Rabbit dental disease - predominantly molar malocclusion - is the leading welfare-relevant health condition in domestic rabbits and is directly caused by inadequate dietary fiber from grass hay.
Rabbit dental disease represents a welfare crisis driven entirely by owner knowledge gaps. Animals suffering from molar malocclusion experience pain on every chewing attempt, leading to reduced food intake, gastrointestinal stasis, and progressive weight loss - all before owners notice obvious signs. The condition is almost entirely preventable through lifelong ad libitum hay provision, which provides both the mechanical wear and the gut motility benefits that rabbits require. The veterinary system can treat dental disease, but repeated anesthetic dental procedures represent significant welfare burden and cost. Prevention through correct nutrition is both the most effective and most humane approach to the epidemic of rabbit dental disease.