House bunnies teeth!

Hi, I registered ages ago for advice and although don't post much, I'm often reading your posts, it's a great forum

One of my house bunnies, Peter (3.5 yr old French lop x) was off his food, so I took him to the vets straight away and they've found that his teeth are slightly uneven what has caused inflammation. I've got some critical care powder that the vet wants him to have, i'm syringe feeding it and he hates it :-( he's booked in for sedation tomorrow to have them done.

I'm really really gutted as I've done all I can to make sure he's fed the right things, he's always been a good hay eater, they have unlimited Timothy hay, meadow hay and Ings which I rotate daily to keep them interested, a small amount of pellets (changed from excel to SS following advice on here for mucky bums, which was sorted really quickly, so thank you) and small amounts of greens and herbs, with a bit of fresh grass thrown in on occasion too. They love chewing cardboard and they also have willow sticks to knaw on, although neither seem to bother much with those.

My question is, what can I do to prevent this happening again? He's so miserable it's really horrible seeing him like this, and I'm obviously petrified about his sedation tomorrow too. Any suggestions or tips? Thanks in advance x

Firstly, does he have some painkillers? It's very important for him to start eating and putting weight on (if he has lost any) before he has a sedation. Having said that, if his teeth are very bad, even painkillers won't help. Is your vet rabbit savvy?

Unfortunately french lops (and most lops) are prone to dental issues. It's a genetic problem and there's nothing you can do that you haven't done already. Plenty of hay and things to chew will certainly help, but if his jaw/teeth are not aligned properly, they will probably always grow "wrong". Lops tend to have squishy faces, and this is why they get the problems, same as nethies.

Sending him lots of vibes.

Thanks for your quick reply, just started another thread about vets, as I'm not convinced he is very rabbit savvy.

He's not been given any painkillers, but he was given an injection to help keep his gut moving, he is still pooing, but very small & black (normally large & golden) I was told to give the critical care every couple of hours, but he's recently stopped swallowing it, so I've been soaking his SS pellets and hand feeding him these, just to keep food in him. About to attempt to blend some hay with some veg too to try and tempt him, I'm so paranoid about him keeping weight on (he has already lost some just in 1 day :-( ) that I'm trying anything. I'd read about lops having issues, but I got his vet notes from the rescue I got him from, and he's not had issues before, so I'm really worried its something I'm doing (or not doing). Thanks again for the reply x

Aww his mouth is probably really sore which is why he doesn't want to eat; the vet really should have given him painkillers if he's not booked in until tomorrow maybe if you call them they will let you go and pick some up this afternoon x

I have a chronic dental bun, her mouth doesn't fit her teeth, her teeth are wonky, her tooth roots grow into her jaw causing all manner of pain and she needs dentals (currently) every couple of months.
She needs daily pain relief for hers.

Her and her partner eat hay like it's going out of fashion.

A lot of rabbits are born with dental issues, due to poor breeding habits - there's possibly NOTHING you can do about this happening in the future - it may just be something that needs to be done once a year, twice a year, or once every other year, but just be aware of it. Ginger at worst, had to have hers done every 3 weeks.

Please please please go back to your vet TODAY, eg, NOW, and ask them for pain relief - Dog metacam (1.5mg/ml) and a suitable dose for your rabbits weight. Tooth problems can be excrutiatingly painful in rabbits, and as you have experienced, will stop them from eating and that then has knock on effects to causing Gastro Intestinal Tract issues.

House Bunnies teeth!! **not teeth after all :-( **

Thanks for your replies, I took took Peter back to the vets more or less after my last post as I wasn't happy, he wouldn't take the critical care but more importantly he wasn't drinking. I saw a different vet and he's been admitted overnight. He's really dehydrated and there's a lot going on, she took chest X-rays and there's a lot of shadow on his lungs, which could be fluid, or infection and his heart doesn't sound right, she says he's got a raging murmur, could have been brought on by stress, or could be congenital heart disease, which would explain the fluid on his lungs. She's given him metacam and baytril and will be pumping fluids into him overnight to keep him hydrated, also giving him furosemide to clear his lungs a bit. I'm so upset with the original vet, i told both him
& the nurse yesterday that i didnt think it was his teeth, but i'm new to bunnies and didnt feel equipped enough to argue. I'm not feeling awful that I didn't insist :-(

I've left Benjamin there with him so they can give each other support, didn't want to split them up, hope that was the right thing. Just waiting for a call now to see how he is. :-(

Peter& Benjamin said:

Thanks for your replies, I took took Peter back to the vets more or less after my last post as I wasn't happy, he wouldn't take the critical care but more importantly he wasn't drinking. I saw a different vet and he's been admitted overnight. He's really dehydrated and there's a lot going on, she took chest X-rays and there's a lot of shadow on his lungs, which could be fluid, or infection and his heart doesn't sound right, she says he's got a raging murmur, could have been brought on by stress, or could be congenital heart disease, which would explain the fluid on his lungs. She's given him metacam and baytril and will be pumping fluids into him overnight to keep him hydrated, also giving him furosemide to clear his lungs a bit. I'm so upset with the original vet, i told both him
& the nurse yesterday that i didnt think it was his teeth, but i'm new to bunnies and didnt feel equipped enough to argue. I'm not feeling awful that I didn't insist :-(

