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Following on from the dental bunny discussion.. Pics for Poppymoon page 12

littleboots

Mama Doe
Following on from the recent discussion regarding dental bunnies, I thought Sadies situation may be of interest to some people.
Sadie has been needing dentals every 5 to 6 weeks for over a year, which obviously stresses her and myself greatly. I would never have considered having her pts because of this as yes shes stressed for a day but soon bounces back.
She got a new husbun a few months ago and since then her diet has changed completley... He loves his hay.... so she eats it... He loves his dried herbs etc.... so she eats it.
Her last dental was in Feb this year and she was in yesterday... and her teeth are soooo improved .... She has NEVER gone 6 months inbetween!!!
My vet thinks this will continue to improve:D
So Sadie is living proof that diet CAN and DOES help some dental bunnies.
 
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That's great to hear abou Sadie. Long may it continue.

I have a similar experience with Dusk, who needed them every 14 weeks and since bonding with a friend has had two, and has not had one since Feb 2010 (although when he had his vaccs recently my vet said he was likely to need one soon). I think that's to do with him being so much happier and eating more hay and having more est for life, than a hugey different diet because he was eating lots of hay and on very minimal pellets, but whatever works for him :)
 
Thank you for posting littleboots. I'm delighted by the improvement in her teeth.
I missed the discussion about dentals. There are so many theories & it could be that all have a role to play.

1 theory is that abnormal bacteria in a buns caecum produce chemicals which make the blood vessels at the tooth roots enlarge, so the teeth grow faster than normal.
Eating more hay certainly affects the caecal microrganisms for the better (best way to treat mucky bum).

My own bun had no change in diet but we managed to reduce dentals from 3 weekly to 8 weekly when I was forced to take action over his :censored: caecum earlier this year. Improved caecal function was followed immediately by improvement in his spurs. In retrospect deterioration in his spurs followed deterioration in caecal function.
It's all rather academic until we try to help problem buns.

The point is that hay worked. :D
 
Thank you for posting littleboots. I'm delighted by the improvement in her teeth.
I missed the discussion about dentals. There are so many theories & it could be that all have a role to play.

1 theory is that abnormal bacteria in a buns caecum produce chemicals which make the blood vessels at the tooth roots enlarge, so the teeth grow faster than normal.
Eating more hay certainly affects the caecal microrganisms for the better (best way to treat mucky bum).

My own bun had no change in diet but we managed to reduce dentals from 3 weekly to 8 weekly when I was forced to take action over his :censored: caecum earlier this year. Improved caecal function was followed immediately by improvement in his spurs. In retrospect deterioration in his spurs followed deterioration in caecal function.
It's all rather academic until we try to help problem buns.

The point is that hay worked. :D

Interesting...
Sadie actually had a dirty bottom from time to time too... but no more.. she is spotless now..
Shes quite a big girl and I had hoped she would have lost a bit of weight too with her new diet... she was 3.9kg in Feb... well she has lost a teeny bit.. shes now 3.85kg....:roll: Oh well I cant have everything :lol::lol::lol:
 
thats really great to hear! :D Sounds like Sadie has really improved and must feel so much better for it too - well done!

When my Archie arrived he didnt really eat hay at all and was on a muesli mix...which he went mad for. I put apple leaves & branches in and he didnt know what to do with them:( He only ate whathe knew as food from a baby...so loads of veges...but not really hay..he did love grass though.

I had his teeth checked and he has some small spurs...so I was really worried about him not eating hay..

I changed his mix slowly to SS & Oxbow and often would find his bowl still half full and he was looking for his usual muesli...I felt aweful...but I perservered and also handfed him hay etc and told him how good he was when he ate one little piece.

