I don't know what to do about Daphne :/

I have a little fuzzy bun called Daphne (on the far right of my signature). Over the last year or so she's developed teeth problems. Her teeth always used to be alright so I'm not sure why they suddenly became misalligned, maybe she's bumped them out of line or something :?. She's had the back ones burred several times but just recently she's been having trouble with the front ones too. I first noticed when she started dribbling - I assumed it was her back teeth again but had a look in her mouth and the top front ones were curling - one tooth much worse than the other. I took her to the vet, he trimmed them and booked her in for a full dental.

The vet tried to ring me whilst Daphne was on the table to ask my permission to remove her incisors - I was driving so didn't answer and therefore my vet didn't do it, but burred them back to a sensible length.

This was only just over a month ago and I noticed this morning that Daph's front teeth are curling even worse than last time (she is still eating and drinking fine).

I'm not sure what to do now. The obvious thing is to take her back to get her incisors removed but I worry it'll cause her more harm than good. The vet told me that the teeth will probably grow back eventually :? Also, Daphne is a very fuzzy bun - if she can't groom herself properly I will have to brush her loads... which isn't a problem for me but Daphne is a very nervous bun to the point that she squeals when picked up and gets really stressed. She has also always had problems with runny poo (her diet is hay, burgess fresh forage and excell pellets with broccolli and carrot for treats) and I'm really worried about the risks of fly strike in the summer - I work extra hours over summer so can't keep and eye on her all the time.

I know the general point of view on here (and my point of view too!) is never to get a bun PTS for dental issues but I'm not sure what I can do to avoid it. I'm quite convinced having her teeth out will destroy her quality of life.

Does she have a partner? If so the other bunny might keep her groomed.
Or could you keep her coat trimmed so she doesn't need so much grooming? I know that would involve handling her but it wouldn't need to be done as often as regular brushing, I wouldn't have thought.

Yes, she's bonded. Pharrell licks her head a lot but doesn't groom her as such, which is a real shame

Would trimming her coat be ok as she lives outside? She wouldn't get too cold at night time?!

I found this about managing long haired bunnies. It says this about trimming the fur:

Bearing in mind that rabbits were not meant to be long-haired, your rabbit will thank you for ridding him of the weight and prevent the excess heat it generates (especially in the summer), as well as enabling him to groom properly again. Furthermore, most rabbits hate being brushed all the time, and although some will learn to tolerate it, it makes much more practical sense to return the fur to the length it was meant to be in the first place.

I wouldn't start doing it now, while it's cold, cause she'll have got used to having all that fur. But if you start trimming it during the warmer weather (which is hopefully coming!) I would have thought she'd have gotten used to it in time for next winter.
I've never had a long haired bunny though so I'm no expert, sorry!

Eddie is a Cashmere lop with a fuzzy coat who also has incisor problems. he can't have his removed for other health reasons but does have them burred back to gum level every few weeks.

We muddle through with his coat as he is also extremely sensitive to touch. I cut off any big matts when he gives the oppotunity and I try to brush him for around 5 minutes every day while he has his head in a bowl of food. He does end up with some weird and wonderful looking hair dos, but he never complains

If the incisors are removed in their entirety they shouldn't grow back, although this is a possibility if they break when being removed. Also reargurad available from your vet may help in summer months.

Please don't have her pts yet, I am sure there are ways round things that you can both cope with

Just to say about the runny poo thing, Ginger and Pickles had that for 2 years (as my first rabbits I didn't realise it was abnormal at first) until I found that it was the pellets causing it. I highly reccommend you switch (gradually) to Science Selective, and if that doesn't work try a diet which is just hay and veg. No more runny poos!

Thanks for the replies everyone :wave: And thankyou for the link Loosy I've been in a bit of a state trying to work out what to do all day I don't want to get her put to sleep at all but she just seems like such a unhappy bun. Her husbun, in comparison, is a little ray of sunshine. I feel like it's my fault too.

Daphne isn't particuly long haired to be honest - she's a lion head and has a long mane that I keep cut short and long tufts around her 'edges'. She seems to manage to get knotty everywhere though :roll: I guess where she doesn't groom herself, the loose hair just gets knotted back into her coat. I have to keep her mane short - her teeth have caused sticky eyes and it gets stuck to her face. I just wish she wasn't so nervous - I can feel her little heart racing away when I pick her up.

I also have a nethie/cashmere lop cross but he is very friendly and loves being groomed. I'm definately used to grooming! :lol:

I'm going to book her in to have her teeth out and ask the vet if he could clip the fur around her bottom right off whilst she's knocked out. I've only recently started giving the buns excell (they were on muesli, I always thought it was ok so long as I made sure they ate all the different bits They've been on a mixture of muesli and pellets for a month, whilst I used the last of the muesli up and are now solely on excell.) so hopefully that'll help, if not I'll give SS a go

Is there anything I need to do differently for a gummy bunny?

georgie_f said:

Is there anything I need to do differently for a gummy bunny?

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She will need her veg cutting up or grated and she wont be able to pull grass directly from the lawn, but besides that she should be fine