Rabbit Dental Disease Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Dental disease is the most common serious health problem in pet rabbits. The unique dental anatomy of rabbits makes prevention and treatment distinctly different from other species.

Key Facts

Rabbits have continuously growing teeth that require constant wear through appropriate diet
Dental malocclusion causes spurs, hooks, and points that cut the tongue and cheeks causing severe pain
Inappropriate diets low in hay provide insufficient dental wear leading to overgrowth
Signs of dental disease include reduced appetite, drooling, and facial swelling
Repeated dental treatments under anaesthesia are often required for affected rabbits

Welfare Considerations

Rabbits with dental disease experience significant and often chronic pain from sharp tooth spurs and malocclusion causing oral ulceration. The underlying cause in most cases is dietary — insufficient hay intake allowing overgrowth. The most important preventive measure is ensuring hay constitutes 80-90% of the diet to provide continuous dental wear. Many rabbit owners significantly underestimate this requirement. Once malocclusion develops, repeated veterinary dental procedures are necessary throughout the rabbit's life.

What You Can Do

Provide unlimited grass hay as the primary diet component for all rabbits
Ensure pellets form no more than a small portion of the total diet
Schedule annual dental checks with a rabbit-experienced veterinarian from age 3
Learn to recognise dental disease signs including reduced appetite and facial asymmetry
Do not delay dental treatment in rabbits as pain causes rapid appetite loss and GI stasis