“Rookie” questions…

[Mrsppauljr]

Ok, bunny lovers… I am new here, as of today, and a very new unexpected Bunny owner. It was a passing thought, and a free bunny, and I was unprepaired to care properly for Lula…. DON”T JUDGE ME UNTIL YOU SEE THE BIG PICTURE. I am an animal lover and strive to give her the best home possible, that is why I joined the forum. Anyhow, I am wondering if any of you have bunnies that have teeth problems, such as severe
malocclusion. Since Lula was free at the pet store, I assume the condition is what made her free. I noticed the problem last night when grooming her. I was unaware that this was possible, but noticed that her bottom teeth were so long that htey would not fit in her mouth. I went into panic mode and did as much research as possible. Upon further investigation I realized that clipping the teeth would be the only humaine thing to do, because she felt skinnier than normal, and I was afraid she was not able to eat. We live in the Mountains and there is no 24/7 vet to call, so I figured out, thanks to youtube, how to do it and did it. She has eaten like a horse all day and is sooo happy. I didn’t cut them too short and hope to get her in to see a specialist on Monday, so no bashing me please. What I want to know is what can I do to help her with this condition. I am positive that we will have to either continue clipping or have surgery, but what other things can I do to help… DIet? Chew toys? I currently give her stuff out of our garden and lots of hay, and about 1/4 cup of pellets. ANy other suggestions? Also, if you have any words of wisdom for a complete nieve new owner, I am all ears. To those that seem concerned for my ignorance on how to care for the rabbit… be assured that I am here to learn and give her the best life possible. Thank you for your input!!

[Sarita]

First, I would consult with the vet to determine if indeed it is malocclusion before you decide anything :~) If it is due to misaligned teeth then nothing is going to help the condition other than having the front teeth removed or having them clipped by the vet when needed. It sounds like you are definitely on the right track with the vet visit. I understand why you clipped her teeth and I know it was only because you were trying ot help and it sounds like it did temporarily so no bashing at all.

Please update us after you see the vet. She was lucky you came along to help her and the current diet sounds good – I might increase her pellets for now if you feel that she needs to gain weight but discuss this Monday more with the vet.

[Beka27]

I’m glad she is eating okay now. I don’t think I’d be brave enough to try that on my own, and hopefully, if it’s necessary in the future, the vet can do it for you. Clipping front teeth is less of an ordeal than filing back molars (this can, for example, be done without anesthesia), but there is still a risk that the teeth would fracture. Sounds like you lucked out this time, but I would leave it to the vet from now on.

[Mrsppauljr]

I was very careful trimming the front teeth. It looks as if on the top front she only has one big tooth and the two small peg teeth. However the bottoms are both there. All the primary and peg teeth are pointing in odd directions. However, know that I have trimmed them she is eating great and acts happy. I ran into the vet at the grocery store this afternoon and she is gonna see us first thing tomorrow. She agrees with my assumption on the deformations and also said that trimming them was the correct action since she was unable to eat properly. She said that it is fine to do at home with the correct tools as long as the bunny is cooperativ, which Lula didn’t fight at all. So, that makes me feel better knowing that I did the right thing.

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