• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Overgrown / Elongated tooth roots.....realistic prognosis

Kermit

Kermit

Wise Old Thumper
My Hollies recent abscess was caused by her having elongated tooth roots at her lower left side. She has three teeth that are like that, with the back one being the worst. Her teeth are all in good condition at the 'other end' in her mouth.

Am I right in thinking that there is really nothing that can be done for this and I can only just keep her eating hay, hope they don't grow at a fast rate and keep an eye for other abscesses.

I know that she can get her teeth out, but surely three teeth out at the bottom means three out at the top, or continuous dentals as the top ones would grow into the 'space'.

For the last week I have just been ignoring the news as tbh I just didn't want to deal with it. She is on injectable penicillin for the abscess, I am cleaning it out and it appears to be healing up well. I stopped her Metacam the other day and she is still happy enough eating her hay and running about doing binkies.

I just don't know what to think.....do I just leave her as she is for now and just deal with the next issue as it comes.

Thanks in advance,

Kirsty & Hollie (& Herbie too cos he loves wee Hollie :) )
 
With TRE keeping the crowns of the teeth as low as possible can slow the rate of progression . I would want the Vet to consider whether removal of the infected tooth/tooth root might be necessary. If any infected tissue/bone/tooth root remains then infection usually does recur. Marie (Kubiak) has written a very informative article about grading and managing Dental Disease in Rabbits, including Dental abscesses

http://www.manorvets.co.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/dental dz(1).pdf
 
Thanks Jane, will have a look. The vet didn't want to take the tooth out just yet, she thought that we should try to get the infection under control and see how it went. The tooth was not at all loose and she said it really is major taking a tooth out.
 
Kermit said:
Thanks Jane, will have a look. The vet didn't want to take the tooth out just yet, she thought that we should try to get the infection under control and see how it went. The tooth was not at all loose and she said it really is major taking a tooth out.
Click to expand...

Yes, it certainly is a big issue to remove a molar tooth, especially if the tooth is not already lose. Marie mentions it in the article .
 
Just had a quick look through, I haven't got a copy of the X-Rays but from what I see there I would say it was most like Grade 2 on the X-Ray pics. I think I will just have to see how things go re the reoccurrence of the abscess and take it from there. She is deffo fine within herself now that the abscess is away for the time being. The access hole to the abscess is still stitches open and I am still cleaning it out, but there is nothing coming out, so at least that is relief for her for the time being.

Thanks for responding x
 
Kermit said:
My Hollies recent abscess was caused by her having elongated tooth roots at her lower left side. She has three teeth that are like that, with the back one being the worst. Her teeth are all in good condition at the 'other end' in her mouth.

Am I right in thinking that there is really nothing that can be done for this and I can only just keep her eating hay, hope they don't grow at a fast rate and keep an eye for other abscesses.

I know that she can get her teeth out, but surely three teeth out at the bottom means three out at the top, or continuous dentals as the top ones would grow into the 'space'.

For the last week I have just been ignoring the news as tbh I just didn't want to deal with it. She is on injectable penicillin for the abscess, I am cleaning it out and it appears to be healing up well. I stopped her Metacam the other day and she is still happy enough eating her hay and running about doing binkies.

I just don't know what to think.....do I just leave her as she is for now and just deal with the next issue as it comes.

Thanks in advance,

Kirsty & Hollie (& Herbie too cos he loves wee Hollie :) )
Click to expand...

If this were my bunny (and on several previous occasions it *has* been my bunny), I would continue with the injectables and leave well alone for the moment. From what I know of others having had their rabbits' molar teeth out, I personally wouldn't do it unless 100% necessary. I had this discussion with my vet only last week, and we agreed to let the half demolished molar stay in for the foreseeable.

I've had great success with injectables, and although people say that infection in the bone can't be 'cured', it can certainly be brought under control for the whole of the bunny's life.

My view is that I would rather cope with what's there and deal with issues as they arise, rather than trying to preempt a possible future situation. If my boy needs his broken molar removed at some stage, then I'll consider it. Whilst he's managing fine, and his abscess is under control, I shall leave well alone.

I don't know if this helps you at all?
 
MightyMax said:
If this were my bunny (and on several previous occasions it *has* been my bunny), I would continue with the injectables and leave well alone for the moment. From what I know of others having had their rabbits' molar teeth out, I personally wouldn't do it unless 100% necessary. I had this discussion with my vet only last week, and we agreed to let the half demolished molar stay in for the foreseeable.

I've had great success with injectables, and although people say that infection in the bone can't be 'cured', it can certainly be brought under control for the whole of the bunny's life.

My view is that I would rather cope with what's there and deal with issues as they arise, rather than trying to preempt a possible future situation. If my boy needs his broken molar removed at some stage, then I'll consider it. Whilst he's managing fine, and his abscess is under control, I shall leave well alone.

