Teeth advice needed

[DougalsMum]

Hey all


Well one of my rabbits is 10months old and has developed a mite infestation and teeth problems. Goodness knows how he got the mites-our other animals in close proximity are fine. The teeth problems are what i need advice on though. His front teeth have grown very 'skewiff'. They don't meet up and are causing him trouble, took him to the vets straight away and he looked at his back teeth which are also becoming problematic in the way they are growing. I give him hay, the right food etc to try and wear his teeth down but as they are growing so strangely i don't know what else i could have done. I have had many rabbits in the past and about 4 (out of 18) have had teeth problems and whenever they have had anesthetic they have died a couple of days later (took them to many different vets so it wasn't poor work). My little buns is developing problems with bloat as a side issue as he can't chew his food right.

I love this bunny dearly but i don't want to see him suffer like my others have done in the past-the one rabbit who didn't die after his operation died about 3months later as he developed the same probs again. I don't mean to sound so selfish but i am pregnant and worried about the germs/mites that my bunny might be carrying and also i am low income and although i would spend as much as it takes in my heart to make him better, this is not practical.

Any advice?

Thanks

Sooz

[Jade]

Truly the only advice I have (and I'm sorry if it sounds harsh) would be to euthanize him if you cannot care for his health needs, be it for financial reasons or his own suffering. Teeth problems will likely recur, as you've seen. It's usually a chronic and painful thing, and not easily treatable. Sometimes euthanizing is the kindest option.

In the meantime, you should ask your vet about giving the bunny simethicone, as it can help break up the gas building up.

This is purely curiosity, but I'm concerned about the dying after anesthesia - what sedative did they use? Injectable? Gas?

Whatever you decide, best of luck.

[DougalsMum]

Hi Jade

Your reply was not harsh at all-it has already been going through my mind about having him put to sleep if he starts really suffering, regular teeth filings etc. He has had anesthetic before and come out fine, the other rabbits i had went to a load of different vets and also survived anaesthetic for other things but when it came to teeth filing-they all died of shock afterwards. Not something i want to put this rabbit through He has been such a good pet that it breaks my heart to see him suffer I will do all i can for him, but he will become even more miserable and aggressive with regular teeth filings for the rest of his life.

To answer your question-i have no clue what type of anaesthesia was used on my bunnies-never thought to ask.

I am going to get him a breeze block he can chew on, grind his teeth on and some applewood. I will take care of him but having seen the deterioration already i'm doubtful as to how much recovery he can make:'(

[RSbunny]

It sounds like its a genetical thing to me and may never be permanently fixed. I used to have to take one of my rabbits in every month for a teeth cutting (it was only his front, so no anaesthetic) and even though we were keeping on top of it he got very ill, had stomach problems, kept losing teeth altogether. I only kept him alive cause we could continue to pay for his medical treatment and he was such a sweet bunny but with out the $$ it is not nice to let them suffer. I'm sorry for what you are going through.