Prevalence of incidental dental disease in rabbits undergoing CT scan for non-dentistry presentations: a retrospective study

Prevalence of incidental dental disease in rabbits undergoing CT scan for non-dentistry presentations: a retrospective study

Background
Dental disease is common in domestic rabbits and often subclinical. Recent prevalence studies relying on visual or otoscopic examination suggest rates around 15%, but these methods may underestimate disease burden. Computed tomography (CT) provides superior detection of early and occult dental pathology, yet systematic data on incidental findings in rabbits are lacking.

Objectives
To determine the prevalence of incidental dental pathology detected by CT in rabbits undergoing imaging for non-dental conditions, and to assess whether normal visual clinical examinations reliably exclude dental disease.

Methods
Clinical records and head CT scans of rabbits referred to a specialist hospital over a 2-year period were reviewed. Inclusion required CT performed without prior suspicion of dental disease. CT studies were assessed for malocclusion, tooth abnormalities, periapical changes, and bony lesions.

Results
Data collection is ongoing. We hypothesise that a substantial proportion of rabbits will demonstrate CT evidence of dental disease despite unremarkable visual oral examinations.

Conclusion
This study is expected to provide the first CT-based prevalence estimate of incidental dental pathology in rabbits, highlighting the diagnostic limitations of visual examination and informing future screening recommendations.