I don't know if this helps you at all?
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. This is pretty much the route I am thinking of taking at the moment, so it does help a lot :)

Can I ask, have you been giving the abx continuously? Hollie has another week left, then she is to go back to the vets. Just wondering if she will have a break if the abscess seems to not be filling up and be under control.
 
Kermit said:
Thanks for this. This is pretty much the route I am thinking of taking at the moment, so it does help a lot :)

Can I ask, have you been giving the abx continuously? Hollie has another week left, then she is to go back to the vets. Just wondering if she will have a break if the abscess seems to not be filling up and be under control.
Click to expand...

I don't know how long your Hollie has been on the abx?

My little one was on daily injections to begin with, then every other day for at least two months after the wound closed. I've had rabbits on pen for longer than this, and touch wood, the outcomes have always been very favourable.

It may seem like the abscess is under control, but they tend to 'seed' further down the jawbone and pop up again. What does your vet say about continuing the abx?
 
No asked yet, just going back before the meds are finished. She has been on every 2nd day since her op 2 weeks ago. The wound won't close just now as it is stitched open so It can be cleaned (sounds horrible but its no that bad). Vet may very well suggest keeping her on the meds for now, but I will suggest too anyways :)

What about Metacam, is it needed whilst treating the abscess. Hollie is actually pretty good at letting me flush it and put Manuka on it, and I am pretty quick with minimal faffing about.
 
The 2 rabbits that I had with jaw abscesses were on depocillin and metacam for life. One was on depo twice a week and the other was daily. The metacam dose varied depending on how well they were eating and what surgery they had just had. If there was any hint that there was infection left, I would be pushing for continued antibiotic cover. My buns had a severe problem that wasn't 'curable' but was managed for well over a year for each rabbit before the infection very suddenly (ie in a few hours) got out of control. Between them they lost quite a few teeth and odd bits of jaw bone but carried on pretty much as normal until the last day, with food adjusted so that they could eat it (eg grated / chopped veg; soaked pellets; syringe fed if needed).
 
I would definitely want antibiotics to be constant while I was treating it - I definitely wouldn't want to take a break for any reason for several months at least.

Would definitely recommend keeping her on the metacam too if it has no side effects in her - even if just for our own peace of mind!

Fingers crossed for little Hollie x
 
Look into trying terramycin to treat the abscess, it has worked for the past 18 months for our florence. I give her the injection every 2 days when it appears.
 
Shimmer said:
The 2 rabbits that I had with jaw abscesses were on depocillin and metacam for life. One was on depo twice a week and the other was daily. The metacam dose varied depending on how well they were eating and what surgery they had just had. If there was any hint that there was infection left, I would be pushing for continued antibiotic cover. My buns had a severe problem that wasn't 'curable' but was managed for well over a year for each rabbit before the infection very suddenly (ie in a few hours) got out of control. Between them they lost quite a few teeth and odd bits of jaw bone but carried on pretty much as normal until the last day, with food adjusted so that they could eat it (eg grated / chopped veg; soaked pellets; syringe fed if needed).
Click to expand...

I'll probably be shot down in flames, but I m fairly minimal with Metacam. Rabbit abscesses are not always painful, and with my man recently I found it was only when I had to 'dig deep' into his wound to clean it that it was painful for him. I tend to use Metacam only when I feel it's needed (this has my vet's approval by the way :thumb: ). I know others prefer to use high doses constantly. I'm not one of them.

So basically I think you should be guided by your bunny (if it were me). You will notice any change in behaviour. Sometimes it's subtle and you don't realise the change until they are 'back to normal' behaviour wise. You can only do your best and be advised by your vet as to what he thinks is appropriate.
 
Thanks you all so much for the responses, all very much appreciated and helpful.

To be honest I stopped her Metacam now a couple of days ago and she seems to be the same with food and her feisty-ness when I am cleaning out her wound.

I am going to keep her off the Metacam just now and can speak to the vets about it next Wednesday. Obviously if she appears to go downhill at all I will re-assess.
 
I have only had experience of minor jaw abscess and was very fortunate that Seprtin cleared it up without surgery. Thomas has had a few episodes where he has displayed signs that his roots are grumbling, however - and this might sound to simple to be true, but I feed a huge amount of Timothy hay daily, which him and his partner eat every last bit of and this keeps things in check. This has also worked for my Frenchie Giselle who displays signs of grumbling roots. I buy either Oxbow or Alfalfa King timmy hay as I find these the best.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Rabbit choking due to overgrown teeth?
2 3
Replies
53
Views
2K
jmommy
J
a reader of books
Could Sophie get some vibes? Another dental
6 7 8
Replies
145
Views
2K
Pets mum
Pets mum
Moonstone
Millie: Lump of fur on her back / Arthritis treatment
Replies
15
Views
165
bunny momma
bunny momma
Back
Top