Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and treatment of broken jaw and face bones in pet rabbits
By Le, K & Sheen, J C·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2025·North Springs Veterinary Referral Center, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Clinical presentation, management and outcome of maxillofacial fractures in pet rabbits: 27 cases (2008-2022).
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A pet rabbit was brought in with a broken jaw after an accident, showing signs like not wanting to eat and pain in the face. The vet found that many rabbits with similar injuries often had dental issues and swelling. For treatment, the vet used special wiring to fix the jaw in some cases, while others were managed with less invasive methods. Most rabbits recovered well, with many returning to normal eating within a day, and the majority survived long-term without serious complications.
People also search for: rabbit jaw fracture treatment · why is my rabbit not eating · rabbit dental problems after injury
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To report clinical findings, management strategies and outcomes in pet rabbits with maxillofacial fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of pet rabbits with confirmed maxillofacial fractures from three exotic animal veterinary services between 2008 and 2022 were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-five fractured maxillofacial bones were reported in 27 rabbits, including mandibular symphyseal separation in 13 rabbits. Median age was 18 months (interquartile range, 7 to 38 months), and median bodyweight was 1.70 kg (interquartile range, 1.36 to 2.33 kg). The most common aetiology was anthropogenic accidents (16/27). Hyporexia/anorexia was the most frequent presenting complaint (17/27). Common clinical findings included dental malocclusion (12/27), craniofacial pain (9/27), crepitus (9/27) and swelling (7/27). Three (3/27) rabbits were euthanised after diagnosis. Mandibular symphyseal separation in 11 of 12 treated rabbits were addressed using circummandibular cerclage wiring. All remaining fractures were conservatively managed. Twenty-three of 27 rabbits survived to hospital discharge. Median time of return to normal or near-normal eating was 1 day (interquartile range, <1 to 3 days). Median survival time was 859 days (interquartile range, 567 to 1092 days). Dental malocclusion was a reported complication in 12 of 16 rabbits with follow-up data. However, only five of 12 rabbits developed associated clinical signs requiring corrective dentistry. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Maxillofacial fracture in rabbits may present with similar clinical signs and findings to other conditions such as odontogenic disease. Successful outcomes with infrequent long-term clinical complications are associated with management strategies that emphasise early functional recovery.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39375973/