spotlight topic:

Veterinary care of rabbits

6. Anaesthesia and analgesia

Analgesia

Published 14 November 2022 | Updated 15 March 2024

  • Liles, M., Brown, S. and Di Girolamo, N. (2024) Administration of meloxicam before rather than after castration on eating, defecation and pain indicators in pet rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus Veterinary Medicine and Science, 10, e1354. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1354
  • Gronsky, S. et al. (2024) A single injection of high-concentration buprenorphine significantly reduces food and water intake as well as fecal and urine production in New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). American Journal of Veterinary Research. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.23.10.0230
  • Barter, L.S. (2011) Rabbit analgesia. Veterinary Clinics: Exotic Animal Practice, 14 (1), pp. 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvex.2010.09.003
  • Benato, L. (2022) Assessing and ameliorating acute pain in rabbits. Companion Animal, 27 (12), pp. 171-174. https://doi.org/10.12968/coan.2022.0017
  • Benato, L. et al. (2020) Analgesia in pet rabbits: a survey study on how pain is assessed and ameliorated by veterinary surgeons. Veterinary Record, 186 (18), pp. 603-603. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105071
  • Benato, L., Rooney, N.J. and Murrell, J.C. (2019) Pain and analgesia in pet rabbits within the veterinary environment: a review. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 46 (2), pp. 151-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2018.10.007
  • Benato, L. et al. (2020) Pain and analgesia in pet rabbits: a survey of the attitude of veterinary nurses. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 61 (9), pp. 576-581.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13186
  • Malik, A. (2021) Pain in rabbits: a review for veterinary nurses, part one: assessment of pain Veterinary Nursing Journal, 36 (3), pp. 105-112. https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2020.1871456
  • Malik, A. (2021) Pain in rabbits: a review for veterinary nurses part 2: management of pain in hospital. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 36 (4), pp. 132-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2020.1840471
  • Malik, A. (2021) Pain in rabbits: a review for veterinary nurses, part three: management of chronic pain at home. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 36 (5), pp. 162-168. https://doi.org/10.1080/17415349.2020.1871457
  • Best, E. (2020) Should doses exceeding 0.2 mg/kg of oral meloxicam be given to reduce surgical recovery time in rabbits and should twice daily administration be considered? Veterinary Evidence, 6 (2). https://doi.org/10.18849/ve.v6i3.372
  • Nield, K. and Govendir, M. (2019) Comparison of 0.2 Mg/kg Vs. 1.0 Mg/kg of oral meloxicam for safe and effective analgesia in domestic rabbits. Veterinary Evidence, 4 (2). https://dx.doi.org/10.18849/ve.v4i2.215

For further details on the assessment of pain in rabbits including validated assessment tools see:

Quality of Life assessment tools [inFOCUS][online]. Available from: https://infocus.rcvsknowledge.org/qol-spotlight-on-quality-of-life-assessment-tools/ [accessed 14 November 2022]