• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Drooling? update: good (ish) news!

xlaurax

Mama Doe
Hi everyone.

So this morning Bramble was all wet around her mouth and under her chin. First thing I did was make sure she was eating as normal - she was. Also bright eyed and her usual self. Teeth look healthy.

Later on in the day, she's still all wet around her mouth and specifically one cheek (left), under chin too. I've cleaned out the hutch, brought her and Bluebell inside and kept an eye on her. She's eating, grooming, jumping around as normal.. investigating/playing etc.

I've dried around her mouth with a towel and my plan is to see what she's like in the morning.

I'm worried about her passing it to Blue but I really hate separating them. The last time Bramble was ill, being separated from Blue really exacerbated the situation.

They have had their jabs at the vets.

Any advice appreciated.
 
Last edited:
I'm sorry that Bramble is drooling. I would suspect that she has a dental problem, even though she is still eating normally. Personally I wouldn't separate them and of course if it is dental then there's no risk of contagion anyway. I would get her to the vets and get her teeth examined.
 
Hi everyone.

So this morning Bramble was all wet around her mouth and under her chin. First thing I did was make sure she was eating as normal - she was. Also bright eyed and her usual self. Teeth look healthy.

Later on in the day, she's still all wet around her mouth and specifically one cheek (left), under chin too. I've cleaned out the hutch, brought her and Bluebell inside and kept an eye on her. She's eating, grooming, jumping around as normal.. investigating/playing etc.

I've dried around her mouth with a towel and my plan is to see what she's like in the morning.

I'm worried about her passing it to Blue but I really hate separating them. The last time Bramble was ill, being separated from Blue really exacerbated the situation.

They have had their jabs at the vets.

Any advice appreciated.


Hi Laura

The prime suspect in drooling is dental issues, or an incipient abscess (hope not!)

Please don't separate them!

Does she use a bowl, and is she drinking more recently?
 
Hi Laura

The prime suspect in drooling is dental issues, or an incipient abscess (hope not!)

Please don't separate them!

Does she use a bowl, and is she drinking more recently?

Thanks for your reply!

She uses a bottle and it's hard to tell with them being together but the water hasn't been going down any quicker.

I'm happy to see her eating as normal and I'm not sure if it's dental as her teeth are in really good condition. Their diet is 90% hay and they go through loads of it. The vet always comments on how great they are.

Really hope it's not an abscess :(
 
Thanks for your reply!

She uses a bottle and it's hard to tell with them being together but the water hasn't been going down any quicker.

I'm happy to see her eating as normal and I'm not sure if it's dental as her teeth are in really good condition. Their diet is 90% hay and they go through loads of it. The vet always comments on how great they are.

Really hope it's not an abscess :(


A vet can't see the back teeth properly unless the rabbit is under GA. There are a few vets who do 'conscious dentals' and in that case they *can* examine the back teeth whilst the rabbit is awake. It's estimated that most vets see little more than 50% of the cheek teeth with an otoscope.

Perhaps you can give her a bowl and see whether you still have the same issue?
 
A vet can't see the back teeth properly unless the rabbit is under GA. There are a few vets who do 'conscious dentals' and in that case they *can* examine the back teeth whilst the rabbit is awake. It's estimated that most vets see little more than 50% of the cheek teeth with an otoscope.

Perhaps you can give her a bowl and see whether you still have the same issue?

Thanks I'll try that. I just went to check on her and she's a bit wet around the mouth again. I'll review in the morning. If it was an issue with the bottle would Blue be the same?

Am I right in thinking while she's eating and behaving normally I don't need to take her for urgent vet appt? If it carries on i will get her booked in but I don't want the vet to say "you should have brought her in immediately". Poor little mite I hope she's not in pain.

She's been poorly before and I've spotted it via the usual signs: dull eyes, no appetite, sat in a corner looking sad etc. She's behaving totally normally which is what's confusing me :S
 
Thanks I'll try that. I just went to check on her and she's a bit wet around the mouth again. I'll review in the morning. If it was an issue with the bottle would Blue be the same?

Am I right in thinking while she's eating and behaving normally I don't need to take her for urgent vet appt? If it carries on i will get her booked in but I don't want the vet to say "you should have brought her in immediately". Poor little mite I hope she's not in pain.

She's been poorly before and I've spotted it via the usual signs: dull eyes, no appetite, sat in a corner looking sad etc. She's behaving totally normally which is what's confusing me :S


Some rabbits, even in dental pain, behave completely normally. They are such brave little soldiers it's sometimes impossible to know. I used to think a rabbit in pain wouldn't eat, but I know that's not always the case ..

I would treat it as important, but not urgent. If it were me I would schedule an appointment within the next day or so, but I always prefer to see my favoured vet. That would also be important to me.
 
I would also prefer to get her seen within the next day or so. My reasoning would be that *if* she needs to have a GA to have any dental work done, I would prefer that to be done while she is bright and eating.

I know from recent experience that rabbits sometimes do not show illness until it progresses to a state where they are no longer able to hide it.
 
I would also prefer to get her seen within the next day or so. My reasoning would be that *if* she needs to have a GA to have any dental work done, I would prefer that to be done while she is bright and eating.

I know from recent experience that rabbits sometimes do not show illness until it progresses to a state where they are no longer able to hide it.

I agree Omi, it is almost always best to err on the side of caution. Hope all will be well for Bramble Laura x
 
Thanks guys. Another issue is that I'm away this weekend and the last time Bramble was at the vets she fell into such a pit of despair after she ended up in hospital for three nights. She really didn't handle it well and that was just her jabs and a check up. I have two choices and I'm not sure what to do:

(1) Book her in the vets tomorrow, stay at home with her, make sure she's eating etc. Then I'm away Saturday and Sunday with no way to monitor her and we all know how quickly bunnies deteriorate

(2) Book her in for Monday, stay with her, I can be there all the time and make sure she's well. BUT she could be in agony until then.

