Recurrent tooth abscess - Cannot find cause!

Hey guys,

I guess I am just wanting to know if anyone else here has experienced this? I know a lot of people have had buns with tooth abscesses, but we cannot find the 'problematic' tooth/teeth which are causing my boys abscesses.

I really want to help him, I keep googling and googling and I am coming up with the same articles all the time. He has surgery whenever they arise, and then he will have some months free of all abscesses - until they come back with a vengeance!

He has had x rays done and the vets cannot make heads or tails of it Everytime he is under they thoroughly inspect all of his gums/teeth/jaw and they cannot pin point the cause. The two vets dealing with him are highly experienced bunny vets.

We have started to talk about just removing some teeth on the bad side. His teeth stopped growing some years ago (very odd for a rabbit I know) so he doesn't get much use out of them anyway as they are very short. He has been living off purely soft mushy excel pellets for the last 2-3 years and he does great. He never knows he's ill or that he has an abscess. I hate putting him through it - he thinks hes healthy and happy and then off he goes into surgery with big holes in his face! He has never once stopped eating throughout though and still wants love, cuddles and playtime right after surgery.

Thanks for reading, cant wait to see your replies/thoughts!
Loula xxo (and bunnies!)

So from the Dental Xrays what have the Vets concluded ? Usually infection in a tooth root would be evident on dental Xrays :? It is likely that infection will recur unless the offending tooth/tooth root is removed. Infection can also spread into the bone (osteomyelitis).

Has a culture been grown from a sample of the wall of the abscess capsule to try to identify the exact bacteria involved and the most appropriate antibiotic to prescribe ?

Jack's-Jane said:

So from the Dental Xrays what have the Vets concluded ? Usually infection in a tooth root would be evident on dental Xrays :? It is likely that infection will recur unless the offending tooth/tooth root is removed. Infection can also spread into the bone (osteomyelitis).

Has a culture been grown from a sample of the wall of the abscess capsule to try to identify the exact bacteria involved and the most appropriate antibiotic to prescribe ?

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That is the problem they cannot see anything on the x rays. They took several x rays and all concluded one big mess. It is not in his jaw, that they can see. But there is no clear evidence of any offending teeth. He has been on bicillin which helped keep his infections at bay, but they always come back within a matter of hours. One day hes clear, the next day he can have an abscess the size of a golf ball. It is insane! They want to have imaging done of his skull, but they don't have the machine there. He would have to go to the animal hospital but the cost of having that done would be several thousand pounds here in Denmark. We are looking to move soon and I know the cost is much cheaper in England (only 1-2000 pounds) so that would be doable.

They have done his bloodwork and everything is in check - no other health issues what so ever. I am sure they have done the culture but it was a long time ago so I am going to re-check they have done this.

I can post the x rays if you would like to see them!

Thanks,
Loula xxo

All I can suggest is that you ask your vets to contact Frances Harcourt-Brown in Harrogate, UK. She may be able to offer some advice if they forward the X-rays to her. She is an expert in rabbit dental abscesses and may do a telephone consultation with your vets. I have always found her to be very open and helpful.

http://www.crablanevets.co.uk/our-practice/veterinary-surgeons/

Shimmer said:

All I can suggest is that you ask your vets to contact Frances Harcourt-Brown in Harrogate, UK. She may be able to offer some advice if they forward the X-rays to her. She is an expert in rabbit dental abscesses and may do a telephone consultation with your vets. I have always found her to be very open and helpful.

http://www.crablanevets.co.uk/our-practice/veterinary-surgeons/

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Thank you very much. I will ask my vets to send the x rays over. Though the vets I am using are also rabbit experts and have treated many tooth root abscesses over their career. I think my boy is a very different case to the usual, but I am always open to having another pair of eyes look over the x rays. You never know what they might see! I know my vets won't have an issue with this either. They desperately want to help him too

Seems as his teeth are quite useless to him I think we are opting towards removing the right hand lower side. This is where the abscesses form and rapidly grow. His teeth are so short they are almost at the gum line and will not grow. He doesnt even chew his food, he just mushes it around his mouth. I am hoping if they start to remove some teeth they can see what is causing all this nastiness!

He has just come out of surgery a few hours ago, another hole in his cheek, plus two underneath his jaw. He is doing well but has to stay in overnight.

Thank you again for the link! I will definitely contact her xxo