (37.2-39.5 C.) Average

101.1 F.
II. BIOLOGY
• C. Teeth:
• 1. dental formula: I:2/1 (peg teeth), C:0/0, P:3/2,
M:3/3
• 2. incisors grow continuously

• D. Urine:
• 1. creamy yellow, turbid due to calcium crystals
• 2. pH = 8.2; moderate proteinuria normal

• E. Temperature: 99.1-103 F (37.2-39.5 C.) Average

101.1 F.
II. BIOLOGY
• F. Blood volume:
• 1. ~6% of body weight or 56ml/kg
• 2. safe blood sample volumes - maximum of 7.5%
of the total blood volume on repeated weekly draws
or 15% of the total blood volume on a single
occasion. Administering saline intravenously to
replace the lost blood volume will minimize adverse
effects.
• 3. more resistant to anemia than some species, can
check hematocrit for repeated blood draws
II. BIOLOGY

• G. Heart rate: 250-300 beats per minute

• H. Hematocrit: 40-45%

• I. Digestion:
• 1. herbivorous
• a. grazers in the wild
• b also eat bark and can damage trees
II. BIOLOGY
• 2. fermentative digestion in cecum, the largest
part of tract.

• J. Feces:
• 1. hard, dark ,round green or brown pellets
• 2. coprophagy normal - special pellet produced
during dawn hours which is a softer pellet
covered with mucus, ingested directly from anus

• K. Activity: crepuscular(Dawn and Dusk)

III. REPRODUCTION
• A. Puberty: 5-9 months
• B. Estrous cycle:
• 1. polyestrous
• 2. conception rates and production lower in winter

• C. Estrus:
• 1. will accept male during 2-4 week period when
multiple follicles are maturing
• 2. red, moist vulva more likely to indicate
receptivity
III. REPRODUCTION
• D. Ovulation: induced by copulation
• E. Behavior:
• 1. receptive doe hops around and rubs chin on cage
• 2. doe builds nest before kindling (pulls hair)

• [Link]:
• 1. generally take doe to buck's cage
• 2. copulation very fast (can be as little as 30 sec.)
• 3. buck screams and falls over backward when
finished
III. REPRODUCTION
• H. Parturition:
• 1. called "kindling"
• 2. split parturition can occur (up to 3 days apart)
• 3. babies called "bunnies" or “kits”

• I. Litter size: 3-10, record 23

• J. Lactation:
• 1. milk is very rich
• 2. in wild, visit nest once per day
• 3. caged does may nurse 2-3 times per day
• 4. weaning traditionally at 8 weeks
IV. ACQUISITION AND SUPPLY

• A. Conventional

• B. SPF (Specific Pathogen Free)

• 1. usually Pasteurella multocida free
• 2. may also be free of other pathogens such as
Encephalitozoon
• cuniculi or Bordetella brochiseptica
V. HEALTH CARE
• A. Prevention
• 1. Good husbandry practices
• 2. Daily visual inspections
• 3. Loss of appetite - check water supply
• 4. Monthly hands-on inspection including nail trim
• B. Standard manipulations - most common
problems
• 1. Alfalfa and oats - stimulate appetite, prevent hairballs
• 2. Metronidazole 20 mg/kg PO BID X 5-10 days for
prevention or treatment of diarrhea associated with
stressors or antibiotic treatment, add daily Rabbit
Recovery Formula to re-inoculate gut
Alfalfa and oats
Anatomy-skeleton system
• Rabbit has a compact body and heavily muscled
back and rear legs
• The skeleton is lightweight and comprised
only 7% of their total body weight

Strong muscles and Fragile

Skeleton combination makes
them susceptible to fracture of
their lumbar vertebrae
Normal Biological and Reproductive
Data

