Description
What rabbits eat is often a key component in remaining healthy. They have a very specialised and complex gastrointestinal tract. The most important element of the gut is the fermentative vat; the caecum. The caecum or ‘hind gut’ is where a diverse population of bacterial species live. The balance of this bacterial population can be influenced by age, diet, the season, environment and the use of things such as probiotics and antibiotics. It is a fine balance and the consequences of it becoming unbalanced, can be life-threatening. What should rabbits eat? Well rabbits eat grass!? And certainly should be eating grass and hay, and lots of it! Getting their diet correct is often paramount to ensuring they remain healthy. Many health conditions, such as dental disease, obesity, flystrike, gastrointestinal stasis and urinary sludge, all have some association to their diet, and therefore by ensuring rabbits are fed what nature intended, many of these can be avoided or lessened in their severity. They must have access to a high fibre, low calorie diet, which takes them a long time to chew; this encourages correct dental and gastrointestinal health, as well as preventing boredom. Sadly, this is often overlooked and rabbits are allowed to selectively feed or fed a diet which does not meet their specific requirements. This leads to, not only health problems but also behavioural issues. But a correct diet ensures greater welfare, not only for their health but also their behavioural requirements. Life stage feeding is important – the requirements for young, rapidly growing rabbits are different to those of a neutered, adult rabbit or one in their senior years. The diet needs to be altered to take into account these requirements. This is something that is common place for cats and dogs, and yet often overlooked for rabbits. This lecture will guide nurses through what we should be advising owners to feed their rabbits, what can happen when an inappropriate diet is fed and how to educate clients on a suitable diet for their rabbits.