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Genetics malocclusion
- Thread starter Natnat57
- Start date
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
It can come from just one parent. It can also skip a generation so the history of both grandparents needs to be known too. Any Rabbit with malocclusion should be removed from the breeding programme, neutered and kept as a Pet.
May I just ask on this link regarding dwarf rabbits I think you may have posted on another teeth question it says from both sides, I’m so confused some people say one parent others say both sides I’m just trying my best to figure it out sorry learning genetics xx
Genetics
Mandibular prognathism, having a longer lower than upper jaw, which is the cause of congenital incisor malocclusion in rabbits, has been shown to have a simple autosomal recessive inheritance with incomplete penetrance of 81% (Huang et al 1981). Thus, for a rabbit to have this condition it needs to have a pair of recessive genes, one inherited from the dam and one from the sire. The condition is said to have incomplete penetrance as only 81% of individuals who have a pair of the affected genes will show the disease.
Genetics
Mandibular prognathism, having a longer lower than upper jaw, which is the cause of congenital incisor malocclusion in rabbits, has been shown to have a simple autosomal recessive inheritance with incomplete penetrance of 81% (Huang et al 1981). Thus, for a rabbit to have this condition it needs to have a pair of recessive genes, one inherited from the dam and one from the sire. The condition is said to have incomplete penetrance as only 81% of individuals who have a pair of the affected genes will show the disease.
May I just ask on this link regarding dwarf rabbits I think you may have posted on another teeth question it says from both sides, I’m so confused some people say one parent others say both sides I’m just trying my best to figure it out sorry learning genetics xx
Genetics
https://www.ufaw.org.uk/rabbits/netherland-dwarf-dental-malocclusion
Mandibular prognathism, having a longer lower than upper jaw, which is the cause of congenital incisor malocclusion in rabbits, has been shown to have a simple autosomal recessive inheritance with incomplete penetrance of 81% (Huang et al 1981). Thus, for a rabbit to have this condition it needs to have a pair of recessive genes, one inherited from the dam and one from the sire. The condition is said to have incomplete penetrance as only 81% of individuals who have a pair of the affected genes will show the disease.
Genetics
https://www.ufaw.org.uk/rabbits/netherland-dwarf-dental-malocclusion
Mandibular prognathism, having a longer lower than upper jaw, which is the cause of congenital incisor malocclusion in rabbits, has been shown to have a simple autosomal recessive inheritance with incomplete penetrance of 81% (Huang et al 1981). Thus, for a rabbit to have this condition it needs to have a pair of recessive genes, one inherited from the dam and one from the sire. The condition is said to have incomplete penetrance as only 81% of individuals who have a pair of the affected genes will show the disease.
So for example say rabbit A was a carrier and rabbit B wasn’t their kits would be carriers but not have malocclusion teeth ?
Then if their offspring bred with another carrier then some of their kits would have malocclusion teeth showing ( this is hypothetically speaking I’m trying to understand ) so it takes both sire and dam to be carriers to produce visibly malocclusion teeth kits ? But if only one parent is carrier the kits are visible fine but are the therefore carriers of the gene ?
Then if their offspring bred with another carrier then some of their kits would have malocclusion teeth showing ( this is hypothetically speaking I’m trying to understand ) so it takes both sire and dam to be carriers to produce visibly malocclusion teeth kits ? But if only one parent is carrier the kits are visible fine but are the therefore carriers of the gene ?
That is the way simple autosomal recessive genes work. Look at a basic genetics text for the punnet squares that you can work it out from.
If both parents carry the trait, 25% of the offspring will show the trait, 50% will be carriers, 25% will not have the recessive gene.
If one parent shows the trait and the other doesn't have it, all offspring will be carriers
If one parent is a carrier and the other does not have the trait, 50% of offspring will be carriers, 50% won't have the gene for the trait
If one parent is a carrier and the other shows the trait, 50% of offspring will be carriers and 50% will show the trait.
The problem is, you don't know which ones fall into each category if it's malocclusion in kits, and you can't physically tell which are carriers at all.
It's not like working out colour genetics and being able to see the colours in the offspring when they are a few days old.
If you think there may be malocclusion in the line, those individuals should not be bred from. It's heartbreaking (and very expensive) for the subsequent owners of the offspring. To me, deliberately breeding in a problem like this is unforgiveable - and that's what you are doing if you are breeding from lines with genetic malocclusion (known or suspected). I have had some of those rabbits as pets and had to deal with the consequences of those poor decisions made by the breeders. The rabbits suffer and the cost is astronomical to maintain the teeth in a serviceable condition, or the animal is PTS.
