Dental Bunnies... What causes it?

Took one of my foster bunnies to the vets today for her 6 monthly myxi jab, and the vet said she has slight spurs on her lower molars. The thing is, shes a really good hay eater :? So i cant see where im going wrong - or if it is actually my fault?

They literally get one of those yellow treat balls with the carrots on, half full of pellets of a morning, with fresh meadow hay. When i get home around 4pm they get their hay rack filled up with either oxbow hay or burns hay depending on what i order, and then of an evening they get a bowl of veggies between them, and their hay rack is filled up with hay from West Wales Willows. They dont get treats or anything or the sort... the only treats they ever get are the carrot wood rolls, and thats once in a blue moon.

Meg is fine... its just little Mog She has to go back in 4 weeks to see if they need doing.

Any advice, apart from keeping up the hay feeding :? xXx

I think dental problems can also be caused by genetics. There are certain breeds that are more prone to problems. Honey is a brilliant hay eater but she has small spurs to.

Problem is the majority of rabbits will experience dental issues at some point down to poor breeding. In most cases it's genetic, and while a good diet can minimise time between dentals they will probably still need them at some point!

My teddy is doing well at the moment and has gone from dentals every 8 weeks to every 16-20 weeks, but I just play it by ear with him. Milly has had spurs removed, despite being a good hay eater, but she goes a year or so between needing another one.

At the moment Teddy only has one spur, which is a bit of a pain! He can still eat perfectly well and the only reason I know it's causing him discomfort is because I sometimes hear him swallow... strange it may seem but I knew something wasn't right about it, and it seems the spur is irritating his tongue slightly so he's booked in to have it taken off.

hurricanhoney said:

I think dental problems can also be caused by genetics. There are certain breeds that are more prone to problems. Honey is a brilliant hay eater but she has small spurs to.

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Aww bless Honey Does she have to have regular dentals then... or is it just when needed sort of thing?

I thought it could be genetics, because i know like dwarf lops are prone to teeth problems etc but shes a dutch x rew, and doesnt have a squashed face :lol: xXx

Becky86 said:

Aww bless Honey Does she have to have regular dentals then... or is it just when needed sort of thing?

I thought it could be genetics, because i know like dwarf lops are prone to teeth problems etc but shes a dutch x rew, and doesnt have a squashed face :lol: xXx

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They are just checking it every fews months. I'm to take her back if her eating slows down.

charlie82 said:

Problem is the majority of rabbits will experience dental issues at some point down to poor breeding. In most cases it's genetic, and while a good diet can minimise time between dentals they will probably still need them at some point!

My teddy is doing well at the moment and has gone from dentals every 8 weeks to every 16-20 weeks, but I just play it by ear with him. Milly has had spurs removed, despite being a good hay eater, but she goes a year or so between needing another one.

At the moment Teddy only has one spur, which is a bit of a pain! He can still eat perfectly well and the only reason I know it's causing him discomfort is because I sometimes hear him swallow... strange it may seem but I knew something wasn't right about it, and it seems the spur is irritating his tongue slightly so he's booked in to have it taken off.

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Thanks thats really helpful

Hope Teddy will be ok

Piglet & Eeyore both have small spurs but are fab hay eaters. For them it's definitely bad breeding, their teeth are checked every few months and I just make sure their eating habits don't change.

Bubbles had already had one dental a couple of months ago (she's not one till the end of this month) and it's definitely genetic with her because she 's always been a brilliant hay eater too.