Rabbit dental disease is almost entirely preventable through appropriate diet. Understanding why unlimited hay is the single most important rabbit welfare intervention helps owners prioritize correctly.
Hay inadequacy is the single most preventable welfare problem in pet rabbits, yet the majority of pet rabbits receive insufficient hay. The connection between inadequate hay and dental disease is direct and well-established - without appropriate abrasion, teeth overgrow and develop painful malocclusion. The digestive consequences (GI stasis) are separately life-threatening. A rabbit eating insufficient hay is on a slow trajectory toward dental disease, gut problems, and significant suffering that veterinary treatment can manage but not fully reverse once structural damage occurs. The welfare intervention is free (hay is cheaper than commercial rabbit food) and simple - providing unlimited hay daily.