RVN's perceptions of confidence levels of veterinary professionals when assessing pain in rabbits

Background: Despite the popularity of pet rabbits in the UK, recent research suggests limitations in veterinary professionals’ knowledge and experience regarding behaviour and pain assessment in these patients. There is also a lack of species-specific pain assessment scales for rabbits. Methods: An online questionnaire collected key data, followed by semi-structured, one-to-one interviews over Microsoft Teams with five registered veterinary nurses. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the qualitative data. Results: Five themes were identified. Participants with more experience with rabbits felt more confident assessing their pain. Some participants found it difficult to distinguish between stress and pain when assessing body language in rabbit patients using pain assessment scales. Conclusions: To improve the accuracy of pain assessment in rabbits, it is recommended that registered veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons receive more training and experience with the species. The potential impact could include more appropriate use of analgesia and improved welfare.