I personally always look at what is in the best interests of my bunnies. Currently, what is best for all of them would be a GA, so therefore I would not consider another option unless it presented itself in a way that was better for my bunnies. Conscious dentals are something that I personally don't think would be in the benefit of my bunnies.
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Dentals
- Thread starter whitehood
- Start date
whitehood
Warren Veteran
Thanks everyone for the replies.
If it wasn't for this forum I probably wouldn't of have known about stress occurring to the rabbit through a concious dental so therefore would of have made Lucky go through that.
I'm going to definitely complain to the vet (also head of practice) about why I've chosen not to let her perform a dental on my bun.
I'm also going to try and formally and kindly try to explain why she shouldn't perform dentals the way she does.
Can anyone give me scientificish points why its wrong ?
If it wasn't for this forum I probably wouldn't of have known about stress occurring to the rabbit through a concious dental so therefore would of have made Lucky go through that.
I'm going to definitely complain to the vet (also head of practice) about why I've chosen not to let her perform a dental on my bun.
I'm also going to try and formally and kindly try to explain why she shouldn't perform dentals the way she does.
Can anyone give me scientificish points why its wrong ?
bunny babe
Wise Old Thumper
My previous vet who was an exotics specialist did conscious dentals on my VERY placid bunny (I do not believe he was tranced but held VERY securely by a couple of nurses). He would come home straight away and start eating grass. I would only allow this if my bunny was placid and the vet was very confident. As others have said a thorough dental should always be done under GA.
As there are no other vets by me now that do them conscious my bun has to have a GA every 5-6 weeks.
This is always a very controversial subject and both conscious and GA have their risks which everyone has to weigh up for themselves.
As there are no other vets by me now that do them conscious my bun has to have a GA every 5-6 weeks.
This is always a very controversial subject and both conscious and GA have their risks which everyone has to weigh up for themselves.
Fifibutton
Wise Old Thumper
Thanks everyone for the replies.
If it wasn't for this forum I probably wouldn't of have known about stress occurring to the rabbit through a concious dental so therefore would of have made Lucky go through that.
I'm going to definitely complain to the vet (also head of practice) about why I've chosen not to let her perform a dental on my bun.
I'm also going to try and formally and kindly try to explain why she shouldn't perform dentals the way she does.
Can anyone give me scientificish points why its wrong ?
Jane's first post is full of medical reasons which if you ask her you can probably quote
Thanks everyone for the replies.
If it wasn't for this forum I probably wouldn't of have known about stress occurring to the rabbit through a concious dental so therefore would of have made Lucky go through that.
I'm going to definitely complain to the vet (also head of practice) about why I've chosen not to let her perform a dental on my bun.
I'm also going to try and formally and kindly try to explain why she shouldn't perform dentals the way she does.
Can anyone give me scientificish points why its wrong ?
It's probably important to be very careful when telling a vet they are 'wrong' unless there is factual evidence to back it up, which, in this case there isn't, because some people do have conscious dentals done on their bunnies to good effect.
If I were you I would make it more about your feelings and what you feel is best for your bunny and explain that you feel X is best for your bunny, and you feel this because of Y (Jan'es reasons, for example) so are therefore going to find a vet who is able to offer the service you feel is best for your bunny.
A decent vet will hear, take it on board, and likely go and research what you have said. That will likely get your heard more than just telling him he is wrong and why.
Mischief and Tinker's Mum
Wise Old Thumper
I could never put my rabbit through that unless it was the only way for him to have a dental if the GA would kill him.
Hugo's There
Wise Old Thumper
Thanks everyone for the replies.
If it wasn't for this forum I probably wouldn't of have known about stress occurring to the rabbit through a concious dental so therefore would of have made Lucky go through that.
I'm going to definitely complain to the vet (also head of practice) about why I've chosen not to let her perform a dental on my bun.
I'm also going to try and formally and kindly try to explain why she shouldn't perform dentals the way she does.
Can anyone give me scientificish points why its wrong ?
I don't think it is right to complain about something if it hasn't been done to your bunny or that you should tell that she shouldn't perform dentals that way. At the end of the day it is her choice to offer conscious dentals, the same as it is many people's choice not to put their bunnies through conscious dentals.
I think you would be best off writing to her to say that you feel conscious dentals are not right for your bunny and give the reasons and leave it at thats :wave:
whitehood
Warren Veteran
Greenleaf Animal Rescue
Mama Doe
We have atleast 11 bunnies in for dentals a month, sometimes more if required and always under anesthetic. We wouldn't consider concious dentals.
missFloppyears
Warren Veteran
why go onto a rabbit friendly forum and ask if we would be comfortable with rabbit abuse?
am i missing something is this what rabbit savy vets do?:shock:
am i missing something is this what rabbit savy vets do?:shock:
Poppy has conscious dentals and i would never abuse my rabbits in a million years. Its all a matter of opinion & what people feel is safest for their bunny. I trust my vet, he certainly knows a lot more than me.
missFloppyears
Warren Veteran
i have never heard of conscious dentals, i cant turn mine over for vent checking without a kick to the face no matter hold thier mouth open:shock:
mind you if your vets happy to do it and your happy with it thats what matters...
