Page 14 - ACT Annual Review 2023-2024

abbits are popular pets but
research into their particular
diseases and welfare issues is
R under-funded. The ACT recently
helped to fund much-needed research to
identify whether the anatomy of the rabbit’s
head affects the risk of dental and ear
disease, to determine whether particular
breeds have particular susceptibilities and
to help inform breeding for better rabbit
welfare. Dental and ear diseases are very
common in pet rabbits, and are severely
painful for humans, so are likely to be just
as detrimental to the welfare of rabbits.
Previous studies have given mixed reports about whether
lop-eared (with ears that hang down) and brachycephalic
(flat-faced) rabbits are more likely to develop these
diseases, so the ACT-funded research aimed to resolve
the uncertainty through directly observing a large sample
of rabbits. The researchers worked closely with the British
Maria Jackson conducting an ear Rabbit Council (BRC) to maximise the impact results may
examination on an Angora rabbit
have on breed standards and breeder advice.

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