Dental disease is the most common serious health problem in pet rabbits. Prevention through correct diet and early detection through regular veterinary checks can avoid significant suffering.
Rabbits with dental disease suffer silently - they cannot vocalise pain and their stoic nature means owners often do not notice problems until disease is advanced. Rabbits in pain from dental disease stop eating, lose weight, and develop secondary gut stasis - all serious welfare problems. The preventive power of correct hay-based diet is extraordinary, and owners who provide this diet can avoid the most severe dental problems in most rabbits.