IM- Lumbar muscles  Intramuscular injections may be given into the lumbar muscles on either side of the backbone, or into the large muscle groups in the back leg, either anterior or posterior to the femur

Grooming  Nail Trimming:  The nails of rabbits can be trimmed, just like the nails of dogs and cats. It is very useful to trim the sharp tips of the nails of rabbits that struggle or are aggressive.  The screws of a guillotine- type nail trimmer should face the rabbit, and your fingers should move the hinged part of the handle; the stationary side of the handle should be placed against your thumb.

 It is easy to see the blood vessels (called the "quick") that are located in the nail. It is important not to cut the quick, because bleeding and pain will occur. Use the trimmers to cut the sharp tip that extends beyond the quick.  If bleeding does occur, apply a silver nitrate stick to the quick until bleeding ceases (this is painful, because nerves have been exposed, so be as gentle as possible.

Physical Examination:  Research animals must be maintained in a health condition for experimental results to be valid.  Look at the rabbit in its cage BEFORE you open the door of the cage.  Initial examination- The initial exam should be performed before the rabbit has been handled extensively (i.e. before it's excited).

 Observe the general appearance of the rabbit and how it has been cared for. Does it look well-cared for, unthrifty (with poor hair coat and sunken eyes) or over- or underweight?  Describe the rabbit's attitude: is it BAR (bright, alert and responsive), QAR (quiet, alert and responsive), depressed, lethargic, excited or aggressive?

Weight  Changes in an animal's weight are an easy way to monitor its overall health. Gently place the rabbit on the scale and weigh it Record the weight to kilograms

Vital signs  Along with body weight, the vital signs-- temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate-- are important parameters used to monitor the health of an animal. These values should be obtained early in an exam, before the animal becomes excited.  Temperature.– 101.3º-104º  Heart rate beats per minute  Respiratory rate breaths per minute

Pulse - Respiratory rate  Place your index finger on the medial (inside) thigh over the femoral artery. Palpate (feel for) a slight groove and apply gentle pressure until you feel the pulse.  Watch the sides of the rabbit or listen with a stethoscope to the animal's breath.

Systems Examination:  When performing a physical examination, it is essential that the entire animal be evaluated in a systematic manner. You should examine the rabbit from its nose to its tail. Develop a routine and follow the same pattern every time that you perform an exam, and you will be less likely to overlook a problem.

Restraint for Physical Exam  One handed palpation - Hold with forearm and tuck into abdomen  Two handed palpation - tuck hindquarter into abdomen and face nose away

Review  Rabbit/Rabbit.html Rabbit/Rabbit.html

CHEMICAL RESTRAINT INJECTABLE ANESTHESIA

XYLAZINE/KETAMINE/MEDETOMIDINE  Short duration of action (25-45 minutes)  Ketamine: mg/kg + Xylazine: 3-5 mg/kg IM  Ketamine: 25 mg/kg + Medetomidine 0.5 mg/kg IM  Page 212

TILETAMINE-ZOLAZEPAM  For minor surgical procedures  Dose  Rabbtis: 7.5 mg/kg IM  Can have prolonged recovery  Used in combination with xylazine  Decrease dose  Better effect and faster recovery

INHALANT ANESTHESIA  Use for any major surgical procedure  Induce with gas alone or with injectable anesthetics  Isoflurane is the agent of choice

BREEDING AND REPRODUCTION

Maturation  The sexual development of a rabbit is strongly dependent on breed, sex, nutrition, and season of birth.  In the small and medium breeds of rabbits, females are sexually mature and ready for breeding at 4-1/2 to 5 months.  The larger breeds are not ready until 8 or 9 months of age, with the bucks maturing approximately one month later than the does.

Reproduction (cont) Copulation: Take doe to buck’s cage Very fast Buck screams and falls over backward when done Kindling = parturition Split parturition can occur – up to 3 days Babies – “bunnies” or “kits” No postpartum breeding

Reproductive behaviors  In breeding colonies, one buck is maintained for does. The doe is usually taken to the buck's cage and left for minutes. Mating normally occurs rapidly; however the buck may display a form of courtship behavior that includes rapid circling around the female, elevating his hind quarters, walking stiff-legged, and laying his tail flat down against his back or flagging it

Reproduction (cont) Do not touch bunnies for 3 days after birth Cannibalism does occur Young does Excitement, thirst, malnutrition Pseudopregnancy common Sterile matings Excitement by nearby buck Mounting by other does Signs: nest building, mammary enlargement

Pregnancy  If the doe is receptive and the buck is experienced, copulation occurs rapidly, and she will normally ovulate hours after mating. Eighty percent of matings will result in pregnancy, which can be confirmed by marble-sized uterine swellings that can be palpated through the abdominal wall by the th day of gestation.

Nest box  A nest box should be provided for the pregnant doe as a secluded place for kindling, or giving birth. Nest boxes vary in size, but in general measure " long, " wide, 12" high at the back and 9" high at the front. Hay, straw, or some other form of nesting material should be provided.  Several days prior to parturition, the doe will carry the nesting material into the nest box and mix it with fur plucked from her body to form a nest. The nesting box can be removed when the young are 3 weeks of age.

Newborn  After a day gestation period, the doe will normally give birth to a litter of 7 or 8 young, weighing grams each.  They are hairless for 4 days, have closed eyelids for 7 days, and are poikilothermic; i.e., unable to control their body temperature, for 7 days or more.  The doe will normally nurse them for approximately ten minutes in the early morning, and then leave the nest alone

Reproduction (cont) Kits – Eyes open 7-10 days Begin solid food at 3 weeks Wean at 4-6 weeks Lactation – milk very rich Nurse 2-3 times daily as pets Wild - nurse only once a day

Juveniles  In most commercial production systems, the young are separated from the doe at about 4-1/2 weeks.  Does are usually rebred weeks after kindling, when the young are weaned, but they can be mated 15 days after parturition