Dental disease is the leading cause of illness and suffering in pet rabbits. Understanding rabbit dental anatomy and how diet and housing affect tooth health is essential for every rabbit owner.
Dental disease causes immense and often prolonged suffering in pet rabbits before it is recognized. Rabbits in pain rarely vocalize — they simply eat less, lose weight, and gradually deteriorate. A rabbit fed an inappropriate diet lacking sufficient hay will develop dental problems with near-certainty over time. The welfare cost is enormous given that rabbits are one of the most commonly kept pets yet dental disease remains massively underdiagnosed. Prevention through appropriate diet is inexpensive and highly effective. Regular veterinary checkups including oral examination under sedation allow early detection of dental abnormalities before they cause chronic pain.