please help overgrown back teeth on my lionhead

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

im new to this so ill tell you a little about my bunnys and if you can help please!!

i have 4 lionhead rabbits three girls one boy, the girls zero Babs and mugglebun, the boy monster, i did have 5 which he was a boy named rex, they all age from 2 year down the oldest is babs.
i first got rex and babs when i did my gcse's they where brother and sister i adored everything about them! and still do!

Last year was when i lost rex i was distraught as i had had him from 7 weeks old and doted on him and babs all my money went on them i felt like a failure.
Rex started slavering and loosing weight quite quick but i thought that he lost the weight because my vet told me to cut down on his food so i did but he was still eating i went aways to a festival for a weekend but cam back on the sat to check him he was still slavering and didnt look to well i asked my mum to keepe an eye on him as i was to be back on the monday and she wasnt able to take him to vets on the sunday. When i took him he was diagnosed with overgrown back teeth, so the vet put him in for his operation to have them filed unfortunatly he didnt survive the operation because his heart failed now with my other bunnys i am very cautious of their teeth and giving them the right food even though rex was giving the right food and hay and apple twigs too.

a couple of week after rex, babs was showing the same signs so when i took her to the vets it was confirmed but minor and the vet said it would clear up with the right foods which she had, this was about 5 months ago but over the past few days signs are coming back but not strong signs she eats and runs about fine not tired at all just sneezing (everytime she eats anything and not) and opening her mouth and moving her tongue when shes eating (like shes trying to get comfortble) and the odd watery eye but she doesnt slaver, which is what is confusing me,

i was wonder if this is defenatly the signs of overgrown back teeth and what procedures there are to help as even though i know that to file them down would help her a lot more she is a very timid rabbit and if rexs heart failed im sure hers would too! and i was wondering what procedures people have gone through please helppp !!!!!

p.s she looks fine now she skipping jumping and running round the garden with the other bunnys

It sounds as if she needs a check up. She could be moving her mouth because her teeth are uncomfortable, or they have cut the inside of her mouth. But I don't know why that would make her sneeze. Does her nose run at all? As the vet has previously said she had spurs which could be sorted with diet, it does sound as if they have returned or worsened.

It might be that Rex was weak before his operation, as he had lost a lot of weight because of his teeth, which is why he did not survive. I wonder if going to a vet, who does a lot of rabbit dentals would be best. What city are you in and maybe someone could recommend a vet.

Do they eat a lot hay? What hay are you feeding.

She does need to see a vet though.

I definitely agree. I'm not sure what advice I have to give except that a vet check is in order. If you can, call around to the vets in your area, and see which one is most rabbit savvy. I hope all goes well, keep us updated!

hi thanks for the advice! well shes stopped sneezing slavering everyting shes fine chasing pigeons and other bunnys in garden ive cut down on her food so i can check exactly what she is eating and how much and by morning she never has anything left ive gave her lots of fresh hay but she doesnt seem to be a fan of hay even though i get her the ones with dandelions in it but if shes hungry shell have to eat it lol thankyou ill keep you updated xxx

alexrabbitplus4 said:

hi thanks for the advice! well shes stopped sneezing slavering everyting shes fine chasing pigeons and other bunnys in garden ive cut down on her food so i can check exactly what she is eating and how much and by morning she never has anything left ive gave her lots of fresh hay but she doesnt seem to be a fan of hay even though i get her the ones with dandelions in it but if shes hungry shell have to eat it lol thankyou ill keep you updated xxx

Click to expand...

If she has molar spurs/malocclusion she may not be able to eat hay so she will starve Her GI tract will stop working and she will become very poorly

Has your Vet checked her teeth in the last few days ? If not then it is absolutely essential that she does so.

Not all dental problems cause rabbits to drool. Certainly it sounds like her mouth is uncomfortable and she does need assessment asap by a vet. Sneezing can be a sign of dental disease if the upper tooth roots are overly long and put pressure on the sinuses and their sensitive lining. They can also compress the tear duct which may explain why she also has a watery eye.
Anaesthetic risk in a healthy rabbit for a routine procedure like a dental is not significantly higher than for a dog/cat as long as the vet and anaesthetist are familiar with rabbits. Perhaps someone on here can recommend vets local to you if you let us know where you are.
please try and keep her eating until you can get an appointment as if she has little food then her intestines will slow down and she will need much more intensive care and anaesthetic risk will also be increased. She may not want to eat hay as that involves much more chewing than pellets and veggies and causes more pain when chewing, but she needs that fibre to keep her intestines working well so needs to have any pain sorted asap.