Abcessess/Osteomyelitis/Dental problems - is there a time to quit?

I got my bunny, Donny, about 3 years ago from a rescue. I have posted on here about him before : (

His teeth have always been a problem and he has had many of them out

In March this year he had a dental problem and when operated on for dental/abcess issues he was diagnosed with osteomyelis as well : (

He had another big op in July for an abcess which was extremely invasive as the vet managed to take out the tooth root as well. It took him a long time to recover and I really thought I was going to lose him : (

He had to go in to the vet sometime in Aug/Sep as he had a lump under his chin, filled with nasty pus. I'm not sure whether it was a slight infection from where he had to have drains in after the op. ANyway that was cleared.

Another op on 29th October again for an abcess on the bottom jaw - although he had no teeth there there abcess had nestled in the hole/recess left by his previous op and the vet traced it back to his last remaining tooth on that side of his face on the upper jaw.

He recovered very well and quickly that time and has been his normal self ever since. He eats, drinks, poos, wees OK and has shown no signs of anything wrong.

I have just been out to see him and have noticed another lump on the bottom of his jaw : (


I have no idea at the moment whether it is another pus type lump or whther it may be another abcess.

Does anybody have any experience with this at all? I don't know whether it might be time to call it quits as this problem is seemingly not going to go away now? I dont know how fair it is to put him through another op, but becuase he is bright in himself I feel that I might be letting him down if I do put him to sleep.

If I did have to take that option then I think that I would also have to rehome my other bun - she is the sweetest little girl, but is an older bun at least 8 1/2 years old. She has always been with a mate and I don't think it would be fair to keep her on her own especially as I wouldnt have much time to spend with her. I have already decided that these two buns will be my last for a while as honestly the heartache over Donny is darining me.

Another factor I have which is horrible to think about but I have to is that I am getting into the situation where affording the bill is harder and harder. I counted up the other day and I have spent approx £1300 since March - Donny has the dubious honour of being the most expensive rabbit at my vets

I don't know what to advise but didn't want to read and run I hope you find an answer that helps you and both your buns :wave:

Is Donny being treated by covering antibiotics at all as opposed to just having operations?

Also, with regards to your old lady bunny, it seems very harsh on her to rehome her after all of this; she will go from a loving, secure home with a friend, to having lost her friend and her home and security. Would there be a way to maybe accommodate her inside or something so that she can live out her days in the place she knows?

There may be light at the end of the tunnel. Scarlet was having 3 monthly dentals and had had an abcess that took 4 months to clear whilst at the RSPCA, she then continued to have 2 to 3 monthly dentals for the first year we had her but we seem to have finally gotten on top of her teeth. We see Francis Harcourt Brown and the extractions she has done really seem to have made a difference in the longer term and Scarlet now eats loads of hay which helps. She really only has teeth on one side of her mouth now.
Have you seen a specialist? It really was a turning point for Scarlet.

Donny has had his ops and the relevant aftercare antibiotics and painkillers, but nothing after that. Would it make a difference?

I hadn't thought about trying another vet but in hindsight it seems silly not to have considered it.

If it came to it, rehoming Poppy would absolutely kill me but having her inside is not a possibility. She has never been a caged rabbit and I wouldn't want to start now. She is a strong old bunny, and I have been extremely lucky with her - as far as I can remember she has only been to the vets twice with minor issues and I believe she is one of those Duracell bunnies that live a long life. I just wouldn't want her to be lonely.

I will investigate other vets in my area and see if they have a more specialist vet there who may be able to help. I love that little man and he has been through so much I just want to do the best by him, whatever that may be.

cherylwares said:

Donny has had his ops and the relevant aftercare antibiotics and painkillers, but nothing after that. Would it make a difference?

I hadn't thought about trying another vet but in hindsight it seems silly not to have considered it.

If it came to it, rehoming Poppy would absolutely kill me but having her inside is not a possibility. She has never been a caged rabbit and I wouldn't want to start now. She is a strong old bunny, and I have been extremely lucky with her - as far as I can remember she has only been to the vets twice with minor issues and I believe she is one of those Duracell bunnies that live a long life. I just wouldn't want her to be lonely.

I will investigate other vets in my area and see if they have a more specialist vet there who may be able to help. I love that little man and he has been through so much I just want to do the best by him, whatever that may be.

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I recommend Mark Rowland here

http://www.trinityvetcentre.co.uk/Trinity_Vet_Centre/Home.html

We are lucky that our vet was happy to admit he was out of his depth, not happy with repeated GAs and referred us to FHB which fortuneately for us is only an hour away.
FHB did full x-rays, has removed several teeth now in two sessions, and it's helped enormously. Another procedure she does but didn't do on Scarlet is to remove the pulp from the teeth which kills the tooth and stops it growing. She didn't do that with Scarlet as her teeth on her bad side are so bad they are almost dead and falling out anyway so she just extracted instead but that's another option you could explore. We used to worry that we weren't doing the best by Scarlet subjecting her to repeated aggressive dentals (not just a quick file/burr) but (£1100 later) we are in a much better place.
She may well need future dentals but she's had nothing done since June, her hay eating has improved to the point where we can no longer tell which poops are hers and we feel as if we are in control of the teeth not the other way around.
Hope this helps and nose rubs to your bun.