Bunny with no teeth - feeding help please

[woody2shoes]

Richard, my 6yo Rex x lop lost all incisors a couple of years back. The last few days he’s not been eating apart from the odd bit of banana or raspberry and not pooping but aside from that has been his usual self. Saw vet this am and he looked at molars for sign of possible infection and said Richard only has 1 molar left and it may be infected but would have to do X-ray to confirm.
He had metoclopramide and loxicom (pain trelief?) and we have a 5 day. Course of same to give at home.
Vet said if no improvement in 48 hours to take him back for X-rays.
I suspect he’ll end up with no teeth and I was wondering if anyone else has a toothless bunny and if so what do you feed them?

 

[InspectorMorse]

I have never cared for a Rabbit with no teeth at all. I think it would be a real struggle to maintain a healthy gut function if the Rabbit could not eat anything but almost liquid food.

If the Vet suspects infection why did they not prescribe antibiotics ?

Are you syringe feeding the Rabbit ? It sounds as though this would be essential at the moment.

 

[bunny momma]

Sending vibes for your bunny.

 

[Pets mum]

Sorry to hear about your buns teeth, ive no experience of full tooth loss, but sending lots of vibes for him.

 

[Shimmer]

I would be feeding Critical Care - syringe feed regularly if necessary, or leave it on a saucer if he will feed himself. It can be a lot thicker if it's on a saucer.
He may also be able to manage grated or finely sliced veg (carrot, cabbage, herbs, apple, etc), and fresh grass cut into short lengths (3-5mm, mixed in with other food).
Moistened pellets can also be fed from a saucer, but they are not a complete food.
Bunny may find it easier to eat from a saucer rather than a bowl as the food is more accessible and doesn't get stuck in the edges. You can also make it liquid enough to lap up, or less runny if he can take a mouthful of 'solids' at a time.

I have fed a rabbit like this for many months due to health issues. Critical Care (or similar) is a complete food for herbivores, and contains the fibre the guts need. It can be mixed with a bit of puree to make it easier to syringe. Veg or fruit based baby food puree is ideal (foil sachets, glass jars or plastic tubs are available). I used to make up a supply of CC in baby food jars to last for the day - it helped to make sure they were getting enough food to maintain their weight. Store in the fridge between feeds. Add a bit of boiled water to warm it through if needed.

I would be worried about the state of the jaw if he has lost all his teeth, as that is quite unusual. I have had a couple of rabbits with jaw abscesses who tended to lose teeth, but still had all the back ones.