A fifth of pet rabbits in the UK suffer from earaches or debilitating conditions, but research suggests that it is underdiagnosed and undertreated, with lobe-eared and older rabbits most at risk.
Research by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) found that infected rabbits were less likely to exhibit binging behavior – jumping around happily – and were more likely to have a reduced overall quality of life.
A college study found that a quarter of the pet rabbits in the sample suffered from ear problems that caused pain and/or reduced hearing.
The findings suggest that there is a need to increase awareness of the problems and harms associated with the welfare of rabbits.
Rabbits are well known for their long ears, but on the surface it’s scary to think that many rabbits suffer from painful ear infections or hearing loss.
Dr Charlotte Burn, Royal Veterinary College
According to the RVC, hearing conditions can cause significant animal welfare problems because they can cause pain, hearing loss and loss of balance.
Charlotte Byrne, associate professor of animal welfare and behavioral sciences at RVC, said: “Rabbits are well known for their long ears, but on the surface it is horrifying to think that many rabbits suffer from painful ear infections or hearing loss.
“We want to raise awareness of this because rabbits often hide their pain and sometimes it’s hard to tell if they’re hearing properly.
“It is also worrying that almost a quarter of owners who suspect their rabbits have ear problems do not take them to the vet for treatment or pain relief.
“Some rabbits with ear problems will often scratch their ears, shake or tilt their heads, or avoid you touching their ears.”
Although ear diseases are described as common in rabbits, prevalence estimates vary, with one study finding that 3.5% of animals will develop some ear condition during their lifetime.
Ear conditions in rabbits are difficult to identify and can be easily missed. Symptoms of pain and hearing loss include unresponsiveness and reduced activity, experts say.
Owners and vets can miss this, especially in the long run, as rabbits can mask pain when they are around humans, so experts suggest the true impact may be higher.
If your rabbit is relatively inactive, it may be in its own quiet world of pain due to an ear problem or something else, so take him to the vet.
Dr. Charlotte Byrne
By conducting an online questionnaire, RVC researchers investigated the nature and extent of ear conditions as a welfare issue for UK pet rabbits, including owner reports and veterinary diagnoses.
Of the 551 responses, 49% of rabbits reported drooping ears, 43% had erect ears, and the remainder were asymmetrical (one erect ear and one drooping ear) or roughly horizontal.
The survey found that more than a quarter of rabbits (29%) had at least one ear problem reported by owners, while 21% were officially diagnosed by a vet, including 32% half-legged and 25% with droopy ears. Compared to 10% upright-eared rabbits.
The most common ear conditions referred to by a veterinarian are ear infections.
Owners reported that 16% of rabbits had hearing loss, 14% reduced quality of life due to ear-related problems, and 7% felt pain when owners looked at their ears.
About 11% of rabbits with veterinarian-reported ear problems thrashed around during the exam.
The study found that animals with ear pain responses were three times less likely to engage in binging behavior and three times more likely to have a perceived reduction in overall quality of life, according to their owners.
Byrne added: “This study shows that rabbits with ear disease do not respond to conventionally important sounds, such as the rustling of a treat package, and that they rarely play. Rabbits.
“If your rabbit is relatively inactive, it may be in its own quiet world of pain due to an ear problem or something else, so take him to the vet.”
