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Clipping rabbits teeth

I've heard people using nail clippers.
They're teeth are soft and constantly growing.
 
Not an area i'm well read in, but surely if their teeth are misaligned you need to clip them from time to time or they'll just grow and grow :? i wouldnt do it myself or use nail clippers but I don't see why a vet shouldnt do it.
 
Actual 'clipping' is in my opinion an out-dated and barbaric practice. This is also the opinion of leading rabbit vet dentist David Crossley. Not only does it cause extreme pain in most instances but it risks longitudinal fractures of the tooth and root and risk further malocclusion and infection.
There are only a very few occasions in my opinion when this is appropriate - i.e. emergency situations such as an extremely anorexic and ill rescue bun for example where the priority is immediate first aid and getting bun to eat and drink, in these cases experienced rescuers often have no choice.

Our bun had his teeth clipped by a supposed 'rabbit-savy vet' many years ago, it caused him extreme pain - tooth grinding, and brought on a severe and immediate episode of gastric stasis. :(

Incisor teeth should be 'burred' if there is any reason to reallign or correct tooth length using a special powered dental burr and by an experienced vet only.
 
i heard my nanny saying she knew some guy who took his bun to the vets and they told them to do home clipping of the teeth, not good. :shock: :(
 
Actual 'clipping' is in my opinion an out-dated and barbaric practice. This is also the opinion of leading rabbit vet dentist David Crossley. Not only does it cause extreme pain in most instances but it risks longitudinal fractures of the tooth and root and risk further malocclusion and infection.

In an ideal world I would agree with you, but many buns need their incisors doing every 2 or 3 weeks, so a GA to burr them would be very risky that often.

Of course extraction is preferable for buns with very mis-aligned teeth, but IMO is best avoided if the teeth can be made to align sufficiently well enough to eat/groom normally.

TBH if the tooth shatters when being clipped with the proper tools, then I'd be inclined to think that there was perhaps some weakness...possibly a lack of calcium or a tooth root infection.
 
Actual 'clipping' is in my opinion an out-dated and barbaric practice. This is also the opinion of leading rabbit vet dentist David Crossley. Not only does it cause extreme pain in most instances but it risks longitudinal fractures of the tooth and root and risk further malocclusion and infection.
There are only a very few occasions in my opinion when this is appropriate - i.e. emergency situations such as an extremely anorexic and ill rescue bun for example where the priority is immediate first aid and getting bun to eat and drink, in these cases experienced rescuers often have no choice.

Our bun had his teeth clipped by a supposed 'rabbit-savy vet' many years ago, it caused him extreme pain - tooth grinding, and brought on a severe and immediate episode of gastric stasis. :(

Incisor teeth should be 'burred' if there is any reason to reallign or correct tooth length using a special powered dental burr and by an experienced vet only.

Agreed :)
 
In an ideal world I would agree with you, but many buns need their incisors doing every 2 or 3 weeks, so a GA to burr them would be very risky that often.

Burring of incisors does not require a GA in my experience. Molar teeth then yes definitely. We also found that on the occasion Nino's teeth were clipped they grew back a lot faster and a lot less straight and consequently wore worse and therefore needed doing much sooner. Correct burring can put a bevel edge on the back of the teeth to encourage the teeth to wear correctly if not severely misaligned. Two good burrs by a our 'good' rabbit savy vet has corrected Nino's bite and meant that he's gone from burring every 4 wks to not having them done for over 2 yrs now! :D
I too would consider incisor extraction in cases that needed burring every 2-3wks.

Just to add to the GA bit - some buns I expect have more sensitive teeth than others....burring incisors as far as I was aware does not involve touching pulp cavity (nerve tissue) hence no need for a GA. However, a friend of mine's bunny had her incisors's burred and 'screamed' the minute the vet touched her tooth with the burr. This bun had incisor extraction under a GA to eliminate this stress.
 
