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Overgrown teeth and head shaking

D

daisylou

Warren Scout
Hi

Last year my 7 year old Netherland needed to get a tooth taken out as it had overgrown and recovered very well. Then yesterday he seemed so ill, weepy eye, grinding teeth, not eating, legs splaying out at back and head shaking.

I took him to a different vet (as I didn't get any after care service at the other vet) and was told he needed major dental work (up to £300 worth!!!) but that the head shaking was not a sign of the dental issues. He said it is likely to be brain related - can't remember the part he said.

He basically told me the outcome didn't look good but felt that the dental work was worth a try.

Bojangles has woken up from surgery and I am picking him up this evening. I will be getting painkillers (I never got last time) and antibiotics for the head shaking (need to check on this) and then will need to wait and see.

He only ways 0.8kg, he looked so wee and unkempt today that I wondered if it was fairer just to let him go - at 7 and a half I feel so bad putting him through this again.

I hope the vet didn't just say it was worth a shot because it was worth so much money to him.

Has anyone had any experience of head shaking or head shaking with dental work required?
 
daisylou said:
Hi

Last year my 7 year old Netherland needed to get a tooth taken out as it had overgrown and recovered very well. Then yesterday he seemed so ill, weepy eye, grinding teeth, not eating, legs splaying out at back and head shaking.

I took him to a different vet (as I didn't get any after care service at the other vet) and was told he needed major dental work (up to £300 worth!!!) but that the head shaking was not a sign of the dental issues. He said it is likely to be brain related - can't remember the part he said.

He basically told me the outcome didn't look good but felt that the dental work was worth a try.

Bojangles has woken up from surgery and I am picking him up this evening. I will be getting painkillers (I never got last time) and antibiotics for the head shaking (need to check on this) and then will need to wait and see.

He only ways 0.8kg, he looked so wee and unkempt today that I wondered if it was fairer just to let him go - at 7 and a half I feel so bad putting him through this again.

I hope the vet didn't just say it was worth a shot because it was worth so much money to him.

Has anyone had any experience of head shaking or head shaking with dental work required?
Click to expand...

Did the Vet take skull radiographs to cheeck for elongated tooth roots/abscesses ? Both might cause head shaking, as could an ear infection.
 
I think it's pretty bad that your vet would put him under anistetic (excuse spelling) when he's obviously unwell and when they thought he may have problems with his brain. :shock: Has your bun always been so light or has he lost weight due to being unwell?

I've had head-shakey bunnies before, a few due to inner ear infections and more recently, due to e.cuniculi. My experience with both has been bad to be honest but I've read many stories on the forum and on other websites about rabbits who have recovered well. It may well be a side effect of other problems too but I'm afraid I wouldn't have a clue what! I'm not very clued up on health problems really.

I would ask your vet to have a look in Bojangles' ears and see if there's any infection going on as it won't hurt to have a look.

I don't think you should give up on him just yet though. I've gotten buns PTS before without really having a good go at helping them (due to a lack of knowledge mostly) and now I know most of the problems they had could of been dealt with, I feel awful for them. :(

I hope Bojangles recovers from his dental well and you can get to the bottom of his head shakes. :)
 
No, no radiographs were taken. He was very sure that the head shaking wasn't related. If the tooth has been taken out will that solve the problem? I don't want to lose him, but I don't want to have him suffer either. He doesn't seem to have an ear problem - well, in at least they are not sore to him when I touch them.

It's not a rabbit specialist as I just needed to get him seen as quick as possible and the closest rabbit specialist is quite a while away from me. Wasn't sure how he would cope with the journey.
 
Rabbits are not generally caused pain by ear infections unless they get very inflamed. I've had three get ear infections in the past and none of them have shown any signs of being in pain and I couldn't tell by looking myself. It is the very inner ear that causes the problem and only the vet will be able to tell properly with a scope.

Bunnies with ear infections will shake their heads, maybe scratch at their ears more than usual and will appear unsteady on their feet as the infection gets worse. They usually also have a head tilt. I would definately get the vet to have a look in there!
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Did the Vet take skull radiographs to cheeck for elongated tooth roots/abscesses ? Both might cause head shaking, as could an ear infection.
Click to expand...

I have a bun with elongated tooth roots which I only found out after xrays were taken of his head. He used to shake his head a lot when he was uncomfortable with the pain, he also used to keep scratching all over his head/face. He doesn't do it now as he has pain relief.
 
Foofy said:
I have a bun with elongated tooth roots which I only found out after xrays were taken of his head. He used to shake his head a lot when he was uncomfortable with the pain, he also used to keep scratching all over his head/face. He doesn't do it now as he has pain relief.
Click to expand...

foofy have these roots been operated or is she just taking pain releif for it:)
 
jassie said:
foofy have these roots been operated or is she just taking pain releif for it:)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately his are unoperable so therefore he is on pain relief and AB's every day and will probably be for the rest of his life. He has monthly check-ups and sometimes has to have dentals to burr down spurs, I think this is mostly because he won't eat any sort of hay. Luckily the pain relief and AB's seem to do the trick for keeping him stable and pain free so he is able to lead a normal and happy bunny life :) Thank goodness for his insurance though!:)
 
I am sorry that you bunny has been poorly. You will have picked him up by now and taken him home. Hopefully he is now starting to recover with you.
 
Haven't been able to log on for a few days. Bojangles made an excellent recovery on Thursday and Friday last week. Head shaking stopped and he started eating. He didn't get teeth taken out in the end, just filed down (I think). I had painkillers and antibiotics for him on those 2 days. Vet was happy with him when I took him back. Got antibiotics for a week and parasite medicine to give him for a month. He seems to be doing ok, not losing more weight - has put on 0.05 kg. As he is a netherland he has always been wee. He has lost weight recently, but I also think it's because he is old now. He's not as bouncy as normal, but ok. His poos are very small - like he is constipated a bit. I'm wondering if that is a side effect of the antibiotics or parasite medicine. Should I give him some pineapple juice?

He is going back to the vet on Friday. I'm very glad I went back to this old vet as they seem to be a little more clued up than the new one I moved too.
 
I'd be reluctant to give him pineapple juice because of the fruit sugar & potential to upset his gut bacteria in this situation.

More fiber will get his gut moving better. Thinly sliced stems of broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprout "trees", apple bark, or packets of cone flower, dried bramble/raspberry/strawberry leaves, or cheaper there may be still a few bramble leaves left in the wild. They dry easily & quickly.
 
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