Rabbit dental disease and calcium metabolism – the science behind divided opinions

Jekl, Vladimír; Redrobe, Sharon

doi:10.1111/jsap.12124

Cited by 44 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Vitamin D has a direct effect on the mineralisation of bones and teeth [7]. There was no significant relationship found between guinea pigs being fed diets low in vitamin D, calcium, and fibre and dental disease in this study.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 55%

“…However, these are considered relatively rare in rodents such as guinea pigs [3]. It is assumed that the majority of cases of dental disease in guinea pigs are acquired with aetiological hypotheses including trauma, abnormal dental wear resulting from an insufficient diet, and underlying metabolic bone disease due to a lack of calcium and vitamin D [6,7]. Trauma to the teeth can result from falls or chewing on improper caging and other non-food items.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been suggested that rabbits’ diets may be lacking calcium and vitamin D because of the selective feeding behaviour of rabbits, in which rabbits naturally eat the components of the food high in energy and low in fibre [17]. Whilst it is accepted that guinea pigs also require a source of vitamin D, whether vitamin D deficiency can cause dental disease in guinea pigs has yet to be investigated [7]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Norman

Wills

2016

Animals

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Simple SummaryDental disease is a serious problem in small mammals, with cases in rabbits well documented. Guinea pigs also suffer from this condition, yet the literature investigating the underlying causes in guinea pigs is limited. Owners of guinea pigs were surveyed to investigate what they fed their animals. It was discovered that there was no relationship between the overall diet of the animals and whether or not they had been diagnosed with dental disease or displayed clinical signs of the disease. However, the environment was important, with animals that had access to the outside, including the use of runs on both concrete and grass, less likely to display clinical signs of disease. Some of the clinical signs of dental disease in guinea pigs, including difficulty eating, were related to dental problems. These findings are important, as many guinea pigs may not have continuous access to the outdoors. Dental disease is a serious welfare concern, as many owners may not pick up on the clinical signs, leaving animals susceptible to pain, dysphagia, malnutrition, and secondary infection. It is important that owners are aware of key clinical signs, particularly in multi-animal households where monitoring food consumption may be challenging.AbstractRecent studies have highlighted a high prevalence of dental disease in domestic guinea pigs, yet the aetiology of this multi-factorial disease is still unclear. Factors that have been associated with dental disease include feeding a diet that is high in energy but low in fibre, feeding an insufficiently abrasive diet, a lack of dietary calcium, and genetics. As many of these factors relate to the husbandry requirements of guinea pigs, owner awareness of dietary requirements is of the utmost importance. An online questionnaire was created based on previous research into the husbandry and feeding of rabbits. Guinea pig owners were asked to answer questions on the clinical history of their animals and their diet and management. In total, 150 surveys were completed for 344 guinea pigs, where owners of multiple animals could complete the survey for individuals. According to the owners, 6.7% of guinea pigs had been clinically diagnosed with dental disease, but 16.6% had signs consistent with dental disease. The specific clinical signs of having difficulty eating (Exp(B) = 33.927, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.301, p < 0.05) and producing fewer or smaller faecal droppings (Exp(B) = 13.733, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.149, p < 0.05) were predictive for the presence of dental disease. Having access to an outside environment, including the use of runs on both concrete and grass, was significantly related to not displaying clinical signs of dental disease (Exp(B) = 1.894, Nagelkerke R2 = 0.021, p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between owner knowledge, guinea pig diet, and dental disease in the study population. This study highlights the importance of access to the outdoors for the health and welfare of guinea pigs in addition to the need for owners to be alert to key clinical signs. A r...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 55%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Norman

Wills

2016

Animals

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“…Three weeks of age was the earliest time to determine the tooth status, unlike Fox and Crary (1971) who postulated the age of four weeks as the earliest age for diagnosing a brachygnathia superior and Jekl and Redrobe (2013) who also stated the age of more than three weeks as earliest visible onset of incisor malocclusion in general. With this study design the authors followed the dynamic of tooth and jaw alterations and allowed for the demand of Glöckner (2002) to investigate more than a snapshot or only a few examinations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and environmental factors influencing tooth and jaw malformations in rabbits

2016

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Tooth alterations of 281 rabbits from 10 different breeds were evaluated, starting at the age of three weeks until they were fully grown. All rabbits were kept in an outdoor facility, fed with a pelleted diet and had free access to water and hay. The most common finding in 3182 clinical examinations was a gap between the mandibular incisors (38 per cent). Skull X-rays from 4 adult breeding rabbits, 15 offspring with clinical signs of dental disease and 12 clinically healthy siblings were assessed by two different methods using cephalometric distances and anatomical reference lines. Repeatabilities of cephalometric distances were mostly low and no significant associations to tooth health were found. The anatomical reference lines revealed dental findings even in rabbits that were graded as tooth healthy in previous clinical examinations. On the basis of the demonstrated age-dependent development of tooth and jaw malformations a first examination and selection at the age of 12 weeks can be recommended. Also genetic aspects for tooth and jaw malformations were considered. The estimated heritability for brachygnathia superior was 0.254 ± 0.169 for all examinations and 0.105 ± 0.092 comprising the last examination of each rabbit when fully grown.

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“…Acquired causes may include traumatic injuries that lead to malocclusion (Capello, ), but are mainly related to diet, and to management factors that determine exposure to UVB light (Jekl and Redrobe, ). Dietary mineral imbalances, or lack of exposure to UVB, may lead to metabolic bone disease, which may impair occlusion due to osteodystrophy of the supporting bone and dental tissue malformation (Harcourt‐Brown, ).…”

Section: Tooth Wearmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth and wear of incisor and cheek teeth in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed diets of different abrasiveness

et al. 2014

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Although patterns of tooth wear are crucial in palaeo-reconstructions, and dental wear abnormalities are important in veterinary medicine, experimental investigations on the relationship between diet abrasiveness and tooth wear are rare. Here, we investigated the effect of four different pelleted diets of increasing abrasiveness (due to both internal [phytoliths] and external abrasives [sand]) or whole grass hay fed for 2 weeks each in random order to 16 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on incisor and premolar growth and wear, and incisor and cheek tooth length. Wear and tooth length differed between diets, with significant effects of both internal and external abrasives. While diet abrasiveness was linked to tooth length for all tooth positions, whole forage had an additional effect on upper incisor length only. Tooth growth was strongly related to tooth wear and differed correspondingly between diets and tooth positions. At 1.4-3.2 mm/week, the growth of cheek teeth measured in this study was higher than previously reported for rabbits. Dental abnormalities were most distinct on the diet with sand. This study demonstrates that concepts of constant tooth growth in rabbits requiring consistent wear are inappropriate, and that diet form (whole vs. pelleted) does not necessarily affect cheek teeth. Irrespective of the strong effect of external abrasives, internal abrasives have the potential to induce wear and hence exert selective pressure in evolution. Detailed differences in wear effects between tooth positions allow inferences about the mastication process. Elucidating feedback mechanisms that link growth to tooth-specific wear represents a promising area of future research.

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Rabbit dental disease and calcium metabolism – the science behind divided opinions

Cited by 44 publications

References 67 publications

An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

An Investigation into the Relationship between Owner Knowledge, Diet, and Dental Disease in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Genetic and environmental factors influencing tooth and jaw malformations in rabbits

Growth and wear of incisor and cheek teeth in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed diets of different abrasiveness

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