Jaw Bone Shaped by Diet

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15823276

It also helps explain why studies of captive primates have shown that animals tend to have more problems with teeth misalignment than wild individuals.

Further evidence comes from experimental studies that show that hyraxes - rotund, short-tailed rabbit-like creatures - have smaller jaws when fed on soft food compared to those fed on their normal diet.

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I wonder how much this applies to rabbits. Does restricted access to hay/grass while growing effect the development of the jaw bone, so that even the correct diet as an adult can leave a rabbit teeth problems that aren't down to their genetics?

It would make sense. I've learnt that most things are a combination of genetics and environment, so perhaps a bunny with a vague genetic predisposition to dental issues might be at higher risk of permanent jaw malformation leading to dental issues due to environmental impacts such as diet.
It would be an interesting piece of research to do, ethically dubious, but interesting.
Definitely highlights the importance of a good diet from day 1 of life for all species.

Tamsin said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15823276



I wonder how much this applies to rabbits. Does restricted access to hay/grass while growing effect the development of the jaw bone, so that even the correct diet as an adult can leave a rabbit teeth problems that aren't down to their genetics?

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When I took Shadow to see Frances Harcourt-Brown for his second jab (after she had had him under GA for neuter, therefore had had a good look in his mouth), she said that his teeth were bad because of poor diet as a youngster. It was likely that he ate all the colourful, low calcium (junk) bits of muesli and therefore his jawbone and teeth didn't get the calcium they needed when developing. She talked for a good fifteen minutes and it was fascinating, including showing me various skulls to demonstrate the damage that can occur. Some of the rabbits that go on to develop jaw abscesses will do so because their jawbone is so thin due to lack of ability to grow strong during their growing time - due to poor diet.

So, basically, Shadow's jaw isn't strong enough due to poor diet, causing his teeth to be loose (some have fallen out), and crumbly. It can't be improved because his bones needed the calcium when he was growing. It's likely that because the jaw is thin and the tooth roots longer than they should be that eating hard food will cause nerve pain with every bite - therefore he can't eat hay because it's just too painful.

Interestingly, assuming Binky and Shadow have lived together during their growing phase, Binky has got off lightly, he could well have been left with the nutritious bits of the muesli when his siblings had eaten the more tempting parts.

Metabolic Bone Disease, 'a disease caused by dietary and husbandry mismanagement', is a recognised feature in acquired Dental Disease in Rabbits

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...abbit bone density and dental disease&f=false

Metabolic bone disease is lack of appropriate nutrients (particularly calcium)? They don't go into much details but I got the impression this was talking more about the hardness of the foods changing the shape of the jaw bone, rather than the bone itself being weakened through lack of nutrition. With bunny teeth needing to be so perfectly aligned to wear correctly it wouldn't need much of a shift in shape to through it out.

I believe so, yes. Pea and Pod had a pretty awful start to life and their teeth, whilst not terrible, are not great. Pea has had a tooth root abscess, has lost a molar and recently had her first dental. Pod has molar spurs which need regular checking - they're just 4. Flora and Parsnip, on the other hand were born in the care of the RSPCA, had a great diet and now, aged 8.5, have fantastic teeth. Could just be co-incidence but I believe a bad start in life = potentially dodgy teeth in later life.

ETA - I do also believe (rightly or wrongly) that lops are more likely to have dental issues due to a lack of muscle structure around their skull possibly affecting the shape and action of their jaw. This is just my opinion, of course, but once again, man has created this problem. There are no lops in the wild.