I really don't know what to do! :(
 
My first thoughts with a drooling bun is that it is probably a dental issue. You could book her in for an examination at the vet and get their advice. If Bramble is maintaining her weight, a dental (if that's what she needs) may wait until Monday when you can be there, but it depends entirely on what your vet finds during the examination - ie. a good look at the back teeth with an otoscope, signs of soft tissue damage in the mouth and a feel along the jawline, as well as ears & tummy check.

Do you trust whoever is looking after the bunnies over the weekend to keep a close eye on her to make sure she is eating?
 
My first thoughts with a drooling bun is that it is probably a dental issue. You could book her in for an examination at the vet and get their advice. If Bramble is maintaining her weight, a dental (if that's what she needs) may wait until Monday when you can be there, but it depends entirely on what your vet finds during the examination - ie. a good look at the back teeth with an otoscope, signs of soft tissue damage in the mouth and a feel along the jawline, as well as ears & tummy check.

Do you trust whoever is looking after the bunnies over the weekend to keep a close eye on her to make sure she is eating?

Thank you for your reply. Yes it's my boyfriend's dad and I know he'll properly keep an eye on her. She is maintaining weight and she's "fighting" for her share of the food which is good. When I say fighting I mean the usual pushing and shoving around the bowl at feeding time. The last time she was poorly the first sign was that she wouldn't fight for her share of food, she would just sit and let Blue walk all over her.

What are other causes of dental issues other than bad diet? Their diet is perfect and I can't understand how she can have such issues. Unless it's an abscess or something else more serious :? :(
 
Dental issues can just be one of those things. It is more common in rabbits with shorter faces (eg Netherland dwarf) or lop ears. There may be genetic predispositions to dental issues - which is why it important to choose breeding stock carefully based on several previous generations. Baby rabbits who are weaned onto muesli or a low hay / grass diet may develop issues - if they don't get the long fibres to chew, the chewing action is different and the teeth may not grow in proper alignment (plus over time, the situation may exacerbate). There isn't much you can do about what was inherited or potentially there before you get a rabbit - but you can encourage them to eat more hay / grass etc. to minimise future risks, including increasing the time between dentals.
 
Dental issues can just be one of those things. It is more common in rabbits with shorter faces (eg Netherland dwarf) or lop ears. There may be genetic predispositions to dental issues - which is why it important to choose breeding stock carefully based on several previous generations. Baby rabbits who are weaned onto muesli or a low hay / grass diet may develop issues - if they don't get the long fibres to chew, the chewing action is different and the teeth may not grow in proper alignment (plus over time, the situation may exacerbate). There isn't much you can do about what was inherited or potentially there before you get a rabbit - but you can encourage them to eat more hay / grass etc. to minimise future risks, including increasing the time between dentals.

She's a mini lop and she does have a very flat face. I've had them from babies and she's 6 in January. Is it normal for them to develop issues after so many years or are they usually born with dental issues? Sorry I'm not very knowledgeable with dental stuff!

I'm so worried about how she will react at the vets. The last time she wouldn't eat the vet used a tool to look right at the back of her mouth and he felt around the inside of her mouth (brave!) and her jaw. That really upset her and was the lead up to her spending a few nights in hospital :(

She can't stand being handled by unfamiliar people but especially when they're so intrusive around her mouth. I'm really concerned.
 
I think malocclussion (where there teeth are not lined up correctly) is something they are born with, the rest is classed as acquired dental disease. I don't understand much of it either . I don't understand why my bun became a dental bun at 4.5 either. It sounds like that device that holds open your rabbits mouth freaked her out last time? I'd be inclined to ask your vet to do a check via ottoscope & no other equipment unless she is sedated/ under GA

Do bear in mind she hasn't seen the vet yet - it might be something else x
 
I think malocclussion (where there teeth are not lined up correctly) is something they are born with, the rest is classed as acquired dental disease. I don't understand much of it either . I don't understand why my bun became a dental bun at 4.5 either. It sounds like that device that holds open your rabbits mouth freaked her out last time? I'd be inclined to ask your vet to do a check via ottoscope & no other equipment unless she is sedated/ under GA

Do bear in mind she hasn't seen the vet yet - it might be something else x

Thank you. And thanks to everyone else for your replies. I've decided to book her in the vets tomorrow (Thursday) morning. I'm going to ask them to examine her and then take it from there. I think I'll feel better once I know what we're contending with. I'll update the thread tomorrow after the appointment.
 
Thank you. And thanks to everyone else for your replies. I've decided to book her in the vets tomorrow (Thursday) morning. I'm going to ask them to examine her and then take it from there. I think I'll feel better once I know what we're contending with. I'll update the thread tomorrow after the appointment.


I think that's a very good idea :)

Just so you have a bit of info to be armed with, my lovely vet has these on her blog:

http://www.twickenhamvets.com/rabbit-dental-problems-part-1-malocclusion-cheek-teeth/

http://www.twickenhamvets.com/rabbit-dental-problems-part-2-malocclusion-incisors/

http://www.twickenhamvets.com/rabbit-dental-problems-part-3-abscesses-fractures/


I should've thought only the first link is at all relevant, and even then it might not be dental!
But I quoted them all for completeness :)
 
Thank you both. I'm feeling better now I have her booked in.

From reading the links it makes sense that it's spurs on her molars. Especially as one cheek is wet.

Poor little sausage. Will report back tomorrow am
.

Thanks again guys. Having knowledgeable people who also care about bunny welfare is invaluable at times like this :)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top