Causes of stress of rabbits

Causes of stress of rabbits

• Pain and disease

• Unfamiliar surroundings

• Transport

• Rough handling

• Proximity of potential predators: dogs, cats, ferrets, birds of prey and, for wild rabbits, humans

• A dominant companion and no means of escape

• Inability to exhibit natural behaviour patterns, e.g. to forage, make a nest or interact socially

• Poor husbandry: insufficient food, water and indigestible fibre, excessively high or low environmental temperature Effects of stress in rabbits Many of the effects of stress are linked to the release of catecholamines or corticosteroids and can be life-threatening:

• Catecholamine release can cause heart failure and death. Stress due to overcrowding has been used to induce cardiomyopathy in laboratory rabbits

• Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system inhibits activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Gut motility is reduced, which can have a knock-on effect. Gut stasis, trichobezoar formation (hairballs), enterotoxaemia and mucoid enteropathy can all be linked with stress

• Stress in rabbits causes a marked decrease in urine flow, renal plasma flow and filtration rate. Oliguria can last from 30 to 120 minutes

• Stress can increase gastric acidity and cause gastric ulceration in rabbits

• Stress is immunosuppressive. Rabbits suffering from dental disease have significantly lower lymphocyte counts than healthy rabbits

• Stress affects carbohydrate metabolism. Handling alone can cause an increase in blood glucose to the order of 8.5 mmol/l. Blood glucose levels can be very high (20–25 mmol/l) in association with intestinal obstruction and other stressful diseases

• Stress causes anorexia that, in combination with disruption to normal carbohydrate metabolism, can lead to hepatic lipidosis, liver failure and death Ways to minimize stress in rabbits undergoing veterinary treatment

• Use analgesics in any situation where the rabbit may be experiencing pain

• Use quiet, gentle handling and sedate or anaesthetize rabbits for painful or uncomfortable procedures

• Wrap rabbits in a towel for examination or procedures such as blood sampling

• Keep rabbits away from the sight, sound and smell of predators, e.g. barking dogs, ferrets

• Provide hay as bedding material for rabbits awaiting or recovering from surgery. Hay smells familiar and provides security for timid animals. It is also a source of indigestible fibre and foraging material

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