Abstract
The medical records of 137 rabbits with molar malocclusion and 345 controls were investigated retrospectively for epidemiologic research on molar malocclusion risk factors in rabbits. We also asked some of the pet owners to fill in a questionnaire on the contents of the rabbit's daily diet, getting answers about 34 patient animals and 58 controls. The mean weight of the patient group was significantly lower than that of the control group, which may indicate that smaller rabbits tend to suffer from molar malocclusion. The morbidity of this dental condition was higher in mixed-breeds, whereas it was lower in lop-eared breeds. Male rabbits showed significantly higher morbidity than fcmales. The mean amount of hay intake in the patient group was significantly smaller than that in the control group. This may confirm other reports that less hay intake is one of the risk factors of molar malocclusion. In our point of vicw from these data, owners should be instructed to feed their rabbits large amounts of hay under an appropriate feeding program. Especially rabbits with potential risk factors such as being mixed-breed, male, and/or small should be fed more carefully. Such precautions can be effective in preventing incidence and progress of molar malocclusion.
