Burring- right down or just the spurs?

Hello,

My little man Harvey is still not right. He had a dental 10 days ago and my vet discovered his gums have grown about a quarter of the way up the inside of his back molars on both sides of his mouth. The gum is a healthy pink colour and my vet couldn't see any sign of infection.

I wondered whether the method of burring adopted by the vet can result in the gum growing upwards? For instance if the molars are filed too far down can this result in the gum growing up?

For those of you who have bunnies who need to have their molars filed please can you tell me whether your vet files the molars right down or does your vet just file the spurs off the tops of the molars?
I know some vets only file the spurs off the tops but some prefer to file the teeth right down.

Also if any of you have come across gums growing please can you let me know.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

Hi there Nicola. Sorry to have missed this post.

My bunny Sumi had a terrible recovery time (up to 10 ten days) following a dental in which the vet burred his teeth very far down. It was awful for him and he needed a lot of pain relief, syringe feeding and TLC.

He had his last dental a week ago in which the vet burred only the spikes/sharp edges. He bounced back from this quite quickly.

Hi Fiona,

Thanks so much for replying. I feel like I am in the same boat as you at the mo with my little Harvey. I can only use rabbit rehome when I'm in at work as I don't have a computer so sorry for the belated reply.

How is your bunny that was poorly the same time as Harvey? I think he/she was having lots of tests done at the time as Harvey had his done. I wondered what the outcome was?

Harvey had his dental about 2.5 weeks ago now and he has been uncomfotable ever since. However during his dental my vet found that his gums have started to grow up the inside of his back molars, about a quarter of the way up the tooth and only on the back molars. She has never come across this in a rabbit before so I've been trying to find out more. Have you ever heard of this before?

I'm having to syringe Harvey at the moment as he has gone off his food. So when your buns have their teeth burred do they have just the spikes burred? My vet burrs right down and I'm wondering whether this may have caused the gums to grow up? Does your bun have just the spikes burred all the time now and how often does he need to have them done?

Sending you a massive hug. It looks like we are in a similar situation. It is very stressful and I love my Harvey very much. I am currently looking around for different foods that may be easier for Harv to eat and contain more fibre. What do you feed your dental buns on? Harvey is on SS but I break it up in to little bits.

Stay in touch and let me know how you get on with your bunnies.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

Nicola3 said:

Hi Fiona,

Thanks so much for replying. I feel like I am in the same boat as you at the mo with my little Harvey. I can only use rabbit rehome when I'm in at work as I don't have a computer so sorry for the belated reply.

How is your bunny that was poorly the same time as Harvey? I think he/she was having lots of tests done at the time as Harvey had his done. I wondered what the outcome was?

Harvey had his dental about 2.5 weeks ago now and he has been uncomfotable ever since. However during his dental my vet found that his gums have started to grow up the inside of his back molars, about a quarter of the way up the tooth and only on the back molars. She has never come across this in a rabbit before so I've been trying to find out more. Have you ever heard of this before?

I'm having to syringe Harvey at the moment as he has gone off his food. So when your buns have their teeth burred do they have just the spikes burred? My vet burrs right down and I'm wondering whether this may have caused the gums to grow up? Does your bun have just the spikes burred all the time now and how often does he need to have them done?

Sending you a massive hug. It looks like we are in a similar situation. It is very stressful and I love my Harvey very much. I am currently looking around for different foods that may be easier for Harv to eat and contain more fibre. What do you feed your dental buns on? Harvey is on SS but I break it up in to little bits.

Stay in touch and let me know how you get on with your bunnies.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

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Hi. The little bunny who was sick at the same time as Harvey was Nell I think who I have been posting about today. She picked up a little and I think the problem is a dental one. Her haematology results were odd but I haven't taken it forward as she has been well since then.

I haven't heard of the problem with the gums growing over - is it definitely not inflammation or infection? I know you will have covered this but it was my first thought. I don't suppose it is if it symmetrical on both sides. I will ask my vet what he thinks.

My vet decided against burring right down now unless necessary and just evens off the spikes and if necessary only takes a little more off. That's following Sumi's experience of being a wreck after his burring when his teeth were taken right down. And to be honest, I haven't noticed a difference in how long my bunnies have needed between dentals. My vet and I now talk about a 'light' dental! My vet did try to reassure me when Sumi was so flat after the 'big' dental that a big burring job does expose dentine in the teeth making them very sensitive. And also they might get a little bruised and maybe some grazing in the mouth/gums this way? Maybe that's a possibility for Harvey.

I continue to feed my dental buns on their oxbow pellets. I try to crush it a little. That's what I give them during syringe feeding too (mixed with a little baby food). I try to grate carrots etc too but if my bunnies are off their food, they are tempted by very little, grated or non-grated!. One thing I have noticed though is that Nell has continued to have little chomps at the herbal hay (bunny basics) when she has been feeling poorly. I think the smell is just too lush for her

My bunny Clover was terrible after her recent dental in between Christmas and New Year, though she had little ulcers. She is picking up at the moment so there is hope yet.

Poor Harvey, hope he feels better soon.

Fiona x

Was also going to say that my vet taught me how to give pain relief injections on my post dental bunnies who haven't felt very well for a few days. Is Harvey getting pain relief? Sorry if you have mentioned this and I haven't picked it up. It has made a little difference to my wee ones

Fiona x

Hi Fiona,

Thanks for replying. I've been giving Harvey metacam. What painkiller is your bun on? I've just spoken to another vet who works in Yelverton, so is further away for me to travel but she sounded really knowledgable about buns. She has rabbits herself and has encountered gums growing up over a rabbits teeth before. She thinks it is due to constant burring and could be due to possibly burring too far down. She has rabbits herself that also need to have their teeth burred regularly and has burred using many different methods over the years. She now only burrs the spikes and sharp edges off and a very small amount of the tooth as she says it allows quicker recovery time and is less traumatic. She also said that Rantidine is a preferred anti-ulcer drug to Tagamet as it has fewer side effects.

It is so stressful seeing a bunny miserable because of dental pain. Please let me know how you get on with your buns.

I really apprecaite you asking your vet for me. Any info I can get together is a step forward in helping Harvey.

Sending all your bunnies snuggles. Please stay in touch and thanks for all your help.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

:? AFAIK my vet only burrs down any spikes/spurs etc. Travis has never had any problems with recovery following a dental (except when they once used a different GA). Even when he has had teeth removed in the past, it has only taken 2 days of grated food before he's bounced back..... Never a problem when they're burred....

Hi KerinTravis,

What GA does your vet use. Harevy was having a full GA at the beginning but now he has a bit of isofluorane gas instead. How long does Travis go in between dentals?

Thanks for replying.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

It varies, once he managed 9 weeks, but it's usually around 6 weeks, nothing we do seems to change the length of time he goes for, his teeth have a mind of their own. Last went around a week before xmas, and off tonight for his first check-up since.

As far as GA's go, my (Swedish) vet who explains everything so colourfully, told me he usually has a gas that he wakes up instantly from, the one that he had a reaction to was one that wakes him up slowly - giving the body time to recover whilst he's still sleeping/sleepy :?

Hi Keri,

Thanks for all your help.

Hugs,

Nicola and Harvey xxx