Adult body weight (M/F) 2-5 Kg/2-6 kg

Life span 5-6 y (up to 15 y)
Body temp 38.5-40̊C
Heart rate 130-325 bpm
Respiration 30-60/min
Food consumption 5g/100g/d
Water consumption 5-10 ml/100g/d
Estrus cycle length Induced ovulator
Pregnancy length(gestation) 29-35 days
Weaning age for pups 4-6 weeks
Litter size 4-10
Bleeding onset (M/F) 6-10 m/ 4-9 m
Breeding duration 1-3 y
Chromosome number (diploid) 44
Postpartum estrus none
Anatomy

• Rabbits have long ears and a short tail and are

covered with very fine, soft fur. They use their chin
glands to mark their territory.
• Each rabbit eye has approximately 190° field of
vision, but they also work together to have a small
amount of binocular vision. Harderian lacrimal
glands behind the eyes help rabbits lubricate the
eyes.
• The primary means of body temperature regulation
is via the blood flow through the large ears.
• Domestic rabbits resemble rodents in many
Anatomy

• Unlike the rodents, rabbits have two pairs of upper

incisor teeth. The additional pair, known as the peg
teeth, is smaller and located directly behind the front
pair.
• The rabbit dental formula is 2 (2/1 incisors, 0/0 canines,
3/2 premolars, and 3/3 molars).
• All of the teeth are continuously growing. In 1 year the
incisors may grow up to 10cm.
• The rabbit has a unique esophagus that is it has three
muscle layers that are striated throughout the entire
length and lacks any mucous glands.
Anatomy-digestive system
• As total herbivores, rabbits
have an extremely long
digestive tract(4-5m) in
order to process their food in
the most efficient way.

• Hindgut digesters

• The caecum is very large.

separate fibrous material
from more digestible
material
Feces
Cecotropes (night feces)
Anatomy-Digestive system
Anatomy-digestive system
• Four lobes liver
• Gallbladder in on the right side of live,
• Large quantities of bile

• Adrenalin Effects
The digestive process of the rabbit appears to
be highly dependent on adrenalin secretions.
• Hypersecretion associated with stress slows
down digestive activity, and entails a high
risk of digestive ailments.
Anatomy-Respiratory system

• Rabbits are nasal

breathers. Blocking their
nasal passages for any
reason, including oral
examinations, can lead to
respiratory compromise
due to the ineffectiveness
of mouth breathing.

If a rabbit is breathing
through its mouth, it is in
severe respiratory distress.
Anatomy-respiratory system
• Lungs have 6 lobes
• Breathing During Surgery
Significant respiratory compromise may
occur if a rabbit is placed in dorsal
recumbency for surgery when the stomach
or cecum is greatly distended.
• Positioning the rabbit on a tilt table or
elevating the thorax with towels or pillows
can decrease the risk of respiratory
compromise at surgery.
Anatomy-Circulatory system
• No tricuspid Valves in right
Atrioventricular orifice

• Heart beat 135-325/BPM,

can be easily affected by
change or stress.
Anatomy-Circulatory system
• Heart failure can occur in a similar way to
those of man. Their arteries can become
'furred up', affecting the function of the
heart. (Atherosclerosis)

• Rabbits that are fed a high calcium diet can

develop calcification of the aorta. this results
in a loss of elasticity of the blood vessel wall
and leads, ultimately, to heart failure
Anatomy-productive system
• Female:

• Uterus: Bicornuate, double

cervix, Each horn possess its
own cervix

• Ovaries are located at the end of

the uterus, right under the kidneys.

• Urethra opens to Vagina

• 4-5 pairs mammary glands

• adult female rabbits are considered to be
more or less always in estrus and are “reflex
ovulators”. This means that ovulation is
induced only after coital stimulation and
happens automatically 9 to 13 h after the
copulation act
Anatomy-productive system
male
femal
e
Anatomy-Urinary System
• Uni-papillate

• 50-75ml/kg of urine is produced

daily, dark red to orange color,
may appear cloudy,

Rabbits excrete calcium and

magnesium ions primarily in the
urine
Anatomy-Sensory organ

The main sensory organs in the rabbit anatomy

consist of:

