{"id":2996,"date":"2017-09-06T06:07:34","date_gmt":"2017-09-06T06:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/az.research.umich.edu\/animalcare\/document\/physical-exams-aging-rabbits\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T20:28:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T00:28:06","slug":"physical-exams-aging-rabbits","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/az.research.umich.edu\/animalcare\/guidelines\/physical-exams-aging-rabbits\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical Exams for Aging Rabbits"},"template":"","categories":[16],"tags":[],"content-type":[30],"topic":[],"update-type":[],"class_list":["post-2996","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","category-rabbits","content-type-sops"],"acf":{"use_legacy_editor":true,"updated_date":"2025-05-30 00:00:00","update_notice":true,"author":"Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine","summary":"Additional procedures associated with older rabbits.","button_links":null,"related_content":[2941,2998],"legacy_path":"physical-exams-aging-rabbits","legacy_node_id":148,"legacy_related_nids":"88, 150","legacy_content_section":[{"legacy_section_type":"heading","legacy_heading":"Responsibility","legacy_subheading":"","legacy_section_text":"","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"text_area","legacy_heading":"","legacy_subheading":"","legacy_section_text":"
    \r\n \t
  1. Husbandry Technicians<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Veterinary Technicians<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"heading","legacy_heading":"Glossary Definitions","legacy_subheading":"","legacy_section_text":"","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"glossary_terms","legacy_heading":"","legacy_subheading":"","legacy_section_text":"","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":[2528,2682,2869,2777],"legacy_glossary_nids":"1199, 1363, 1719, 1499","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"heading","legacy_heading":"Procedures","legacy_subheading":"","legacy_section_text":"","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"text_area_with_subheading","legacy_heading":"","legacy_subheading":"1. Rabbits >2 years old:","legacy_section_text":"
      \r\n \t
    1. Husbandry personnel:\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Submit\u00a0an ATR<\/a> when a rabbit has reached 2 years of age.\r\n
          \r\n \t
        1. Denote on the ATR \u201c2-year old rabbit\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
        2. Submit an ATR if a rabbit is more than 30 days overdue for an exam (e.g., if a rabbit is 2\u00a0years old and it has been 12 months + 31 days since their last recorded exam).\r\n
            \r\n \t
          1. Denote on the ATR \u201cDue for Physical Exam\"<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
          2. The veterinary technician:\r\n
              \r\n \t
            1. Inform\u00a0the veterinary resident that a rabbit is due for an annual or semiannual physical examination.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
            2. The veterinary resident:\r\n
                \r\n \t
              1. Perform\u00a0a routine physical examination:\r\n
                  \r\n \t
                1. Annually, starting at 2 years of age.<\/li>\r\n \t
                2. Semiannually, starting at 4 years of age.<\/li>\r\n \t
                3. Complete the examinations within 30 days of the animal reaching the required age.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                4. Obtain the weight of the animal at each examination and record in the animal\u2019s EMR<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
                5. Place a yellow acetate<\/a> and denote the following information once the physical examination is complete:\r\n
                    \r\n \t
                  1. Date of each physical examination<\/li>\r\n \t
                  2. Clinical number<\/li>\r\n \t
                  3. Age of the rabbit (i.e., 2 year old, 3 year old, or 4+ year old)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
                  4. Additional diagnostics are at the discretion of the veterinarian based on the physical condition of the rabbit and\u00a0prior research manipulations.<\/li>\r\n \t
                  5. Consider contacting the PI<\/a> to offer a prophylactic ovariohysterectomy for rabbits at 2 years of age if the animal is not a primary breeder.\r\n
                      \r\n \t
                    1. Note the PI\u2019s decision on the rabbit\u2019s clinical record.<\/li>\r\n \t
                    2. Perform any approved ovariohysterectomies.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null},{"legacy_section_type":"text_area_with_subheading","legacy_heading":"","legacy_subheading":"2. Charging","legacy_section_text":"
                        \r\n \t
                      1. Physical examinations and subsequent, approved diagnostic tests are subsidized by the Veterinary Service Fee (no direct charge to the PI).<\/li>\r\n \t
                      2. The PI is responsible for surgery fees associated with prophylactic ovariohysterectomy<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n \t
                      3. See Standard Charging Procedures for Veterinary Services<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","legacy_media_position":"","legacy_media_file":"","legacy_media_url":"","legacy_glossary_term":"","legacy_glossary_nids":"","legacy_resource":"","legacy_resource_nids":"","legacy_buttons":null}],"update_notice_type":[51,52,53],"update_notice_start":"2025-05-30 21:00:00","update_notice_end":"2025-08-29 21:00:00","update_notice_text_blocks":[{"update_notice_text":"

                        Summary of Changes<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\r\n