When's best to do a tooth op?

Hi,

My rabbit Sweep (he's 2 years old, and was castrated just over 18 months old) has a 'slight molar spur' growing according to the vet who used one of those things they look into their mouths with last time he had a general check-up. According to the vet it didn't look bad (yet!), and didn't look like he needed anything doing about it (yet!).

My problem is that when Sweep was neutered he didn't come round well from the GA, and had GI stasis for quite a few days afterwards. When I had to phone to check on him after the op, the vet nurse told me that his 'front half' had woken up but not his back half, and he was like this for longer than they would have expected!?

Anyway, the vet told me that this spur could not be burred without a GA because it is too far back, but obviously I am wary about him going under a GA again. Also, I do not want to wait for the spur to cause him to stop eating as I believe that if that happens, this will affect his ability to come round from the GA?

So, any advice? or do i do as the vet says and 'wait and see'?

Vicky

I'm sorry I dont know what I'd do in your situation.
I'd have a talk with your vet and see what he says.

Maby it could be done with a light sedation :?

Sorry for not being much use

Do it under a GA, do a blood test if you really think it's necessary to see if his heart is fine, if so, the fact that he didn't come out well in the last GA doesn't mean it will happen again.

The thing if, to do a teeth operation like that, it has to be put under GA, so there is not much of a choice to begin with

Aw bless, it can't be nice having a molar spur, they look quite sore.

It s a difficult call to decide re. general anaesthetic. I think only very few vets would do it under sedation and apparently there is stress involved in this too.

I suppose one way of looking at it is that there is a risk of gut stasis if bunny doesn't get the dental as it might become sore to eat over a period of time, eats slightly less and less due to pain. Some bunnies seem to munch their way through molar spurs I have heard though. All bunnies are different. But there is also a risk of Gi stasis following the anaesthetic from your experience with your bunny as you have said. As long as gut stimulants are given (and maybe some more to give at home later on) Gi stasis could be prevented post op?. And you would be on the look out to prevent it.

One of my bunnies apparently takes a while to come round from the GA too. She has needed 3 dentals but I have felt that I have had no choice to do it to her because each time she hadn't been eating for days and days independently.

How was this noticed i.e. had he gone off his food to cause you to take him to the vet where his teeth got examined? I think if Sweep is still eating then I would keep a very close eye on his eating habits and only get the dental done if there are any indicators that the spur is causing problems. I think spurs can cause problems with runny eyes so that might be something else to watch out for. Obviously it would be good not to get to that stage though I guess.

Hmm, let us know what you decide.

Fiona x

Like already said it has to be done at some stage and it is best to do it now while he is at optimum health rather than wait for him to go into statis. The risk, although there, is much less now than once he becomes distressed or poorly.
It may have just been a one off that he took a little longer than usual, did the vet say the procedure was straightforward during the op? If he was stable throughout and it was just recovery, it maybe that he wasn't kept warm enough during recovery or 'just one of those things' also as already said too gut stimulants can be prescribed to improve his recovery
I always send buns with favourite tempting foods, a cozy blanket(altho they give them a heat pad anyway so long as there is no risk of overheating) and if bonded I send the partner to stay with the poorly one so there is more motivation to get back up and about
Good luck!

If your rabbit is still eating well and eating lots of hay, I'd just leave it just now. Some rabbits have slightly deformed molars which can be controlled by proper feeding and lots of hay, much better than going for another GA :wink:

We've had several buns in who've had small spurs on their molars on their first check-up but by feeding good quality hay and lots of it, the spurs have gone or are under control after a month or so.

Both of mine have small spurs and have for quite a while, they have not got any worse as Lynda has said plenty of hay :wink: I also feed oat hay which seems to work well as it is quite hard hay. I have been giving Tracy at rngpwelfare oat hay for a wabbit called floppy and so far so good, he has not had to go in for a dental yet and at first, Tracy thought he would be going in every few weeks for dental as his teeth were so bad so I would definately recommend oat hay I buy mine on the bale (they are small though) made by oxbow

Thank you for all your advice - I hadn't realised a bunny could eat their own way out of a molar spur!

Sweep eats plenty of hay so hopefully he will be eating enough to make it better himself. He eats Science Selective at the moment, but I was considering that new bunnybasics food.

He's due a claw clipping soon (which I'm too great a wimp to do myself) so I'll ask the vet to see what the molar spur is looking like and whether it's grown/reduced/changed at all. I think if it is on the increase I would prefer him to go under the GA while he was well.

Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for all your bits of advice, this is an amazing place to come for rabbit information!

Vicky x