Dental disease is the most complex health challenge in companion rabbits, often linked to genetics and diet. Prevention and early detection are critical for rabbit welfare.
Rabbit dental disease represents a welfare crisis that is partly human-made and substantially preventable. The high prevalence of dental problems in dwarf and lop breeds reflects selective breeding for head shape that compromises dental anatomy — the same conformation selection that produces flat faces in dogs and cats produces dental crowding in rabbits. Poor diet — insufficient hay, excessive pellets and treats — exacerbates genetic dental predisposition and causes preventable dental wear problems even in breeds without hereditary malocclusion. Because rabbits mask pain effectively and dental disease develops slowly, many rabbits endure months of significant discomfort before diagnosis. Owner education about hay importance and early warning signs, combined with breed selection that avoids most-affected conformations, prevents a large proportion of rabbit dental welfare problems.