Companion Animals

Rabbit Senior Welfare: Dental Disease and Age-Related Conditions

Overview of welfare for senior rabbits, including dental disease management and age-related care.

Key Facts

Rabbits over 5 years are considered senior and have increasing health needs
Dental disease progression requires increasingly frequent veterinary dental procedures
Arthritis affects senior rabbits and may be underdiagnosed due to prey species stoicism
Gut stasis risk increases with age and reduced mobility in older rabbits
Senior rabbit welfare requires adapted housing with accessible resources

Welfare Considerations

Senior rabbit welfare requires increased veterinary monitoring, adapted housing, and management of multiple age-related conditions. Dental disease progresses with age and requires monitoring frequency that increases as rabbits age. Arthritis in senior rabbits causes welfare compromise that is frequently unrecognised due to pain masking. Adapted housing with low entry litter trays and easily accessible food and water maintains welfare in rabbits with reduced mobility.

What You Can Do

Increase dental monitoring frequency for rabbits over five years old
Adapt housing for senior rabbits with reduced mobility and arthritis
Monitor appetite, weight, and faecal output closely in senior rabbits as welfare indicators