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Dental: Molars

Scrufox86

Warren Scout
Hi. One of my rabbits has had to go to the vets to have his molars filed down since January last year. The first time he had it done it wasn't done enough so he had to go back only a month later. He then didn't need to go back until June and his last time was November last year. He was checked two weeks ago and the vet said there is a spur on one of his molars and to keep an eye on him and in a few weeks take him to be checked again. Well anyway he was eating still until the last few days he slowly ate less.

He has an appointment for tomorrow morning to see the vet and i am assuming he will have to stay in overnight (with his brother who he is bonded with). It has been seven months since his last molar filing and i was wondering if that is normal? And i am worried because he is coming up for 4 years old if being knocked out will be more of a risk? Apart from not eating much, he has been active and he was alright outside today moving around in the run.

Does anyone else do or know anyone who do this and how often with thier rabbits?
 
There is always a risk with GA and slightly more risk as they get older. But many of us have dental bunnies, some go in every few weeks and some get away with months or years in between. Grim has managed to go for a good few months since his last one. Of course it's a risk but a rabbit eating less is a risk too, and once they stop eating it's fatal unless it's sorted quickly. So you're doing the best for him and it's normal. :)

How does he usually do after he's had his dentals? Does he take long to get back to normal? Make sure they send you home with painkillers.
 
7 months is a long time to have between filings! There are many dental bunnies on here, so you're not going through it alone.

I dont know what diet he is currently on, but does he eat lots of hay? I was recently advised that a diet with natural forage and only a pinch of pellets (along with 80-90% hay of course!) would be better for dental bunnies than a normal diet. It is explained in my thread: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=295022 (stick with it, its not about that at the beginning)
 
I have another rabbit who only goes for the front teeth to be filed (am thinking about possibly having them removed) and my molar troubled one used to go for just that but when checking in January last year that is when they found the spurs on the molars.

He has pellets mixed in with hard food from pet shop .I know the vets have said to cut this out but i can't. I know that both rabbits with the teeth problems eat a lot of the pellets and rabbit food mix and i don't see them eat much hay. They have greens and carrots a few times a week as well.


Oh to answer Jenova, he varies when he wakes up from the GA. He usually is alright as soon as he wakes up from the GA and the vets phone to say he can come home. When home though on those times he has varied again. Like sometimes he'd only eat greens to begin with and then go onto the hard food and hay. Other times he'd be fine and just eat hay,food,carrots whatever right away.

Then one time he took a while to eat anything after coming home and we had to give fibreplex to help with his gut. I can't remember how long it took after that for him to eat but it has only been one time he took a while to get back to normal eating habits.

Also something i noticed but am not sure if it is related. One time two of my rabbits front teeth just fell out, both bottom ones(but grew back). Recently one of his top teeth has fallen out and is taking a while to grow back. Has this happened to anyone else's rabbit? Is it just a random thing happening or is there a condition/illness that is causing it?
 
He has pellets mixed in with hard food from pet shop .I know the vets have said to cut this out but i can't. I know that both rabbits with the teeth problems eat a lot of the pellets and rabbit food mix and i don't see them eat much hay. They have greens and carrots a few times a week as well.

:wave: I'm wondering why you can't follow the Vets advice? As an outsider, I obviously don't know your rabbits health, make-up etc. but your Vet does.

My oldest rabbit, 9 1/2 year old Totti, has had spurs removed 3 or 4 times during his life. He had his last GA the beginning of this year and bounced back remarkably well so at nearly 4, he's a comparative youngster ;)

I also have Kiki, a dental bun who had her front teeth removed years ago. Her molars are great (Vets words not mine :oops:) and the key to their teeth health is eating hay, hay and more hay. Yes Totti is thinner than he ever has been but (abcsess aside) he's in good health so although the temptation is to sneak him a few more pellets, I know I wouldn't be doing him any good whatsover as he has had dental spurs in the past.

Hope that helps.
 
:wave: I'm wondering why you can't follow the Vets advice? As an outsider, I obviously don't know your rabbits health, make-up etc. but your Vet does.

My oldest rabbit, 9 1/2 year old Totti, has had spurs removed 3 or 4 times during his life. He had his last GA the beginning of this year and bounced back remarkably well so at nearly 4, he's a comparative youngster ;)

I also have Kiki, a dental bun who had her front teeth removed years ago. Her molars are great (Vets words not mine :oops:) and the key to their teeth health is eating hay, hay and more hay. Yes Totti is thinner than he ever has been but (abcsess aside) he's in good health so although the temptation is to sneak him a few more pellets, I know I wouldn't be doing him any good whatsover as he has had dental spurs in the past.

Hope that helps.

Hi. We did try to wean them off the food and onto just hay but they didn't seem to eat more hay than usual. We did mention this to the vet and they said although it isn't recommended, if they are healthy (which they were at the time we took them for thier myxi injections and asked about the food) and eating then it shouldn't be a problem. They do have hay to eat as well and i give them a lot so it isn't like they just have a few strands and a mountain of rabbit food and pellets. The bowls of food are small and they get a variety of hay. Right now they have pets at home hay and alfalfa hay and sometimes i give them marigold hay (they seem to enjoy this one more).

Back to my molar rabbit, we took him to the vet at 10:30 this morning and the vet said it isn't good. She said that since two weeks ago his teeth have got worse as expected but that there is an abcess on the side of his mouth and it is to do with the root of the teeth. She said they can't sort that out but they can support him by giving him medication and draining the abcess. She said she has dealt with one other rabbit with the same thing and it managed to survive 7-8 months after being diagnosed. I'm very confused and upset right now. I mean every time we took him to have his molars filed down the vets have said he was fine afterwards and now all of a sudden his tooth roots are terrible? I just can't see how it happened within two weeks.

The vet said there were a few options,

1) Take him home with medication but he may only live another few months.

2) Have him go under GA and while they drain the abcess and check if it is to do with the teeth, they'll file the teeth down.

There was a third option but i was so shocked when she said that it wasn't looking good and he will most likely need to be PTS that i asked her if it mattered which option if he is going to have around the same life expectancy. She then said that the 2nd option was the one where the rabbit she dealt with above managed to last 7-8 months. I said to go for that one. At least then they can find out if the abcess is because of the teeth or not.
 
Ouch! Poor bun - sorry I don't know his name :oops:

I would also go for option 2 in your situation. There's so many buns on here with abscesses, hopefully someone who's experienced with tooth root ones will come along soon.

As for encouraging hay consumption, my trio can be picky and the farm bales have been hit and miss quality wise lately. So I got some Dust Free stalky stuff and their poos grew overnight :oops: so that ones a winner in my book. I can't tell you how many different hays I've tried.

Good luck.
 
Ok the vet phoned back 4 hours ago. The vet said they did an x-ray and found that the problem was far worse than first thought. There are two abscesses close together which they have emptied. They also found multiple root problems all around the mouth and not just the few possible ones the vet originally saw. She said it is looking bad but they are going to try to make him comfortable and have filed the teeth down and put him on a drip. They said they'll keep him overnight and phone in the morning to let us know how he is doing and if he is eating alright then he can return home. For how long they are unsure but are going to give medication to help cope.

I am even more shocked than before. I can't believe that a small spur just two weeks ago when he went to be checked has now become all this? It was the same vet and she even said that the spur was alright at the time and to go back in two weeks for another check up and probable stay for the filing. I don't even know how long my rabbit has left to live before the awful PTS has to happen.
 
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