• 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.

Cost of Clipping rabbit's back teeth (molar)

eris

New Kit
Hi all,

I have a rex who wasn't eating much. She would just eating veggies (watercress, park choi, nero kale and Romanian lettuce) and little hay (Timothy hay 2nd cut and Oat hay). She completely stopped pooping for 1 day. I suspected it was gastrointestinal stasis so I gave her baby gas drop (Simethicone) and massaged her tummy. The next day she pooped a little bit. I did buy her critical care but didn't give it to her as she was eating a bit more and she was a lot more active. I woke up today and check her litter and she had pooped a lot more. She didn't stopped peeing. Just had issue with her pooping.

I just had visit with my vet today. I showed the vet everything I got and he said to continue monitoring and give Simethicone as necessary. Plus the critical care if my bunny doesn't eat. However he said that the cause of this could be her back molar outgrowing in sharply. He recommend we chip it and the estimation given to me was £297. I only had my bunny for 6 months and this is the first time she has had any health issue. Has anyone had experience with outgrown molar? How much did you guys pay? Is this normal price? I was looking at insurance to see if any covered it but looks like they don't cover chipping teeth. The vet said this was common among rabbit but I have bought her lots of toys to chew on, provide her unlimited hays, giver her varieties of veggies, dried treats and give her hay stick, apple stick and bamboo sticks she can chew on. I am not sure how it still manage to be out grown. Any advice on how to prevent this in future.

Many thanks

Editing post to add the breakdown of the estimate given:
Sedation and monitoring (£189.69), medication (emeprid inj- £31.21) and Procedure (clip rabbit back teeth- £76.23).
 
Last edited:
Molar spurs occur as a result of the teeth not grinding down enough, usually due to the Rabbit not eating much hay / grass. Rabbits teeth grow continuously and hay is essential for good dental health. A poor hay intake also impacts on gut motility and can lead to repeated episodes of gut stasis.

The cost of Rabbit Dental treatment varies. All Vets set their own fees and how much is charged will depend on exactly what needs to be done.

info re Rabbit Dentistry http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Differential/Rabbit_dentistry.pdf
 
That's a lot of money. I pay around £60 for dental treatment when my bunny has molar spurs. Does your vet know a lot about bunnies? Because "chipping" and "clipping" teeth isn't right. The molar spurs need to be filed or burred down. Clipping can cause damage to the teeth, which can lead to pain and all sorts of other trouble. Maybe a silly question, but has your vet actually examined her teeth? Because you say your vet said it "could" be her molar. Has he actually seen that that is the issue?

About preventing this in the future, hay is the most important thing. Lots and lots of hay. Sticks and toys to chew on won't do much, I think, because they chew those with their incisors, not their molars. Sometimes it's a genetic issue, though, or because of the shape of their head, and then you can't really prevent it, but hay would still be very important to keep the time between dentals as long as possible.

Also, next time your bunny isn't eating much, it would be good to take her to a vet immediately as bunnies can go downhill very, very quickly and will need medication to keep their gut going if they aren't pooping and aren't eating much. Simethicone won't do that, and I'm surprised that your vet recommended it for a bunny who didn't poop for an entire day, instead of gut motility meds. I'm very glad she recovered and felt better the next day. :)
 
I'm sorry to hear your girl needs a dental. I can appreciate that is a lot of cash, especially when they are insured & you might not be so prepared for unexpected medical bills.

I've had a good few dentals done on my bunnies - I'll go check receipts in a bit but mine are significantly less than that. I do use a very bunny savvy vet BTW - I wouldn't compromise their care to save money.

You could ask your vet for a breakdown of what the £297 is broken down to - give you a better idea.

Once molar spurs are affecting a bunnies ability to eat I would say they need need that minor op & its too late for the healthy chew toys etc. They'll be useful in getting in to good habits after her dentists trip though - hopefully she'll start eating all that good quality hay too after.

These issues are more likely in certain breeds. It doesn't mean you've been negligent in any way. To prevent in the future, grass & hay are the main things, you may need to reduce pellets / fresh foods to get her to eat more. Your vets perspective is crucial here though - some tooth root issues means rabbits can't rather than won't eat hay. Hay & grass require the side to side motion needed for dental wear & are high in sillica which is good for teeth wear also

Good luck
 
I have not had a rabbit who needed a dental for several years and cannot remember how much I paid. However I have a few comments about your bunny.