If both parents carry the trait, 25% of the offspring will show the trait, 50% will be carriers, 25% will not have the recessive gene.
If one parent shows the trait and the other doesn't have it, all offspring will be carriers
If one parent is a carrier and the other does not have the trait, 50% of offspring will be carriers, 50% won't have the gene for the trait
If one parent is a carrier and the other shows the trait, 50% of offspring will be carriers and 50% will show the trait.
The problem is, you don't know which ones fall into each category if it's malocclusion in kits, and you can't physically tell which are carriers at all.
It's not like working out colour genetics and being able to see the colours in the offspring when they are a few days old.
If you think there may be malocclusion in the line, those individuals should not be bred from. It's heartbreaking (and very expensive) for the subsequent owners of the offspring. To me, deliberately breeding in a problem like this is unforgiveable - and that's what you are doing if you are breeding from lines with genetic malocclusion (known or suspected). I have had some of those rabbits as pets and had to deal with the consequences of those poor decisions made by the breeders. The rabbits suffer and the cost is astronomical to maintain the teeth in a serviceable condition, or the animal is PTS.
Thank you for that explanation very helpful. I have culled** BY THIS I MEAN IVE STOPPED THE BLOODLINE KEPT BOTH DOE AND BUCK AS PETS HERE WITH ME!!** the bloodline of both doe and buck and I am not keeping their daughter for breeding hence coming here to check it’s what I thought. I know it’s important not to continue a bloodline with a genetic issue, I recently got a doe from a breed which turned out to be a split penis buck! I informed her that she should also no longer breed from that line and she didn’t even reply! I have since neutered and pet homed him at my expense because I care but it’s shocking how some operate and very sad �� xx
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I had one kit show up out of 2 litters ( doe had 7 all were perfect ( I check teeth etc regularly before leaving here) then her next litter also 7 babies she had 1 kit which was ok when I checked at 4 weeks then at 7 weeks it was slightly touching so I kept her back and she did turn out to have malocclusion but what I don’t know if it was genetic or not because she was ok at the 4 week mark ( bottom incisor teeth behind top as they should be ) I hadn’t noticed any pulling on hutch so I’m not sure what happened but to be on the safe side I haven’t used them again which is such a shame as my buck is brc rung gorgeous type but I’m such a worrier and just don’t want to risk it ! Thank you for explaining it to me I’m always wanting to learn
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
The problem may be carried in all the Kits from the litter even if only one is symptomatic. So ALL Kits should be neutered and kept as Pets as they will be carriers of the faulty gene.
For most people reading this I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that your use of the word ‘cull’ here means ‘ remove from’ and NOT ‘Kill’. RU is a Pet Rabbit oriented Forum and the majority of members will find the use of the word cull to be extremely distressing.
I have flagged this post up to the Forum Moderators in case they wish to contribute.
Yes of course I mean remove from the breeding program not kill!!!!! I would never do that to my babies goodness sake, think I’ll just stop asking for advise I seem to give off the wrong impression when all I’m trying to do is learn 
both doe and buck are with me and aren’t being used for breeding they’re my pets all of them are and I care a tonne about each and every bunny I have, I’m a small scale breeder in the uk and put a lot of care and love into this hence always trying to do the right thing
both doe and buck are with me and aren’t being used for breeding they’re my pets all of them are and I care a tonne about each and every bunny I have, I’m a small scale breeder in the uk and put a lot of care and love into this hence always trying to do the right thing
InspectorMorse
Wise Old Thumper
Yes of course I mean remove from the breeding program not kill!!!!! I would never do that to my babies goodness sake, think I’ll just stop asking for advise I seem to give off the wrong impression when all I’m trying to do is learn
You are unlikely to receive many responses to questions about breeding as the majority of Forum members are Pro Rescue and have minimal knowledge about Breeding. If you are on FB there is a Group there called U.K. RABBIT BREEDERS ADVICE AND SUPPORT. There are a few members on there who are very knowledgeable about all matters related to Breeding. One of the Group Admin is a Genetics genius. If you join that Group you will definitely receive more advice.
To explain my comment re culling, on Pro Rescue Rabbit groups this is usually read as killing. As in the dictionary definition of the word ‘cull’ - reduce the population of by selective slaughter.
