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Incisors removed UPDATED - PICS PAGE 2

R

racheld69

Mama Doe
:wave: I took foxglove to the vets this morning as her front teeth were overgrown (very unusualy for a wild rabbit). Anyway, the vet cut them back but suggested having them removed (rather than cut down with a saw about once a month which is distressing for the bunny). Her back teeth are not good either so will have to have those done every 4 months under GA at £70 a pop as well! So for a 7/8 week old bunny she is running up some lovely bills!:shock: Anyway, what i want to know is has anyone else got a rabbit with removed incisors/front teeth and how does it effect them?
 
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I have one and one who may need it in the future after we have tried some realignment techniques.

The op itself is quite traumatic and relies on good surgical skill from the surgeon to get the tooth and root out in one piece and to throroughly destroy the remaining root pulp. There is about a 10% chance of the incisors growing back in future but this is most likely to be the peg teeth as their pulp is harder to destroy.

After the op the rabbit will need pain relief and antibiotics and has to learn to eat again....using the lips to grasp food.

They may only feel up to managing soft mushes for a few days and in some cases they will not start to eat voluntarily for some time.

Once they have recovered they should be able to eat as normal but food needs to be in bite sized pieces so veg needs to be cut up small and some smaller rabbit may struggle to manouver larger pellets like SS into the mouth.

Some rabbit also require their hay be chopped up with scissors for a few weeks into smaller strands.
 
oooh - thanks for that Sooz - that is what i was thinking - like she'd need spring greens in little bits coz she won't be able to tear bits off. Coz she is only 600grams they want to wait til she is bigger anyway before considering an operation - like in a month or so. i was really surprised when i spotted her teeth last night, and upset, but she is a really strong character and very confident and energetic and if she managed to survive being pecked by a mob of crows hopefully she will get through the op and carry on with having no front teeth without too much stress.:rabbit2:
 
As she still tiny and growing, I personally wouldnt rush into removing them. I'd definately try 'realigning techniques' as Sooz mentioned as there is a chance they will improve.

My little Comet had spurs on his back teeth, but at the last check they were fine. I blamed a poor diet early on, for Comets teeth and have tried to increased his hay intake, which fortunately seems to be working (fingers crossed)... so maybe try that too. :)
 
racheld69 said:
thanks. what is this realigning technique - vet didn't even mention that?
Click to expand...

Well for example....incisor maloclussion is usually secondary to molar maloclussion, as the molar crown height increases it can push the jaws apart and/or out of line which means the incisors no longer meet and therefor also overgrow.

A few dentals on the molars and a high roughage diet can in effect put the molar back into place and this can allow the incisors to also move back into oclussion.

In Mackenzie's case Anita is wary of removing his incisors because he exhibits very low grade enamel quality on his lowers and they may likely snap during a removal....only time will tell if this is temporary or permenant.

His incisor set do not meet in the middle (as in are not of equal lenght), his lowers being significantly longer than the uppers but they do wear against each other so it appears his molars are causing the jaw to be forced apart and thus allowing the lowers to overgrow.

By sorting out his molar crowns, slowly trimming back his lower incisors and leaving the top ones alone we stand a chance of allowing the teeth to move back into a natural state of occlusion.

I hope that makes some kind of sense :oops:
 
ohhhh. foxglove's top incisors grow at an angle. i will post a photo when i get home from work then you can see. so i am guessing that coz they grow wonky is not a molar alignment issue.
 
Eliot had his incisors removed recently and he seems to be happier now, as the sodding teeth were growing so fast and so badly that he couldn't eat properly and was losing weight. I had to get them realigned every two weeks... And I don't think in his case this was caused by a bad diet, as he has always had unlimited access to hay and fresh grass. Does anyone happen to know how often incisor's malocclusion happens as a genetic problem?

In any case, he got used to the different eating technique very quickly and is now the fastest eater ever!
So, for traumatic that the op can be, I think it is worth it if regular realignigments are too frequent or not very helpful.

Just make sure the vet that performs the operation is rabbit savvy and has experience with dental operations; this will reduce the risk of the incisors or peg teeth growing back.
 
racheld69 said:
ohhhh. foxglove's top incisors grow at an angle. i will post a photo when i get home from work then you can see. so i am guessing that coz they grow wonky is not a molar alignment issue.
Click to expand...

Mackenzie's lowers are spleyed too and they do currently need clipping every 8 weeks-ish but he manages to eat really well with them.

The molars have allowed them the opportunity to grow out of alignment.

I'll try to get a picture later when he has his eye meds.
 
I forgot to mention that one of the incisors snapped at some point, and that also scared me a lot...
Plus, his molars weren't showing any sign of spurs or overgrowth but were risking malocclusion too as the incisors would prevent a normal wearing.

But I really hope your Foxglove will be luckier and won't need any op!!!
 
the 57 bears said:
I forgot to mention that one of the incisors snapped at some point, and that also scared me a lot...
Plus, his molars weren't showing any sign of spurs or overgrowth but were risking malocclusion too as the incisors would prevent a normal wearing.

But I really hope your Foxglove will be luckier and won't need any op!!!
Click to expand...

With the incisors its far more likely to be a genetic problem than a dietary one if there is no primary cause elsewhere.

Genetic incisoral maloclussion is particularly inherent to the Netherland Dwarf and its crosses due to the severe deformation of the skull structure.

I wouldn't be surprised if 80%+ of rabbits have to have a dental at least once in their life, though its mainly the molars (and the lowers at that).
 
:wave: here are some pics of Foxglove's incisors (taken this evening ie after they were trimmed this morning) showing their malalignment.

CIMG7218.jpg

CIMG7259.jpg

CIMG7210.jpg

CIMG7221.jpg
 
Mmmh, I am no expert but I doubt realigning them would solve the problem. But maybe you could keep getting them trimmed down at regular intervals to avoid complete removal, if they don't get too bad too quick...

I wish they made braces for buns!
 
They do look to be severely out of occlusion but I still think I would wait a few months, allow her a few dentals and see where you stand once she has stopped growing. Incisor removal should be a last resort.
 
My mini lop had his incisors removed as they were needing to be burred every 3/4 weeks which was quite traumatic for him. I was really apprehensive about having them done but he was fine and manages really well. I cut his greens up but apart from that he has no problems. I brought him home the same night and he tucked into coriander and parsley and never looked back.Pam
 
I hope it all works out for him, he's so cute!

It kind of makes you wonder how the mothers know something like that is wrong though; he was aborted from the burrow for a reason, and he obviously wouldn't live long in the wild with that deformity.
It's strange how they have a sense for these things isn't it?

He's a lucky bunny to have a new home and access to a dentist though! :)
 
Siona said:
I hope it all works out for him, he's so cute!

It kind of makes you wonder how the mothers know something like that is wrong though; he was aborted from the burrow for a reason, and he obviously wouldn't live long in the wild with that deformity.
It's strange how they have a sense for these things isn't it?

He's a lucky bunny to have a new home and access to a dentist though! :)
Click to expand...

yes, i was thinking that too. :rabbit2:
 
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