Rabbit Dental Problem

[Viet Anh]

Hi, I’m Viet Anh – new here. I’m from Vietnam. I have a rabbit over 4 years old who is having problems with teeth. Hope the rabbit-loving community can take the time to read and give advice on this case.

My rabbit was picked up on September 10, 2018, when she was more than 2 months old. She is very active and cheerful, obedient. However, she rarely eats timothy grass even though I have tried many ways (hanging grass, mixing with favorite food, starving,…). She got wet chin around the end of September this year, yellow/green wet chin hair. After two exams, the doctor concluded that she had an overgrown lower left molar and advised that the tooth should be sharpened, using anesthetic. After consulting with experts and experienced people, I decided to have her perform this surgery. However, I am very worried. In addition to looking into the relevant literature, the doctor also said that there are risks in anesthesia. Not only that, Vietnam is not a country with good veterinary, especially for exotic pets.

I love her so much, she’s like my sister so I want to give her the best I can and I want her to live with me as long as possible. Hopefully anyone who has had a rabbit with a similar experience (anesthesia at 4 years old, anesthesia for dental treatment,…) can give me experience and advice? Can your rabbit make it through? What should I do to give her the best care? Thank you very much.

[DanaNM]

Hello, welcome!

Her symptoms do sound like a problem with her molars. Molar filing/burring/grinding is a common procedure in rabbits. Rabbits with misaligned teeth often need their teeth filed periodically, sometimes every 3-6 months. Sometimes however just a filing or two will get the teeth back on track so that chewing hay keeps them filed down. Same thing is actually true of horses, they often need their molars filed down.

Usually a very short amount of anesthesia is needed for a simple molar filing which makes it less dangerous. If there are more complicated problems (such as a dental abscess or a tooth that needs to be extracted) the risks are higher but still not too bad.

I would ask the vet how regularly they do this procedure and what their “success” rate is. A good test is to see if they tell you to fast the rabbit before surgery (sometimes the reception may accidentally give you instructions for a dog or a cat, but the vet should not tell you to starve the rabbit before the procedure). If the vet is experienced then chances are your bunny will be fine. It’s a tough situation, because she does need to have that tooth corrected otherwise she will continue to have issues that will get worse and worse over time.

After the procedure her mouth might be a bit sore so you might need to syringe feed if she won’t eat. You can give a pellet mash (offer it freely first, or syringe feed if she won’t eat by the evening after the procedure), or there are some recovery foods out there, but not sure which brands would be available in Vietnam (Critical Care by Oxbow, Emeraid, and Sherwood brand are a few).

. . . 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.  

[Viet Anh]

Thank you so much for your detailed and useful advice!!!

If you don’t mind, may I ask for a 4 years old rabbit, what test(s) is(are) needed before the procedure?

[DanaNM]

Sometimes a vet will want to do blood work before anesthesia, but not always. Usually only in cases where the rabbit is very old or already very ill. When my bun had dentals (by a very rabbit savvy vet) there were not any pre-treatment tests.

. . . 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.  

[Viet Anh]

Thank you for your information!!

[LBJ10]

Dana gave good advice. Talk to the vet and ask questions. Make sure they have experience. Rabbits have different requirements than a cat or dog.

[Viet Anh]

Thank you!

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