Post-dental disease diet help (not prevention)

[cheekybuns]

Hello, thanks for all of your advice and experiences on these pages – it’s been really helpful.

I have two beautiful black mini lops. They are spayed/neutered and came to us from an accidental litter where they were fed muesli We feed them lots of hay and a variety of greens, herbs etc. and some good quality junior pellets. They live indoors but with lots of sunlight and fresh air and room to run around. And lots of love too.

The dominant bunny developed overgrown molar roots on the bottom before he was 1yr and started refusing hay – we didn’t know what was wrong at the time and tried everything we could to get him to eat hay, but no joy. At 1.5 yrs he got malocclusion of his incisors, started losing weight, and after burring the vet recommended removing them – he was in a lot of discomfort. So now we have a rabbit with no incisors and still refusing hay. We’re being referred to a specialist to see what can be done about the lower molar roots. But in the mean time I have 2 challenges I would really appreciate some help with:

1. What to feed a rabbit that cannot eat hay plus needs things chopped up small (re. hay – I have tried everything including chopping it up in mashed banana, I think it is too painful for him to grind it up – but he can eat pellets with high hay content because they crumble..). He keeps trying to chew leafy greens at the front where his incisors used to be and doesn’t make any progress and drops it and picks it up.

2. How to manage the diet of my other rabbit who just wants to steal her brother’s food as he eats more slowly than her now. I can’t always be there to supervise them eating and distract her with herbs etc.

They are free roaming house rabbits and very close.

[Bam]

If you are in Glasgow, Scotland there are 2 kinds of very high fibre “pellets” available, Vetcare Plus Digestive Health Formula and Fibafirst sticks. The pellets are long sticks but can of course be broken into smaller pieces. You might have tried them already of course. I have both kinds for my bunny who is a lousy hay eater. The Fibafirst sticks are somewhat lower in fibre (30% vs 32% for the Vet care Plus) but they seem a lot yummier, so if your bun has difficulty eating enough food, I think I’d go for those.

My bun eats fresh grass eagerly. If your buns are vaccinated, you could try foraging fresh grass for them (but again, don’t know if you’ve already tried that).

As for making sure the boy bun gets enough food, the only reliable method I can think of would be to feed him some of his daily food separate from the other bunny. And weigh him weekly so you keep track of his weight.

[Wick & Fable]

Wick’s front incisors exist but are generally not very functional because of his malocclusion. The front incisors as you mention are used to help pull in food and rotating it.

I’ve found cutting Wick’s veggies into thin strips, rather than small pieces, is most helpful. Pieces with wide surface areas or that are too short rely on the front incisors too much for rotation and holding.

Have you tried orchard grass specifically? The more leafy Hays. I imagine the crunchier hays can be difficult to maneuver because the individual pieces will not move in the mouth due to their stiffness, but a hay with slight “give” may be more mouth friendly.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Bam]

Some buns really like readigrass. It’s dried grass, so its softer (and slightly more nutritious than grass hay), but it’s still grass and that’s what the bunny tummy and teeth need. I think Wick makes an excellent point about the crunchier hays, the stiff pieces rather of have to be more difficult to handle if you don’t have incisors.

[cheekybuns]

@bam and @Wick Thanks so much for your thoughts. Roli (boy bun) has overgrown roots in his lower left molars and I think that is what is stopping him from eating hay. We have all the hays and readigrass, which Rowan (girl bun) munches on fine when there’s not something more tempting around.

I will try out Vetcare Plus Digestive Health Formula and Fibafirst sticks and I’ve noticed that strips the same shape and size as his pellets are easiest to work with. I’m just concerned about getting the right nutrition into him now. Almost all the available advice is hay, hay, hay and prevention.

I did realise yesterday that if I can tempt Roli bb into their carrier I can close the door over behind him and he can eat in peace and then easily nudge it open to get out. Just need the time to be super relaxed and not spook him into thinking it’s a vet visit.

I think they are missing eating together though, and when they could compete for what’s in the bowl I was able to get them to eat more healthy stuff! I do feel sad when I see Rowan working away on a project and Roli just sitting watching. We’re all still adjusting here!

Thanks again for your advice x

[cheekybuns]

Anyone tried Vetcare Plus Weight Management Formula? Looks like 34% hay.

I’m also wondering if Roli maybe needs a few kinds of pellets for variety/interest, along with his chopped veg?

[Bam]

I think the best thing for Roli would be Critical Care (Oxbow). There are recovery formulas by other companies as well, but I’ve never tried those (where I live, CC is the only option). It’s recommended for recuperating buns or buns that can’t keep weight on. The apple/banana flavor is more popular among buns than the original flavor, and if you mix it up with some (unsweetened) baby fruit purée, he might eat it from a plate or a spoon. It has lots of fiber and all the nutrients a bun needs. That would cover his nutritional needs + give him fiber.

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