Do UK rabbit owners over-estimate the risk of rabbit anaesthetic mortality? An owner-based survey

To investigate UK pet rabbit owners' knowledge and perceptions surrounding anaesthetic mortality in rabbits.

A web-based survey was conducted using JISC Online Surveys (version 2) and consisted of 20 multiple choice style questions evaluating respondent demographics, perceptions of anaesthetic risk in rabbits, knowledge of anaesthetic practice and information-seeking behaviour and communication preferences. Responses were downloaded from JISC Online Surveys, then frequency reported, and quantitative data were compared by basic descriptive analysis of raw data. The relationship between categorical variables was examined using the chi-squared test with exact P value. Differences across strata were assessed using the Cochran-Mantel Haenszel test. The respondent's knowledge surrounding the risk of death due to anaesthesia in young, healthy rabbits and older, unhealthy rabbits was analysed by calculating the difference in risk for each respondent using a one-sample t-test. Results were reported as odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals.

In total, 529 responses were analysed to assess frequency of certain responses. The majority of respondents had a rabbit put under anaesthetic for a medical or surgical procedure (92%; n = 489/529), 26.2% (n = 128/489) of which reported complications. Owners who experienced complications were two times more likely to refuse anaesthesia (χ² = 6.14; P = .018); odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) = 2.01 (1.15 to 3.51). There was a difference in the respondents' perceived risk for dogs and cats compared to other small mammals (χ² = 673; P < .001), and a majority thought that the risk of rabbits dying under anaesthesia compared with dogs and cats was higher (90.9%, n = 481/529). Each participant perceived the risk for older rabbits to be roughly 20% to 30% higher than younger rabbits (one-sample t = 30.03, P < .001). Of 527 respondents only (6.5%, n = 34/529) thought that risk of death for young, healthy rabbits was between 0% and 1% and nearly half (48.2%, n = 254) thought this risk laid between 5% and 30%. Approximately, a third (29.3%, n = 155) also thought that communication of the risks of death by the veterinary profession could be improved.

UK rabbit owners over-estimate the risk of anaesthetic death in rabbits compared with current literature reporting rabbit anaesthetic mortality rates. There is also a need for better communication from the veterinary profession surrounding these risks. This study highlights the potential for the veterinary profession to provide better education and reassurance to rabbit owners prior to anaesthetic procedures to ensure informed consent.