Dental disease is the leading cause of preventable suffering in pet rabbits. The connection between diet, tooth structure and welfare is critical for every rabbit owner to understand.
Rabbit dental disease represents a preventable welfare crisis rooted in the disconnect between how rabbits are marketed (as easy, low-maintenance pets) and their actual complex needs. The single most important welfare intervention for any pet rabbit is unlimited timothy or meadow hay as 80-90% of the diet. Pellets should be minimal and treats largely avoided. Yet the pet food industry profits from selling concentrated pellet diets and treats that undermine dental health. Rabbit owners who provide appropriate hay-based diets, regular health checks and dental monitoring are giving their animals a fundamentally better life than those following conventional pet shop advice.