Dental disease is the most common health problem in pet rabbits, causing chronic pain that is often missed because rabbits hide illness — a significant and preventable welfare concern.
Rabbit dental disease causes persistent, often severe pain that owners frequently miss because rabbits instinctively conceal weakness. By the time owners notice reduced appetite or weight loss, disease is often advanced. The chronic nature of dental pain — sharp spurs digging into soft tissue with every swallow — represents significant suffering. Proper diet is the cornerstone of prevention, yet many rabbit owners feed pellet-heavy diets that do not provide adequate dental wear.