Rabbit recovering badly from Dental op.. Please help

Hello I took my rabbit Oscar to the vet yesterday as for the past week he just didnt seen himself. Still eating and drinking but had been passing excess ceacals and had stopped doing Binkys. Anyway, the vet said he back molars were over grown. I wasnt suprised as he is sooo fussy with what he eats. He never grazes when hes outside in the run and barely eats any hay.

I got him home yesterday at 6pm and he was extremely out of it. I syringe fed him some fibreplex that the vet had given me once at 6:30pm and again at 10:30pm. I left him in his indoor cage all night with grass and hay as my vet said not to give him any pellets. He didnt eat anything last night and barely had anything to drink.

This morning he ate a couple of dandelions, but thats it. refused to eat any hay or grass. I phoned the vet and she said to give it 24hours and see how he is. I really cannot afford to take him back to the vets I feel terrible, but I am a student and yesterdays appointment cost me £140. He has had a couple of pellets as the vet said to try and get him to eat anything. and he has a little banana. Apart from that he hasnt eaten anything else and I havnt seen him drink today. (have given him 2 doses of fibreplex in syringe today)

I'm worried he might die if he doesn't eat soon. so I wondering how long it should take for him to start eating normally again and the recovery time after a teeth op. Is there anything else I can do for him?

Thank you, Kate

Hi Kate,

Did your vet give you any pain relief to give at home. They prob gave your bun a long lasting injection but its probably wearing off and could do with a top up. Your bunny probably has a very sore mouth and certainly wont eat if in pain. If not give them a ring and ask if they'll give you some metacam.

You could also try mashing some pellets with a little water so make it softer and easier to eat.

Amy104 said:

Hi Kate,

Did your vet give you any pain relief to give at home. They prob gave your bun a long lasting injection but its probably wearing off and could do with a top up. Your bunny probably has a very sore mouth and certainly wont eat if in pain. If not give them a ring and ask if they'll give you some metacam.

You could also try mashing some pellets with a little water so make it softer and easier to eat.

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:thumb:

Some buns need extra pain relief

Hi, it took my bun about a week and a half to get eating normally again after his dental. He was eating some stuff though, pellets and veg. He didnt get extra painkillers though, the vet wouldnt give us them as he was still eatinng, but he had 2 gut stimulant injections and also then recovery food and fibreplex everyday.

I would try feeding anything he'll eat. Any safe veg and I would see if he takes pellets too.

I think he really needs to go back to the vets for some painkillers and a gut stimulant. Dentals are painful which can stop eating, then they go into stasis which is also very painful, then they wont start eating... its a vicious circle and you'll need to break it for him to survive.

Can you put it on a credit card or ask if they have an account or credit option at the vets? The student loan is in very soon (3rd May I think). Or borrow some money, the return visit shouldnt cost too much, for mine the gut stimulant, fibreplex and 2 sachets of recovery came to about £25, then add the consultation charge and metacam on top of that. As your vets seems fairly expensive I'd budget for a £50 visit depending on the consultation charge.

hiya,

I'm also a student so can completely relate to the cost!! I've ended up getting my buns insured. I know each vet differ but some do you let have it on account, or if you explain and ask to pay it in a couple of weeks or something?

usually follow up appointments get cheaper as well, it'll be worth the extra cost to prevent stasis and to make sure he isn't in discomfort, all bunnies seem to have different pain thresholds, like us!

Good luck, I know how you feel, I cringe at some of my vets bills!! Defo have a look at insurance, though if this is a recurring problem with the teeth you wont be covered. Keep us posted. xx

My last rabbit had several dentals - and unfortunately they did cost a fortune. Like you rabbit, he also took a while to recover.

He was being given pain relief (daily) and stuff to keep his gut working (twice daily). I was also regulalrly syringe feeding him critical care (from the vets) and baby food. Peters favourite was Hipp Organic Apple and Pear baby food. I also bought lots of his favourtite vegetables and chopped them up small and made a little dish of variety - in a bid to temp him to eat. It did work but he did take upto one week to recover each time. I did have to go back to the vet during the course of the week to get more medication.

I hope you bun starts eating soon.

Goodluck.

I think another vet visit might be necessary for some more pain relief.

Have you tried soaking the pellets to make them gentler on his mouth? Really you need to be syringing him some recovery food too.

Fresh herbs often get them interested in eating again too.

Thank you for the all replys x

I did take Oscar back to the vet, as I was very worried, and they agreed to put the bill on account until I could pay. They have given me recovery food and syringe and told me feed him every hour, He hasn't has any water from his bottle or bowl so hopefully the water from the wet mix should keep him hydrated. I am going to give him a couple of syringes of water as well. The vet said the painkiller she gave him should still be in effect but I'm pretty sure his mouth is sore, but he is taken the liquid food well and even licking it off the end so I don't even have to put it in his mouth.

I know he needs to eat more hay but he hardly touches the stuff. When hes fully recovered I will start weaning him of his pellets. Has anyone got any tips to try and get him eat more hay? I've bought all different types of high quality stuff, but hes not interested. He doesn't graze the grass outside either! strange bunny x

k8t_b8t said:

Thank you for the all replys x

I did take Oscar back to the vet, as I was very worried, and they agreed to put the bill on account until I could pay. They have given me recovery food and syringe and told me feed him every hour, He hasn't has any water from his bottle or bowl so hopefully the water from the wet mix should keep him hydrated. I am going to give him a couple of syringes of water as well. The vet said the painkiller she gave him should still be in effect but I'm pretty sure his mouth is sore, but he is taken the liquid food well and even licking it off the end so I don't even have to put it in his mouth.

I know he needs to eat more hay but he hardly touches the stuff. When hes fully recovered I will start weaning him of his pellets. Has anyone got any tips to try and get him eat more hay? I've bought all different types of high quality stuff, but hes not interested. He doesn't graze the grass outside either! strange bunny x

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worry about getting him eating again for now, his previous reluctance to eat hay could have been his teeth as well. Can you add water to his pellets and feed this?

Thank you, Yes I have added water to his normal pellets but he still hasn't eaten them. He's taking the syringe feed well and he still taking fibreplex. He did his first mound of poops today, which I guess is a good sign, although they are slightly smaller than what they usually are. I will keep him on the recovery food tonight and tomorrow, How long do you think it will take for him to start eating normally again? I'm guessing he will still be sore for a couple of days? x

If he's pooing that's a great sign.
Try and temp him with all his favourite foods to get him eating again on his own. Then you can wean him off syringe feed. Are there veg or fruits he likes? Or even a tread or two right now, just to get him used to having solid food in his mouth again.