No, my Peter would kick me in the face, Poppy is very calm though & easy to restrain. I think for her the stress of GA is much more than the dental, she doesnt seem effected this way.
Although I can see im v.much in the minority & most people think it's cruel. I'd obviously never want to hurt or stress my bunnies tho.
helgalush
Wise Old Thumper
Janey, you arent alone, my rabbits also have conscious dental, although I wouldnt hesitate for them to have a GA dental if I or the vet felt that was more appropriate. My vet is confident and experienced in offering conscious dental.
Yes they are controversial and I understand why. I hope I never have to regret my decision to let my bunnies have conscious dental but to date it has been a successful way of managing their dental problems, and has enabled me to adopt another dental bunny (Kenco in 2010) who had been overlooked in rescue for a year because he was over 5 years old (so uninsurable) and had dental problems. My rabbits are straight home, munching on hay and begging for treats and running around.
I know we arent the only ones and there are others who also have conscious dentals for their rabbits.
There was a good thread about this a while back, it was started by Vikkivet and is in the health section, if you search 'conscious dental' you will find it, but I cant post it as it was a locked thread.
Yes they are controversial and I understand why. I hope I never have to regret my decision to let my bunnies have conscious dental but to date it has been a successful way of managing their dental problems, and has enabled me to adopt another dental bunny (Kenco in 2010) who had been overlooked in rescue for a year because he was over 5 years old (so uninsurable) and had dental problems. My rabbits are straight home, munching on hay and begging for treats and running around.
I know we arent the only ones and there are others who also have conscious dentals for their rabbits.
There was a good thread about this a while back, it was started by Vikkivet and is in the health section, if you search 'conscious dental' you will find it, but I cant post it as it was a locked thread.
Santa
Wise Old Thumper
Those of you who do have conscious dentals done - do you know if your buns are tranced like Whitehood describes, or whether they are firmly held the 'right way up' as bunny babe describes? I had (perhaps naively) assumed that they were always done the right way up, but the thought of one being done in a trance is just :shock: Apart from the other issues, what if bits of teeth fall backwards down the bun's airway? So I'd be interested to know which is the norm.
We asked a question about conscious dentals to Sharon Redrobe (one of the country's most qualified bunny vets) a couple of years back and her response was absolutely not, the safest place for a bunny to be when having a dental is under GA. I do totally understand why some people may choose to have conscious dentals done especially in a rescue situation, but personally it's not for me, and not via the trancing technique, ever.
We asked a question about conscious dentals to Sharon Redrobe (one of the country's most qualified bunny vets) a couple of years back and her response was absolutely not, the safest place for a bunny to be when having a dental is under GA. I do totally understand why some people may choose to have conscious dentals done especially in a rescue situation, but personally it's not for me, and not via the trancing technique, ever.
helgalush
Wise Old Thumper
Santa, no I dont know and to be honest it hadnt occurred to me that they would. I trust my vets and I trust them to use sedation or GA when necessary, as a for instance when Kenco went in to have his fur trimmed as part of trying to prevent flystrike (he is high risk), he was there all day and because his fur was so thick and he was getting stressed they ended up doing that under sedation. So I trust them to use their clinical judgment about when an animal is stressed. I know there are risks, there are with any procedure.
It is something that, now it has been raised in my mind, I would like to discuss with our vets next time we go, I certainly wouldnt be happy if I knew my bunnies were being tranced.
The thread I mentioned before discusses conscious dentals from several angles, but it got locked because as always this subject evokes strong feelings and opinions in people, quite understandably.
(PS it comes up on page 2 of the search for conscious dental)
It is something that, now it has been raised in my mind, I would like to discuss with our vets next time we go, I certainly wouldnt be happy if I knew my bunnies were being tranced.
The thread I mentioned before discusses conscious dentals from several angles, but it got locked because as always this subject evokes strong feelings and opinions in people, quite understandably.
(PS it comes up on page 2 of the search for conscious dental)
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Leanne
Wise Old Thumper
I don't know of any vet that trances rabbits to do a conscious dental. The ones I know of do it with a nurse holding the rabbit with its feet all on the table as if it were crouch sitting. The vets I know that do it would only do it if the rabbit had the right disposition and the dental work was more routine management such as burring between a full ga dental.
I think you need to weigh up the risks of ga every 4-6 weeks compared to the risk of an accident whilst being done conscious. No decent vet would risk it if a rabbit was too stressed or lively. I would hope at least.
I think you need to weigh up the risks of ga every 4-6 weeks compared to the risk of an accident whilst being done conscious. No decent vet would risk it if a rabbit was too stressed or lively. I would hope at least.