Rex rabbits very seldom require dentals. As joey & boo said this problem is usually more prevalent in certain breeds and those breeds are ones with a different shaped head/jaw to a Rex e.g. Minilop and Netherland Dwarf. I would not want to have a vet perform a dental without some evidence that there was a problem. A need for a dental is only one of many reasons why a rabbit will stop eating normally. I would also be wary about a vet (like a reader of books mentioned) who speaks about chipping/clipping teeth. This is not the recommended way of dealing with rabbit teeth. I have no way of knowing whether the cost is reasonable for the work proposed, but it does seem on the high side.

Also if a rabbit stops eating, the best advice would be to have a vet examination asap. They can then establish whether there is a blockage before advising to give Critical Care. The usual treatment would be gut medication and pain relief if there is no blockage. Rabbits generally will not eat if in pain.

Do you know whether your vet is experienced in treating rabbits? If you are unsure then, if you'd like some recommendations of rabbit savvy vets, post an indication of your location.
 
Does your vet know a lot about bunnies? Because "chipping" and "clipping" teeth isn't right. The molar spurs need to be filed or burred down. Clipping can cause damage to the teeth, which can lead to pain and all sorts of other trouble.
I agree with this: my Netherland Dwarf had his incisors clipped in the same way as someone would clip rabbit nails, but that was over 20yrs ago and only 2-3 times when he was over 8 years old. I don't think it would be recommended now, and certainly not for non-incisors.
 
I've just been looking at the price list for the vet I used to use for my rabbits (an exotics specialist, so experienced with rabbits)). For dental treatment, including general anaesthetic, about £160. For dental treatment, including Xray, general anaesthetic & critical care food, about £220. Not sure how current that price list is. As far as I am aware, an Xray may be needed to enable the vet to see the full extent of the problem. That would, of course, be in addition to the initial consultation fee.
 
I've paid for 4 in the last 12 months.

My exotic vet is circa £220 but includes all the discharge gut and pain meds for a week and they give IV fluids which has a massive impact on recovery from the anesthetic imo.

Previous vet was 150 but no fluids or meds included unless requested and billed separately.

Then usually about £40 if they've had a healthcheck to diagnose it.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk
 
I've paid for 4 in the last 12 months.

My exotic vet is circa £220 but includes all the discharge gut and pain meds for a week and they give IV fluids which has a massive impact on recovery from the anesthetic imo.

Previous vet was 150 but no fluids or meds included unless requested and billed separately.

Then usually about £40 if they've had a healthcheck to diagnose it.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk

Looks about the same as my vet then.
 
I remember being horrified when the owner of a rabbit rescue (long gone) quite close to me was proud of how he kept their teeth clipped.
 
That's a lot of money. I pay around £60 for dental treatment when my bunny has molar spurs. Does your vet know a lot about bunnies? Because "chipping" and "clipping" teeth isn't right. The molar spurs need to be filed or burred down. Clipping can cause damage to the teeth, which can lead to pain and all sorts of other trouble. Maybe a silly question, but has your vet actually examined her teeth? Because you say your vet said it "could" be her molar. Has he actually seen that that is the issue?

About preventing this in the future, hay is the most important thing. Lots and lots of hay. Sticks and toys to chew on won't do much, I think, because they chew those with their incisors, not their molars. Sometimes it's a genetic issue, though, or because of the shape of their head, and then you can't really prevent it, but hay would still be very important to keep the time between dentals as long as possible.

Also, next time your bunny isn't eating much, it would be good to take her to a vet immediately as bunnies can go downhill very, very quickly and will need medication to keep their gut going if they aren't pooping and aren't eating much. Simethicone won't do that, and I'm surprised that your vet recommended it for a bunny who didn't poop for an entire day, instead of gut motility meds. I'm very glad she recovered and felt better the next day. :)

I don't think he deals with many rabbits. Unfortunately, due to covid restriction I wasn't able to go in with my rabbit so not sure but I assume he did look into her mouth as he mentioned the back teeth is out grown and sharp which is hurting her. I will try to find another vet to get second opinion because in the estimate he has given me he has written "clip rabbits back teeth" which doesn't sound like what needs to happen. Thank you for all the information. I really appreciate it :)
 
I'm sorry to hear your girl needs a dental. I can appreciate that is a lot of cash, especially when they are insured & you might not be so prepared for unexpected medical bills.

I've had a good few dentals done on my bunnies - I'll go check receipts in a bit but mine are significantly less than that. I do use a very bunny savvy vet BTW - I wouldn't compromise their care to save money.

You could ask your vet for a breakdown of what the £297 is broken down to - give you a better idea.

Once molar spurs are affecting a bunnies ability to eat I would say they need need that minor op & its too late for the healthy chew toys etc. They'll be useful in getting in to good habits after her dentists trip though - hopefully she'll start eating all that good quality hay too after.