When he met my girls..he was already starting to eat the pellets instead of muesli...and so I was able to bond knowing he knew that pellets was actually a food he could eat...he now eats loads of hay (Id like him to eat more...but am buying variations for choice) and adores anything Ive foraged for...even if its new! He has def. changed his eating habits and improved his diet...and I htink some part down to me for pushing him in that direction adn the other because he copied my girls who were great hay eaters. Often I will see him sitting there munching away...of course he loves pellets and all the nice tasty foods...but its just wonderful to see how he has improved...I now have to get his teeth rechecked and seehow he has improved.:D
 
thats really great to hear! :D Sounds like Sadie has really improved and must feel so much better for it too - well done!

When my Archie arrived he didnt really eat hay at all and was on a muesli mix...which he went mad for. I put apple leaves & branches in and he didnt know what to do with them:( He only ate whathe knew as food from a baby...so loads of veges...but not really hay..he did love grass though.

I had his teeth checked and he has some small spurs...so I was really worried about him not eating hay..

I changed his mix slowly to SS & Oxbow and often would find his bowl still half full and he was looking for his usual muesli...I felt aweful...but I perservered and also handfed him hay etc and told him how good he was when he ate one little piece.

When he met my girls..he was already starting to eat the pellets instead of muesli...and so I was able to bond knowing he knew that pellets was actually a food he could eat...he now eats loads of hay (Id like him to eat more...but am buying variations for choice) and adores anything Ive foraged for...even if its new! He has def. changed his eating habits and improved his diet...and I htink some part down to me for pushing him in that direction adn the other because he copied my girls who were great hay eaters. Often I will see him sitting there munching away...of course he loves pellets and all the nice tasty foods...but its just wonderful to see how he has improved...I now have to get his teeth rechecked and seehow he has improved.:D

Thats brilliant:D I bet you also see a great improvement
 
This is so good to hear and also very interesting.

Poppy doesn't eat hay and has a dirty bottom EVERY day. I wonder if there is anyway I can get her eating hay to stop the dirty bum. I had given up but this thread gives me hope.
 
I think you've raised an interesting point there Chelle.
There are several examples of buns not eating hay until they see a good hay eating bun doing so. I agree that some buns don't know that hay is good food.
It's quite a complex problem & a very real one to keep our buns healthy somehow.

A big well done littleboots. :thumb: I'm sure that Sadie feels much better in herself & that she'll go from strength to strength now.
ETA 2 fantastic success stories of perseverance. :D:D

Janey, I have a personal theory that a diet very high in veg & pellets from babyhood can cause a slow gut. So they can't get enough through put for the necessary fiber.
Chelle didn't have the experience but some buns can be helped to get their gut moving with a few tree leaves - either apple/hawthorn/ blackberry/raspberry/ strawberry. Once they learn that they need fiber to feel well they then take to more hay.
Keep persevering, & perhaps try some hay samples from the hay experts or some of the Burns hays eg mountain hay or Welsh meadow hay which have a good range of different grasses & plants.
 
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i've just re-read this about sadie and i think we need pics littleboots:D (and i can't remember the last time i saw dylan.....;))
 
i've just re-read this about sadie and i think we need pics littleboots:D (and i can't remember the last time i saw dylan.....;))

Oooh.... heres Bramble and Sadie...
Sadie is the one underneath :roll: He adores her so had to go the the vets with her..
bramblesadieanddylan002.jpg


sadie_and_bramble_first_meet_01.jpg


and just for you....
Dylan with his new love Daisy
lovebirds.jpg


sundaydylananddaisy004.jpg
 
I thought Grim might learn to eat hay from Smoo, but he didn't. I think with Grim it's a whole different story though, I think it hurts him to eat it due to his roots.

Thumps_ was kind enough to send me some dried plantain and other forage which I managed to get him to eat a little of by hiding it in his food. And then he goes and defies all the odd and eats some peas. I'd bought some frozen mixed veg for my bearded dragon and decided to give Smoo some, defrosted in a little water from the kettle. But Smoo ate the carrots and left the rest. And Grim promptly tucked in. He's now behind me eating peas, sweetcorn and a bit of carrot. I was in shock. :shock: :lol: He hasn't eaten veg since before his abscesses in 2009!
 
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