I've left Benjamin there with him so they can give each other support, didn't want to split them up, hope that was the right thing. Just waiting for a call now to see how he is. :-(

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So sorry to hear this, sending lots of love and thoughts for you and your bunnies. You did the right thing to leave Benjamin there I think. xx

Oh no, I'm sorry he's so poorly at least he is getting looked after now. I'd be furious with the first vet too :evil:
Sending mega vibes for Peter, I hope he improves soon xxx

Thank you both, been in tears all afternoon, he's a big bun, but so fragile, taken the rest of the week off work so I can be around for him, they didn't take it well, so I'm grateful for your messages, people who actually get that bunnies are family members! xx

Peter& Benjamin said:

Thank you both, been in tears all afternoon, he's a big bun, but so fragile, taken the rest of the week off work so I can be around for him, they didn't take it well, so I'm grateful for your messages, people who actually get that bunnies are family members! xx

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I know exactly how you feel, this is the only place where people understand. That's lovely you've taken time off for him please keep us posted as to how he's doing xxx

Thank you, I will do. Vets called tonight to say he's sitting up and looks brighter, there's not fluid on the lungs she thinks the shadows are fibrosis type things maybe from a previous infection? She things his heart is the root cause of these issues but he's not in heart failure, so hopefully treatable. They'll call me again tomorrow, feeling a bit lost without my boys at home :-(

Does anyone have any experience with bunny heart conditions? My old dog had a murmur, so im pretty up to speed with the condition, is it the same sort of treatment with rabbits? She mentioned that it didn't sound like the typical lub-dub, but she could hear a high pitched whistle?

How's your boy today? X

I would post a new thread in health with the title "prognosis and advice for heart conditions in the rabbits" Or something similar. There are a few members who have had lots of experience with heart problems in rabbits.

Unfortunately giants are very prone to heart problems, the same as large breeds of dogs. I am sorry to hear that he is looking so poorly and I would definitely lodge a complaint about the previous vet you saw, as clearly he didn't have a clue and it could've ended horribly for you and your bun.

Sending lots of vibes to Benjamin. x

Had a nightmare day and I am so upset!! The original vet who saw him & said it was his teeth was on today, and the other vet who said its his heart isn't in until Monday! They continued giving him fluids overnight, put an IV drop in his ear, and split him & Benjamin up so Benjamin can't chew through the IV! The vet today did an ultrasound and listened to his heart today and said everything's normal and he still thinks its his teeth!! The other vet yesterday said she doesn't think it's his teeth, what the hell am I supposed to do?! I've got Benjamin at home with me now as there's no point in him being there if he's not with Peter (in a separate room, not even cages next to each other!) he's really stressed without Peter and won't eat hay or pellets, (his fave) but he has had some greens, he's just say in his tunnel sulking :-(

Peter is staying at the vets tonight and they'll continue with fluids and antibiotics & painkillers in case it's an infection, I have booked an appointment with Emily at 9 lives vets in Redbourn (been really recommended) for tomorrow morning, so as long as he's stable enough to travel I'll move him there. I can't trust the current vets when they don't agree with each other. Feel so helpless, and now Benjamin is so sad too, 9 lives said they'll take him tomorrow too so they're not apart, will being away from each other for nearly 36 hours affect their bond?

Oh no, how awful for you all!!! :shock: poor Peter I hope the new vet tomorrow can help more. That's terrible that they split the buns too, I mean they should at least have kept them next to each other I'm so sorry. It might affect their bond yes, but it might not. If you can, you could rub your hands in each of their bedding ((preferably weed or pood on) and stroke the other bun all over, so they smell the same again. You must be so worried, I really feel for you big hugs and mega vibes xxx

They have a really strong bond so I hope not, Benjamin is lost without Peter, managed to get some fresh grass inside him but he's not touched his pellets :-(

Tomorrow I'll be picking Peter up at 9am and have Brnjamin with me to take to the new vets, should I put them in the same travel crate together straight away as soon as I get him, or let them travel next to each other so they can smell each other then put them together at the new vets? Thanks for your lovely messages, really am struggling :-( x

I'm not sure :? Peter will probably smell very different to Benjamin at first, as he'll have been handled by different people and he's had a line in his ear etc :? I suppose if they travel together at least you'll see how they react to each other, whereas if they just get put together at the vets you won't see them :? I think I'd let them travel together. I hope Benjamin starts eating properly again have you tried tempting him with treats and his fave foods? X

I've got him to eat some greens and a strawberry, I'm guessing that some food is better than no food, so trying all his favourites just to keep things moving. Ironically, he's just lapped up some of the critical care that I was struggling to get Peter to eat, thought I'd make some more up just on the off chance as he was trying to nick it yesterday when i was feeding Peter and he loves it, so feeling a bit better that he's got some fibre inside him. I'm going to sleep in the living room with him tonight so he's not totally on his own. Will put them together to travel, thanks for the advice x

How worrying Glad you've found a better vet to help Peter. Hope they can give you some answers. Sending lots of vibes for Peter xx

I really hope that Emily can establish the exact problem that is making Peter unwell. It is obviously a very stressful time for all of you