Please Note - Medical Advice
Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.
You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.
We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.
Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.
As has already been said, how often depends on what's actually going on in the mouth.
Cost varies alot, but did you not get an itemised bill for the neuter and dental Patch had done this week? How is he BTW?
It also depends on how your vet does it. If your vet smooths off any sharp bits but leaves the teeth the normal length, they may need doing more frequently. My vet used to burr Santa's down to just above the gum line, this means that it takes much more pressure off the roots, takes longer to grow back and gives more chance that they grow back evenly. But it takes longer so may cost more. I used to pay about £90 to get Santa's done and on average they needed doing about every 6 months.
It depends on the rabbit and the severity of the problems.
We have Waffle who needs it done every 4 weeks, and costs £80-£120 each time.
Alas the answer to most of your questions is "it depends". Santa always coped very well with anaesthesia and regularly surprised the vets by being up and crashing around in a temper very quickly afterwards, even when she was nearly 7 years old.
The only thing you can really do with tooth roots is to keep the pressure off them by burring the teeth down to just above the gumline on a regular basis. How regular really depends on the exact nature and extent of the problem, where the roots are growing, whether they are causing pain or blocking nasal cavities/tear ducts etc. In severe cases they can grow into the eye sockets or brain and the prognosis in those cases is poor.
If an x-ray shows that incisor roots are the cause of the problem (depending on face shape, they may well be), then it may be possible to remove them, but it is not normally possible to remove molars unless they are already loose. They are so long and deep that removing them would probably result in a broken jaw. Even removing them may not solve the problem if it is long-standing as scar tissue may well remain in the area around the original irritation.
They said my other bun blaze has spurs, but didnt' suggest doing anything. Any reason why that would be? Surely he would require some kind of treatment for that even if it wasn't severe.
aww that sounds dreadful- part of me can see why some rescues put buns down with dental problems like this as it causes pain. I won't be doing that with any of mine with teeth problems. I don't believe in it, but it sure sounds severe for the bunnys to have to cope with. I will be doing everything to make them both as comfortable as possible. Is it best for dental buns being house buns, or does it make no difference. Both patch and blaze are outdoor buns at the moment xx
Again, alas, it depends...
If they are very minor then sometimes it is better to 'keep an eye' on them and see if a change in diet can correct the problem or at least prevent it from getting worse for a long period of time. So when Harry has gone for a myxo jab before now, the vet has said that there are a few slightly points starting, but I have just made a few dietary adjustments such as increasing grazing time on the lawn, and they have corrected themselves without surgery.
Sometimes it could simply be that the vet is being pragmatic and only seeking to treat once they actually cause a problem. It's potentially a risky strategy as it relies on the owner noticing early that there are habit changes suggesting the teeth need doing and if the bun crashes before that time, then you have to deal with a poorly bun and a GA. But they must see a lot of clients who simply wouldn't pay for a monthly GA if necessary so they try and be pragmatic and leave it for longer.
If a bun is going in for routine surgery such as a neuter I will always ask them to properly examine the teeth while the bun is under - that way they can do any hopefully minor corrective surgery at the same time and possibly avoid another GA at a later date.
I'm pleased to hear he's doing ok. It must be very stressful for you to have several dental buns, especially when they also have ongoing eye problems. I definitely think it would be worth getting x-rays done of Patch's skull as his eyes havent improved since the dental.
Did he come home with any pain relief? If not, his mouth may still be sore, making him reluctant to eat hay.