Page 11 - RVC Clinical Connections - Summer 2025

Research News

DEMOGRAPHY, DISORDERS RABBIT DENTAL DISEASE PROGNOSTIC FACTORS AND
AND MORTALITY IN – CLINICAL MANAGEMENT SURVIVAL TIME IN DOGS
CHELONIA AND WELFARE IMPACTS WITH HAEMANGIOSARCOMA

Little has been published on disorder profiles Dental disease in companion rabbits is Dogs diagnosed with haemangiosarcoma
of chelonia kept as pets. This VetCompass common but clinical disease management in first-opinion practice in 2019 were
study focused on demography, commonly techniques in UK primary care and potential identified in VetCompass electronic health
recorded disorders and mortality recorded clinical welfare implications are scarcely records and examined to explore variables
in tortoises, terrapins and turtles under UK described. potentially associated with survival.
primary veterinary care in 2019. Anonymised clinical records within the Median survival time (MST) from diagnosis
It was the largest study of chelonia to date. VetCompass programme in 2019 were was calculated for the whole population,
Findings will be of interest to all practitioners manually reviewed to identify cases of rabbit cases histopathologically confirmed and
as the most commonly recorded disorders dental disease. Clinical welfare implications also based on primary tumour location.
highlighted by the study are often linked to were assessed through retrospective Across all 788 cases, overall MST was
husbandry. analysis of clinical signs, diagnostics and 9.0 days, and proportional 1-year survival
Electronic health records on a random treatment information. was 12.0%. MST for splenic 4.0 days and
sample of chelonia were reviewed to extract A random sample of 2,219 rabbit dental for cutaneous haemangiosarcoma was
species, recorded disorder and mortality disease cases in 2019. The most frequently 119.0 days. MST was longer (105 days) for
data. Of 2,040 chelonia reviewed, 1,923 recorded clinical signs were reduced dogs with a histopathological diagnosis of
(94.26%) were recorded as tortoises, 74 food intake (25.1%) and faecal output haemangiosarcoma.
(3.63%) terrapins and 43 (2.11%) turtles. (10.9%). Diagnostic dental radiography was Across all cases, increasing tumour size
performed in 2.2% of cases. Tooth trimming was associated with increased hazard
was conducted on 34.0% of cases. of death, while cutaneous location and
undergoing surgery were associated with
reduced hazard of death.

Dietary modification was recommended
The most common tortoise species for 21.5% of cases. Dental disease was the
among 811 (42.17%) tortoises with species primary reason for death or a contributory
information recorded were Hermann’s factor in 51.2% of the cases that died. Apart from the cutaneous cases, the
tortoises (311, 38.35%), Horsfield’s tortoises The authors conclude that dental disease actualised prognosis was poor overall for
(259, 31.94%) and Mediterranean spur- is a major welfare concern for rabbits, as haemangiosarcoma. However, a common
thighed tortoises (154, 18.99%). indicated by high frequency of clinical signs, prevailing view of extremely poor prognosis
The most commonly recorded disorders potentially welfare-suboptimal treatment for haemangiosarcoma could be promoting
across all species were beak abnormalities methods sometimes used and high frequent euthanasia at presentation –
(16.72%), overgrown nails (11.47%) and frequency as a full or contributory cause of leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy and low
shell abnormalities (9.80%). death. survival times.
The most common recorded causes Greater owner and veterinarian Further exploration of the potential effect
of death were “disorder undiagnosed” awareness of dental disease signs and of perceived prognosis is warranted.
(44.55%), dog bite (5.45%) and anorexia further veterinary education on diagnostic
(3.96%). Of 178 deaths with age recorded, and treatment options could improve the
the median age at death was 7.32 years. welfare of rabbits.

Research paper: Taylor, C., Barry, G.J., O’Neill,
D.G., Guillén, A., Price, P.P., Labadie, J. and
Research paper: Hornby, J.M., Hedley, J., Research paper: Jackson, M.A., O'Neill, D.G., Brodbelt, D.C. (2025) 'Survival time and prognostic
Brodbelt, D.C., Church, D.B. and O'Neill, D.G. Hedley, J., Brodbelt, D.C. and Burn, C.C. (2025)
(2025) 'Demography, commonly recorded disorders and 'Dental disease in rabbits under UK primary veterinary factors in dogs clinically diagnosed with
mortality in chelonia under UK primary veterinary care: care: Clinical management and associated welfare haemangiosarcoma in UK first opinion practice', PLoS
A VetCompass study', PLoS One, 20(4) impacts', Veterinary Record One, 20(6)

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