•the eyes - vision

•the nose - smell

•the ears - hearing

Anatomy-Sensory organ
• Eyes: the large eyes are placed high and to
the sides of the skull, it allows the rabbit to
see nearly 360 degrees, as well as far above
their head
• The eyes can quickly and effectively detect
approaching predators from almost any
direction.
• Never approach a rabbit from the back, as
this is reminiscent of being attacked by a
predator
Anatomy-Sensory organ
Ears:
• Hearing is a the most vital sense
within the rabbit anatomy.
• Most rabbits have large, erect ears
• They can move their ears independently
of each other to help them hear
if danger is approaching. It’s
the rabbit’s own built-in radar
system
Anatomy-Sensory organ
• Nose
• Rabbits have over fifty million
receptor cells in their nose,
These enable rabbits to detect
predators well before they may
even see them.
• Olfactory sensory cells detect
ordinary airborne odors, while
a specialized group, the Jacobson Organ, pick up
heavy moisture- borne molecules and pheromones. (Moist
air carries more scent).
Sniffer Rabbit
Housing and Environment
• Rabbits are normally housed in front-opening, stainless
steel or plastic cages in a research facility.
• Rabbits can tolerate cold temperatures very well, so for
indoor housing of rabbits, heat is not required. Provided
that they are protected from extremes in environmental
conditions, rabbits can be housed outdoors.
• In research facilities the recommended temperature
range for housed rabbits is 16-22 C with a relative
humidity between 30% and 70%.
• Rabbits should not be housed close to noisy species such
as dogs, pigs, or monkeys or near noisy equipment such
as cage washers, because elevated noiselevels may
actually produce physiologic changes.
Techniques-Handling and Restraint
• Handle rabbits firmly and gently. They can cause deep
scratches in their handlers because they are prone to
kick their hindlimbs. A firm grip on the loose skin over
the scruff of the neck with one hand allows the rabbit to
be picked up. The other hand should be used to support
the animal's hindquarters and to limit back leg
movement .
• Never use the ears to pick up a rabbit.
• Restraint devices primarily serve to control the body of
the rabbit while the head or ears are being manipulated.
Identification
• Cage cards should be used as a form of general
identification, but ear tags, ear tattoos, or placement of
a subcutaneous microchip that is electronically encoded
can be used as individual identifications.
• Fur dyes can serve as a temporary method of
identification.
Blood Collection
• Most species average 7% of the body weight in grams of
blood volume,assuming the animal is mature and healthy.
• Small amounts of blood can be obtained from the
marginal ear, cephalic, and lateral saphenous veins.
• Large samples of blood can be collected from the
auricular artery.
• Individuals must be familiar with the anatomy of the
auricular vessels.
• To stimulate blood flow, warm the ear with a heat lamp or
warm water and gently stroke the base of the ear.
• Larger quantities of blood can be collected from an
anesthetized rabbit through cardiac punctures.
Volume (mL)
• Adult rabbit blood volumes (values are approximate)
Total blood 160-480
Single sample 20-40
Exsanguination 60-160
Drug Administration

• Palatable drugs may be administered to rabbits by

incorporating them in the food or water. Liquid
medications can be administered by placing the tip of a
syringe in the corner of the mouth and slowly injecting
small amounts repeatedly.
• Palatable drugs may be administered to rabbits by
incorporating them in the food or water. Liquid
medications can be administered by placing the tip of a
syringe in the corner of the mouth and slowly injecting
Maximum
small amounts dosing volumes in rabbits (values are
repeatedly.
approximate)
Route Amount(mL/kg)
Intraperitoneal(IP) 20.0
Subcutaneous(SC) 20.0
Intramuscular(IM) 0.5/site
Intravenous(IV) 2.0(bolus)/10.0(infusion)
Per os(PO) 15.0
Euthanasia
• Intravenous administration of barbiturates or
euthanizing solutions can be used to euthanize rabbits
by overdosing them. This method is painless, fast, easily
accomplished,and relatively [Link]
anesthetics and CO2(approximately 70%) can be used
but are less favorable methods because struggling and
vocalizations usually occur.