Comparative Anatomy of a Dog and a Rabbit

Commonalities of All Mammals  Have mammary glands  Have a single lower jaw  Have hair  Are endotherms  Have a diaphragm  Have a four-chambered heart

Dog Characteristics

Smell  Excellent sense of smell. Helps them to sense prey

Eyes  Eyes in Front of Head  Allows for depth perception

Whiskers  Sensitive whiskers  Whiskers work with air currents to pinpoint where prey might be  Touching whiskers closes the dog’s eye for protection

Eyelids  Nictitating membrane  acts as third eyelid

Feet  Walk on toes at 90° angle  Paw pads for protection

Maintaining Body Temperature  Main cooling is from panting

Teeth  42 teeth in adult  There are four types of teeth.  Incisors are the primary biting teeth.  The canine teeth bite and tear food.  The premolars shear, grind and mash food.  Molars are responsible for the most rigorous chewing.

Reproduction  Gestation period is 63 days  Only goes into heat (estrus) twice a year so can get pregnant only twice a year  Has an average of 6-8 babies at a time depending on breed

Rabbit Characteristics

Smell  Excellent sense of smell. Helps them to sense predators

Eyes  Eyes on sides of head  Allows for two fields of vision – looking for predators and escape route simultaneously  Poor depth perception

Whiskers  Sensitive whiskers

Eyelids  Nictitating membrane  acts as third eyelid

Feet  Flat-footed with no foot pads  Use claws for traction

Maintaining Body Temperature  Large ears for temperature control and hearing

Teeth  Two pairs of incisors in upper jaw. One smaller pair behind the larger pair  28 teeth that grow continuously  They have molars and premolars too!

Reproduction  Gestation period is 31 days  Does not go into heat (estrus) so can get pregnant at any time  Has an average of 6-8 babies at a time depending on breed