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I was a bit horrified..

Michelleox

Michelleox

Mama Doe
..but possibly naive :? I was talking to the vet on Saturday and she was talking about how many buns come in needing (in particular) dentals and the owners refusing to pay which results in the poor pet being PTS.

I mean, i knew this must go on but i keep thinking about it and it is making me feel genuinely sick.

Maybe a pointless post but ...these poor buns:(
 
It so sad isn't it :( My vet told me a few years back that I was one of their only bunny clients that actually wanted their rabbits treated, but I think that is slowly changing now and more people are starting to value their bunnies as equals to cats and dogs :)
 
Its awful isn't it I had the same conversation with my vet when they were doing treatment for Frankie's respiratory condition and Honey's hernia. They said it was nice to have someone dedicated to their bunnies so they could try new treatments, most people won't pay hundreds of pounds just for a rabbit :shock: I left the conversation there as I didn't want to know what happened the poor bunnies :cry:
 
I suppose a lot of people know that it might be an ongoing problem which they just couldn't afford. Sounds harsh but it's true.

I'm not sure whether I would put my rabbits through needing their teeth done every few weeks, I would see how it went for each individual rabbit, how old they were, how frequently it needed to be done and whether they would need anaesthetic but I'm not ashamed to say that when considering the options PTS would be one of them. I do love my rabbits but I think it's important to assess whether what we do for them is always for their benefit rather than ours.
I suppose this applies more to other, more stressful problems than dental problems but, for instance, if one of my rabbits got myxi I would have them pts straight away, whereas I know a lot of people on here would fight for every extra day they could get.
 
what a shame :(:(

but thank fook the PTS option rather than leave them to suffer or release into the wild
 
I was offered the PTS option when Tinkerbell was diagnosed with her jaw abscess. Due to the prognosis for some conditions being extremely poor, then I think vets are right to offer the option due to the large amounts of money that may well be involved.

Rather that option than the owner deciding that they cannot/wont pay and the animal ending up suffering.
 
my second rabbit, Jasper, an orange nethie had malloclusion of the incisors and at that time the treatment was the vet clipping them every three weeks. I would never have considered having him put to sleep over that! He lived for quite a few years.
 
BattleKat said:
I suppose a lot of people know that it might be an ongoing problem which they just couldn't afford. Sounds harsh but it's true.

I'm not sure whether I would put my rabbits through needing their teeth done every few weeks, I would see how it went for each individual rabbit, how old they were, how frequently it needed to be done and whether they would need anaesthetic but I'm not ashamed to say that when considering the options PTS would be one of them. I do love my rabbits but I think it's important to assess whether what we do for them is always for their benefit rather than ours.
I suppose this applies more to other, more stressful problems than dental problems but, for instance, if one of my rabbits got myxi I would have them pts straight away, whereas I know a lot of people on here would fight for every extra day they could get.
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Yes but I'm sure you do everything in your power to prevent your buns needing dentals i.e. offering decent hay 24:7 and not piling their bowls high with muesli and all manner of junk some people feed theirs on. If you do all you can to prevent something like that then you deserve the right to decide what is too stressful for your bun.
 
Rhian33 said:
Yes but I'm sure you do everything in your power to prevent your buns needing dentals i.e. offering decent hay 24:7 and not piling their bowls high with muesli and all manner of junk some people feed theirs on. If you do all you can to prevent something like that then you deserve the right to decide what is too stressful for your bun.
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I'm not defending these people's action but a lot of them don't know about dental problems and the link with diet - I didn't until I found RU and up till then fed my rabbit a terrible diet :oops:

There are plenty of inaccurate books, and ignorant pet shop owners, and manufacturers producing junk which they claim is suitable for rabbits...all of these things will mislead a new pet owner and the may not find out their mistake till it's too late.




A while ago I was chatting to my vet and he said the reason the consult fee is so much lower for a rabbit than for a cat or dog is cos people just won't pay that much to get a rabbit checked over :( :(
 
clutterydrawer said:
I'm not defending these people's action but a lot of them don't know about dental problems and the link with diet - I didn't until I found RU and up till then fed my rabbit a terrible diet :oops:(
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The important part is that you found out. Some people just won't listen as it's cheap easy to just fill up a bowl with rubbish value food from tesco.

