Increased rectal temperature is associated with poor prognosis and infectious diagnoses in clinically ill pet rabbits.

Pyrexia in ill rabbits indicates poor prognosis; prioritize infectious disease differentials.

This retrospective cohort study of 70 clinically ill pet rabbits examined the prognostic significance of elevated rectal temperature (pyrexia ≥40.0°C) compared to normothermic controls (38.0-39.9°C). Pyrexic rabbits demonstrated significantly worse outcomes: 1.27 times more likely to die and 4.52 times more likely to experience poor outcomes (euthanasia or death). Each 1°C temperature increase correlated with a 2.48-fold increase in mortality risk. Neuter status emerged as a significant risk factor associated with pyrexia. Infectious diseases accounted for 54.3% of pyrexia cases, suggesting this as a priority differential diagnosis. The study provides evidence that simple rectal temperature measurement serves as an accessible, practical prognostic tool for assessing illness severity in rabbits. Findings support implementing temperature assessment in routine triage protocols, clinical decision-making, and prognostic counseling for rabbit owners. The association between pyrexia and poor prognosis underscores the importance of identifying underlying causes, particularly infectious etiologies.

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