Understanding the epidemic of dental disease in domestic rabbits, its connection to diet and genetics, and the welfare implications of a condition that causes chronic pain in millions of pet rabbits.
Rabbit dental disease represents an enormous and largely preventable welfare burden affecting millions of pet rabbits globally. The epidemic has two primary drivers: the popularity of lop breeds with inherently compromised skull anatomy, and widespread misunderstanding of rabbit dietary needs leading to hay-deficient feeding. Both drivers are addressable through better information and purchasing decisions. The welfare consequences of dental disease — chronic pain from tooth spurs abrading the tongue and cheek, reluctance to eat, weight loss, and GI complications — are severe and progressive. Prevention through appropriate diet is far superior to treatment, which typically involves repeated anesthesia for dental filing procedures throughout the rabbit's life.