I started off fairly well with my buns (although I have cut down their pellets significantly since findling RU) as I had done my research but I admit this wasn't just down to me wanting to do the best for them, it was because I had to wait 12 years until I owned my own house to get them so had plenty of time to think and research.

I don't condemn anyone who has done things not quite right on the past but has changed their habits or is willing to listen to advice from experienced owners or vets.
 
Last time Beau was ill, a colleague told me to donate him for scientific research. A few days later we were all supposed to be sympathetic that her labrador was poorly. I was of course sympathetic, despite the blatant hypocrisy. Why are bunnies not as appreciated???!?
 
Rhian33 said:
The important part is that you found out. Some people just won't listen as it's cheap easy to just fill up a bowl with rubbish value food from tesco.

I started off fairly well with my buns (although I have cut down their pellets significantly since findling RU) as I had done my research but I admit this wasn't just down to me wanting to do the best for them, it was because I had to wait 12 years until I owned my own house to get them so had plenty of time to think and research.

I don't condemn anyone who has done things not quite right on the past but has changed their habits or is willing to listen to advice from experienced owners or vets.
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Very wise :) I do think that often though it's hard to find the info - I would never even have thought to look for a rabbit forum if someone hadn't happened to send me the link, and I certainly wouldn't have been able to recognise the signs of dental problems - sadly by the time I realised something was wrong it would probably have been too late :(

Also not helped by the sort of pet shops who market rabbits as a cheap, cute, low maintenance child's pet - you can see why someone woul be shocked at suddenly having to fork out hundreds to have their teeth done. (Although clearly they shold face up to their responsibilities and find the money anyway!)
 
Lib_n_bunny said:
Last time Beau was ill, a colleague told me to donate him for scientific research. A few days later we were all supposed to be sympathetic that her labrador was poorly. I was of course sympathetic, despite the blatant hypocrisy. Why are bunnies not as appreciated???!?
Click to expand...
I hope you told her to do the same!
 
I think thats what happened with me when Twinkle was ill :?

They said it was tooth roots and only offered PTS as an option... I suppose they just thought that was the norm :(

I suspect me standing my ground and finding a new vet was not the norm :D
 
My bun has molar spurs because his back teeth don't meet properly, & he needs a dental every month, which is nearly £100. My income is £94/week. Insurance doesn't cover dentals.
A friend pays for part of his treatment, & being single, I choose to cut back to the very basic essentials for me. (No virtue, I don't notice).
There are some people who really can't afford it, & other family members wouldn't cut back as I do. These buns don't rehome. Do we let them die a lingering death unable to eat with a sore mouth? or do we pts? I am so thankful for a wonderful friend.
 
thumps_ said:
My bun has molar spurs because his back teeth don't meet properly, & he needs a dental every month, which is nearly £100. My income is £94/week. Insurance doesn't cover dentals.
A friend pays for part of his treatment, & being single, I choose to cut back to the very basic essentials for me. (No virtue, I don't notice).
There are some people who really can't afford it, & other family members wouldn't cut back as I do. These buns don't rehome. Do we let them die a lingering death unable to eat with a sore mouth? or do we pts? I am so thankful for a wonderful friend.
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how lovely that you have such a caring friend. :)
 
My vets offer very cheap prices for rabbit dentals...I suspect partly motivated by this very issue. Molar spurs cost from £10 upwards...and even a full GA and burr back to gumline is only £60, so not much more costly than PTS.
 
Some bunnies need a dental because of poor diet and may never need one again. Did the vet say if after a dental, any of the bunnies were in this group? If so, would he be willing to treat free and we try and find homes for them?
 
I have so much fun doing animal talks for kids, if there's adults there I make a point of giving an example of how much treatment can cost (Honey running up a bill of £400 odd due to stasis is the one I tend to quote). You can see all the adults in the room think to themselves "Oh my God!!!". The silly thing is when I ask the kids if they think rabbits are easy to look after they all say no.

I think folk are right in that all the garbage food and advice offered y pet shops and supermarkets play a big part in the poor health of our rabbits. Then again backyard breeding can't be doing an awful lot either especially when babies are a result of siblings meeting.:(
 
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