The Rabbit

Normal Rectal Temp

101.3-104

Heart Rate

180-250 beats per min

Kits can consume this much body weight in minutes

20%

Gestation

29-35 days

Respiration Rate

30-60 breaths per min

Pasteurellosis

A.K.A. Snuffles. this is a upper respiratory tract infection

Urine PH

Alkaline

Handling and Restraint

Approach slow and calmly. Basic restraint involves scruffing the neck

Fancy Breeds

Belgian Hare, lop, dwarf rabbits.

Reproduction

Doe matures earlier than bucks. New Zealand white female are sexually mature around 5month.

Psoroptes cuniculi

Ear Mites

Identification

Ear Tags, Tattoos, microchips.

Rabbit Head and Neck

Ears are highly vascular and serve as a thermoregulatory organ. Pinnae of ears are longer than wide. A large fleshy tongue with posterior elevation makes intubation challenging. Skin folds under the neck called the Dewlap.

Animal Models

First model of atherosclerosis. Used in eye irritancy evaluations. Ease of handling and large accessible ear veins makes them useful in antibody production and studies that require large volumes of blood.

How to determine gender in rabbits

For males you will apply a digital pressure

Anestesia

Greater risk to rabbits over any other lab animal. Easily stressed, very difficult to intubate, highly variable response to anesthetic. Can not vomit, high metabolic rate predisposes to hypoglycemia, fasting a few hours before anesthesia aid in obtaining accurate weight. High reserves of body fat complicate anesthesia with barbiturates.

Rabbit Diet

Herbivorous and Coprophagic, commercial rabbit feed. Higher fiber diets are required to prevent Trichobezoars.

Unique Anatomy of the Rabbit

High muscle to bone ratio. Large body fat reserves that contribute to their lightweight compared to their size. Females are larger than males. No footpads. short tail and will sometimes be marked

Strain

Inbred

Tularemiax

Is also known as rabbit fever. Zoonotic. inhalation, ingestion, bite wounds.

Parturition in Rabbits

Is known as kindling.

Order of Rabbit

Lagomorpha

Family of Rabbit

Leporidge

Genus of Hares and Jackrabbits

Lepus

Reference Values

Life span is 5-8 years old, adult body weight is 2-5kg for buck, 2-6kg for the doe.

Rabbit Behavior

Make great pets and rarely bite. Can be trained to use litter box. Rabbits tend to develop specific dominance hierarchies. Most active at twilight.

Blood Collection Site

Marginal Ear Vein, Auricular Artery, Jugular (sedation). Cephalic, Lateral Saphenous, cardia

New Zealand White

Most commonly used rabbit in research.

Rabbit Typically used in research

New Zealand White

Cheyletiella Parasitovorax

Nonburrowing fur mite with zoonotic potential. Walking dandruff.

This occurs for a few minutes each day.

Nursing

Genus of Domestic Rabbits

Oryctolagus

Stock

Outbred

Euthanasia

Overdose with inhalant or injectable agent.

Encephalitozoonosis

Protozoal parasite, shed in urine.

Rabbit Skeletal Anatomy

Radius and ulna are fused together.

Thoraxic Cavity

Relatively small heart. Right lung is larger because of the 3 lobes.

Fur Breeds of rabbits

Rex, angora, satin

First to domesticate rabbits

Romans

Rabbit Teeth

Second pair of incisors. Peg teeth or wolf teeth. Located just posterior to first incisor. Rabbit teeth are hypsodontic. Malocclusion can result from overgrown incisors.

Husbandry

Stainless steel or plastic cages. Cages should be open in front. Need to be at least 3 times the size of the rabbit. Must be cleaned daily to keep ammonia levels down. Litter boxes may be used. Temp rang is 62-70 degrees. Temp higher than 85 means they die. Humidity of 30-70%

Genus of cotton tails

Sylvilagus

Urine is

Thick and creamy

Atropine

This is contraindicated and ineffective in rabbit.

Normal in Rabbits

albuminuria and proteinuria

Rabbits neutrophils

are more properly term hederphils

Altricial

born blind, hairless and deaf.

Terminal Portion of ileum

consists of sacculus rotundus

colon

divided into a distal and proximal portion

Oral Medication Administration

in water source, feeding tube

Uterus of Bunny

is duplex with 2 cervixes and 2 cervical orifices and without a uterine body. Cervix opens directly into the vagina.

Characteristic of Hares

longer feet than rabbits and usually have longer ears. Most live in the open country. Born fully furred and ready to hop. Diet consists of grasses, leaves, buds, tree bark and roots.

SQ

loose skin, max vol of 100ml

Litter size of rabbits

normally 4-12 kits.

Rabbits are cecotrophs

production of cecotrophs

Hybrid

single mating between two inbred strains

SPF

specific pathogen free

myxomatosis

viral disease, Highs mortality rate. Insect vectors. No effective treatment. Conjunctivitis. No effective treatment.