These issues are more likely in certain breeds. It doesn't mean you've been negligent in any way. To prevent in the future, grass & hay are the main things, you may need to reduce pellets / fresh foods to get her to eat more. Your vets perspective is crucial here though - some tooth root issues means rabbits can't rather than won't eat hay. Hay & grass require the side to side motion needed for dental wear & are high in sillica which is good for teeth wear also

Good luck

Thank you for replying. The estimates are Sedation and monitoring rabbit(£189.69), medication (emeprid inj 10ml- £31.21) and Procedure (clip rabbits back teeth- £76.23).
 
My rabbit had a dental today and it cost £179.00 (this included initial examination/checkup). Unfortunately rabbits are extremely expensive pets to keep - they are 'advertised' by the pet industry and breeders as being low maintenance, but this could not be further from the truth.
 
I don't think he deals with many rabbits. Unfortunately, due to covid restriction I wasn't able to go in with my rabbit so not sure but I assume he did look into her mouth as he mentioned the back teeth is out grown and sharp which is hurting her. I will try to find another vet to get second opinion because in the estimate he has given me he has written "clip rabbits back teeth" which doesn't sound like what needs to happen. Thank you for all the information. I really appreciate it :)
A second opinion sounds wise. It's best if you can find a vet with a lot of experience with rabbits, as they're quite complicated little beings. Good luck! :) Is your bunny eating and pooping well right now?
 
I have not had a rabbit who needed a dental for several years and cannot remember how much I paid. However I have a few comments about your bunny.

Rex rabbits very seldom require dentals. As joey & boo said this problem is usually more prevalent in certain breeds and those breeds are ones with a different shaped head/jaw to a Rex e.g. Minilop and Netherland Dwarf. I would not want to have a vet perform a dental without some evidence that there was a problem. A need for a dental is only one of many reasons why a rabbit will stop eating normally. I would also be wary about a vet (like a reader of books mentioned) who speaks about chipping/clipping teeth. This is not the recommended way of dealing with rabbit teeth. I have no way of knowing whether the cost is reasonable for the work proposed, but it does seem on the high side.

Also if a rabbit stops eating, the best advice would be to have a vet examination asap. They can then establish whether there is a blockage before advising to give Critical Care. The usual treatment would be gut medication and pain relief if there is no blockage. Rabbits generally will not eat if in pain.

Do you know whether your vet is experienced in treating rabbits? If you are unsure then, if you'd like some recommendations of rabbit savvy vets, post an indication of your location.

It would be great if you could recommend rabbit savvy vets to me. My location is West London (UB3 ). At this point I would really like second opinion from another vet. Thank you :)
 
I've just been looking at the price list for the vet I used to use for my rabbits (an exotics specialist, so experienced with rabbits)). For dental treatment, including general anaesthetic, about £160. For dental treatment, including Xray, general anaesthetic & critical care food, about £220. Not sure how current that price list is. As far as I am aware, an Xray may be needed to enable the vet to see the full extent of the problem. That would, of course, be in addition to the initial consultation fee.

Thank you for checking the price list. Compared to that mine does look really high. The following is the breakdown of the estimate: Sedation and monitoring (£189.69), medication (emeprid inj- £31.21) and Procedure (clip rabbit back teeth- £76.23).No Xray or critical care food included.
 
I've paid for 4 in the last 12 months.

My exotic vet is circa £220 but includes all the discharge gut and pain meds for a week and they give IV fluids which has a massive impact on recovery from the anesthetic imo.

Previous vet was 150 but no fluids or meds included unless requested and billed separately.

Then usually about £40 if they've had a healthcheck to diagnose it.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk

Thank you for replying. It seems like my estimate is really high given just sedation is £189.69
 
I have paid around £250 a time for a dental. Everywhere seems to be different, mine is quite expensive but it's the only decent vet around here unfortunately. I would get a second opinion but also if your bun does have problems with her teeth it will need doing ASAP as the pain can stop them eating, it's not the kind of thing that can wait a few weeks. After the dental you can try introducing different hays, maybe something like dandelion roots, anything that will increase the time spent wearing those teeth down as otherwise you could have a similar problem again in a few months. Although some buns are just more prone to dental problems than others unfortunately.
 
A second opinion sounds wise. It's best if you can find a vet with a lot of experience with rabbits, as they're quite complicated little beings. Good luck! :) Is your bunny eating and pooping well right now?

Thank you. She is munching on veggies and eating little hay so she still is not eating as much as she used to. Her poop is also very tiny so I am still worried about her. Hopefully she will keep getting better.
 
Back
Top