Dental Disease Management in Lagomorphs
Summary
Dental disease among lagomorphs, particularly in domestic rabbits and guinea pigs, presents a multifactorial challenge rooted in the unique elodont dentition of these species. Continuous tooth growth requires precise wear through fibrous diets and natural gnawing behaviours; any imbalance can precipitate malocclusion, apical elongation, sharp enamel spurs and secondary complications such as abscess formation, osteomyelitis and rhinitis. Clinical signs are often subtle—reduced feed intake, facial swelling or ocular discharge—demanding thorough oral examination supported by advanced imaging. Management strategies integrate preventive husbandry, including high-fibre nutrition and routine dental checks, with interventional procedures ranging from manual crown reduction and corrective filing to surgical extraction and abscess drainage. Analgesia and antimicrobial therapy are critical adjuncts in cases of infection. Emerging evidence underscores the importance of early detection through routine screenings and the growing role of cross-sectional imaging modalities for both diagnosis and treatment planning. Holistic approaches that unite diet, environment, diagnostic innovation and targeted treatment are central to improving welfare and clinical outcomes in lagomorph populations worldwide.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Dental Disease Management in Lagomorphs publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dental disease management in lagomorphs across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Elodont dentition: A dental condition in which teeth grow continuously throughout life.
Malocclusion: Misalignment of the teeth leading to abnormal wear and overgrowth.
Apical elongation: Excessive growth of the tooth root beyond the normal confines of the jaw bone.
Computed tomography (CT): An imaging technique producing cross-sectional views to assess bony and soft-tissue structures.
Periapical lucency: Radiolucent area around the tooth root indicative of inflammation or bone loss.
References
- Dental Disease in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Its Risk Factors—A Private Practice Study in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. Animals (2023).
- Computed Tomographic Findings of Dental Disease and Secondary Diseases of the Head Area in Client-Owned Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): 90 Cases. Animals (2024).
- Proper dental correction, complications and treatment in rabbits. Legal regulation in veterinary medicine (2024).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.