Dental disease is the most common health problem in pet rabbits, causing chronic pain that is often unrecognized. Understanding why it occurs and how to prevent it is essential for rabbit welfare.
Rabbit dental disease represents a chronic welfare crisis in the pet rabbit population. The combination of insufficient hay feeding and genetic predisposition in popular breeds creates conditions where most rabbits will develop dental problems. The pain from oral ulcers caused by dental spurs, and from the secondary infections that accompany them, is significant and may persist for months before owners recognize that anything is wrong. Rabbits hide pain signals effectively as prey animals, meaning that many are suffering for extended periods with dental disease that has not been detected. The commercial rabbit food pellet market has historically promoted pellet-based diets that are inappropriate for dental health. Breed selection for flat-faced or lop-eared features amplifies genetic vulnerability to the very dental problems that cause the most suffering.