I also agree that there could be underlying issues of calcium deficiency for example that make a rabbit's tooth prone to fissures and cracks, however, it is only when this exceptionally strong 'squeezing' force is applied to the tooth during clipping that this will be discovered, by which point the tooth will be too late to save, which IMO suggests that clipping should be avoided in the first place.
 
With all due respect, if you are against conscious dentals for molar teeth, then I can't see how you are in favour of using a power tool on the incisors of an awake rabbit! :shock:
 
With all due respect, if you are against conscious dentals for molar teeth, then I can't see how you are in favour of using a power tool on the incisors of an awake rabbit! :shock:

Er because it takes seconds and doesn't require the bunny to be restrained for more than 30 seconds, or the use of any device, all they have to do is hold bunny's mouth at either side and pull the lips back. There is no invasion of pulp cavity so no pain! Molar teeth are a totally different kettle of fish!
 
If there was any risk of 'pulp cavity' exposure then of course a GA would be required. This seems to occur in only grossly enlongated incisor teeth.
 
Knowing how hard it is to restrain something the size of a hamster to clip it's teeth, how do you do that to a conscious rabbit without ending up in casualty yourself?
 
Knowing how hard it is to restrain something the size of a hamster to clip it's teeth, how do you do that to a conscious rabbit without ending up in casualty yourself?

Because it doesn't take very long or require much restraining. The incisor teeth are easily accessible at the front of the mouth, as opposed to restricted access to the molar teeth which would require bun's mouth to be fitted with both a guard and jaw clamp device of some sorts I expect.

A vet nurse holds bunny upside down and his mouth open - as they would do for quite a few procedures - such as inspecting a broken tooth? and then the vet just trims the top off - it literally takes seconds - but it allows them to 'bevel' the tooth - step it at the back in order to encourage self-wear. It is far more precise, a lot less risky re. tooth shattering and longitudinal fissures and if done properly by a competent vet should cause no pain at all, unlike clipping which can cause extreme pain due to the forces applied and potentially soft tissue damage from a tooth being 'rocked' in its socket.
A low-speed burr often avoids any heat build up as well. I understand that for consicous incisor burring they would turn off the water cooling spray - which would be the main distressing factor to a conscious rabbit.
Comparing this to the extreme pressures and forces which need to be applied to the tooth (actually more than the tooth structure can withstand) by using clippers - which in my personal experience causes a great deal more pain and distress and is far riskier.

Put this way, Nino was in a state after his tooth clipping, tooth grinding and an hour or two later in complete bloat and stasis.
After each incisor burring by our competent rabbit vet he was munching fresh basil in his carry cage on the vets table immediately after. This is my stress-related bloat/stasis bun and he has never had an episode post-incisor burring, which is more than can be said for the time his teeth were clipped. I'm going on personal experience and if you need more info I suggest you read the link I gave by David Crossley on page 1 of this thread. Which will explain dentals far better than I could. :)
 
I am not for a minute suggesting this is appropriate for every bunny. Some buns with molar tooth spurs and other more serious malocclusions would be better off tying in incisor burring alongside molar burring under a GA. Same goes for a rabbit who is impossible to restrain or has extremely sensitive teeth from an elongated pulp cavity - not every rabbit's incisor anatomy is the same. In these instances total incisor extraction or procedures done under a GA would be far more appropriate. I personally, and this is just my opinion, can not see how 'clipping' fits into any of these scenarios, unless tooth management was a priority for emergency situations only.
 
Er because it takes seconds and doesn't require the bunny to be restrained for more than 30 seconds, or the use of any device, all they have to do is hold bunny's mouth at either side and pull the lips back. There is no invasion of pulp cavity so no pain! Molar teeth are a totally different kettle of fish!

There is no invasion of pulp cavity for conscious molar dentals either :? If you've ever seen a horse have dental work done, then you'll know how it's done in rabbits, except the rasp is miniature compared to an equine rasp

Surely something needs to be inserted into the mouth behind the teeth in case the tongue gets in the way?
 
On another forum i go on a dog one,They were discussing over priced vets someone said it costs them £10 every 4 weeks so they now clip them themselfs other people then commented on how clipping teeth was ok:?
 
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