Rabbits are increasing in number in many countries around the world, not only as babies but also as pets. They are cuddly and quiet, don't need to be walked, eat inexpensive food, and can even be alone for quite some time without expressing separation anxiety.
In the UK alone, almost a third of households own a dog and a quarter of households own a cat, but rabbits are third with 1.5 million (2.8% of all households), followed by indoor birds and hamsters. They are followed by guinea pigs and turtles. and turtles, lizards, snakes, and fowl.
Pain in rabbits can be caused by a variety of reasons, including illness, accidental injury, and planned surgery. Fractures are considered the most painful condition. It is essential for all pet owners to recognize when their animal is in pain. Many owners hide suffering and illness, just like their wild ancestors.
Rabbit owners need to know when to seek help to protect their rabbit's welfare. New research from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Medicine shows that while most rabbit owners can list the signs of pain and can almost tell the difference between a pain-free rabbit and a rabbit in severe pain, many owners are unable to recognize the subtle signs of pain. It was found that there was a lack of knowledge about the symptoms.
The study was published in BMC Veterinary Research and “Survey on how accurately British rabbit owners perceive pain in their pet rabbits” This provides the first insight into how rabbit owners identify pain and their general ability to apply this knowledge to accurately detect pain.
Rabbits hide signs of illness and pain
Rabbits are a prey species and have evolved to hide signs of illness or pain. Recent studies have developed pain scales for use by veterinarians, but have not investigated rabbit owners' ability to recognize pain in their animals.
This study investigated how owners perceive pain in their pet rabbits and their ability to correctly recognize different pain levels and identify areas where owners would benefit from education.
Owners were recruited through various channels, including Facebook, and completed a two-part online survey. In the first part, we collected data on demographics, owners' knowledge of pain symptoms, and beliefs about pain in rabbits.
In the second part, respondents were asked to compare videos of eight pain scores recorded during routine veterinary treatment of rabbits with varying pain levels with pain scores created by three experts. I asked for it.
A total of 500 people completed the first part of the survey and 345 completed the second part. Most respondents were able to identify her five signs of pain (such as loss of appetite, changes in posture or movement). Still, many people didn't realize that decreased grooming behavior and changes in the position of the eyes and ears can also be signs of pain.
Women, people who worked with rabbits, and people who had experience in rabbit surgery perceived pain more accurately. Overall, 98.6% of respondents correctly thought that rabbits feel pain as much or more than dogs and cats.
In part 2, respondents were more likely to agree with experts when recognizing rabbits with no pain (88.8%) and severe pain (65.2%), but less likely to identify rabbits with mild pain (28.4%) and moderate pain. Agreement was lower when recognizing degree of pain (43.2%).
Respondents rated pain lower than experts, with a mean total pain score of 11.9 compared to 18 for experts. Dr Nicola Rooney, senior lecturer in wildlife and conservation at the University of Bristol and corresponding author, said: “Most rabbit owners were able to list a number of signs of pain and were able to tell the difference between a rabbit in no pain and one in severe pain.
Owners' ability to distinguish between mild and moderate pain is even more limited, so training to recognize subtle signs of pain may be helpful. Veterinary professionals should also be aware of areas where they can improve their owner's knowledge. ”
First author Charlotte Fodor carried out research for a terminal bachelor's degree in veterinary nursing and veterinary research. She further added: “Our research highlights gaps in communication between owners and veterinarians.
It is essential to talk and advise the owner when the animal undergoes a procedure to ensure the best outcome for the animal. It's also a great opportunity for the veterinary community to educate owners about the signs of pain in rabbits. ”
