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Chapter 26

Rabbits

III NORMAL RADIOGRAPHIC ANATOMY
Rabbits are docile creatures that make excellent, albeit
sometimes short-lived, pets (Figure 26-1). Regrettably, Skull
many bunnies given to young children at Easter fail

to reach their first birthdays. These pets become ill The skull of a rabbit resembles a somewhat asymmetri-
and eventually succumb to respiratory pasteurellosis, cal egg (Figure 26-6). The upper incisors are long and
a disease related to many factors, including inadequate curved, whereas the lower incisors are shoveled. The
nutrition, overcrowded housing, and stress-related interdental spaces are quite large and together form a
marketing practices. sizable gap between the jaws. The nasal cavity is volu-
minous and contains an elaborate system of conchae.
The caudal half of the mandible is very large, extend-
III RADIOGRAPHY ing well below the cranial portion. There are fi ve upper

and five lower cheek teeth, featuring lengthy and com-
Most pet rabbits can be radiographed or viewed by plex root systems.
ultrasound without chemical or gas restraint (Figure The long and distinctive ears of rabbits can appear
26-2). Specialized, ported-lead mitts are ideally suited quite clearly on a skull radiograph (Figure 26-7), de-
for manually restraining rabbits (Figure 26-3), although pending on the radiographic technique and the manner
their protective flaps may inadvertently conceal por- in which the animal is being positioned. When a

tions of the desired field (Figure 26-4). However, force cranial, facial, or jaw fracture is strongly suspected, it
must be avoided when restraining sick rabbits, espe- may appear in the form of a superimposed ear
cially those with respiratory disease, because they are shadow.
prone to cardiopulmonary arrest.
On the subject of restraining pet rabbits, I should Hips (Coxal Joints)
point out that in over 30 years, I have never seen a
rabbit injure itself while being transported to or from Immature Hip. The hips of an immature rabbit differ
the Radiology Department, or during radiography. decidedly from those of dogs and cats, animals with

When I first began my career, I was warned repeatedly which most veterinarians are most familiar. Specifi -
that the force of a rabbit’s kick, while trying to escape cally, the unfused femoral head of an immature rabbit
the grip of the radiographer, for example, may be suf- appears to consist of two distinct elliptical pieces
ficient to break the animal’s back, something I still (Figure 26-8), instead of the single, hemispherical

have yet to witness. We handle most sick and injured epiphysis found in companion animals. But in reality,
rabbits as shown in Figure 26-5, which not only con- the femoral head of a rabbit develops from only a

trols them but also relaxes the animal and makes it feel single ossification center and only appears bipartite
relatively secure. Text continued on p. 296.
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