Anestesia para procedimento odontológico em coelho doméstico (Oryctolagus cuniculus): relato de caso

Abstract

Rabbits were classified as rodents until 1912, when the Lagomorpha order was recognized, since the lagomorphs can be distinguish from the rodents by having a second rudimentary pair of upper incisor teeth (peg teeth). Brazil has the second largest pet market in the world, behind only the United States. In the UK and other countries, it is the third most common pet. Dental diseases constitute 60% of the clinical conditions of rodents and lagomorphs, requiring the intervention of veterinarians. Despite the tame temperament, rabbits are easily stressful animals, which requires greater care by the veterinarian with physical restraint. The animal's own physical examination and imaging and treatment procedures require not only physical but chemical restraint, and even general anesthesia. Despite this, lagomorph anesthesia is relatively simple, since these animals are sensitive to most of the known drugs, presenting a rapid dose-response, although few studies report and discuss anesthetic protocols in this species, mainly in Brazil. However, the greatest challenge encountered by veterinary anesthetists is still the orotracheal intubation, due to their anatomical peculiarities, such as oropharynx, tongue and long and narrow incisor teeth and limited mobility of the temporomandibular joint, reasons for which several techniques have been developed over the years to subserve the procedure. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present a case report in which it was necessary to anesthetize a 6-year-old male pet rabbit with no defined breed to continue with overgrowth and malocclusion dental treatment, attended at the Veterinary Hospital UNESP-Botucatu Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science College.