Dental Problems

Rabbits can suffer very common dental problems.  Here are a few problems that can occur:

Molar Spurs

This is when the back teeth grind down unevenly and cause sharp points.  These sharply pointed teeth can cut into a bunny's mouth and cause severe pain and ulcers inside the mouth.  An experienced rabbit vet will be able to grind down these teeth under anaesthetic which will make your bunny much happier & able to eat their food with more ease.

 

Tooth Abscesses

This is when the tooth roots of the back teeth grow downwards into the jaw and become infected.  They can be felt as lumps around the jaw or can sometimes affect the eyes if it involves the upper back teeth.

These abscesses can be addressed with medication or surgery.  It is best to consult with your rabbit vet about what is available for your bunny.

If you feel a small lump around your bunny's jaw, please see a vet as soon as your can.  You don't want to end up with an abscess the size pictured on the right!

Mouth Ulcers

These are nasty and painful areas where molar spurs have scratched or stab the inside of the mouth and cause infection.

 

 

Malloclusion

When a rabbit's front teeth cannot continually grind down on each other, they will continue to grow and cause the bunny to be unable to eat.

Please see your bunny vet if you notice that your bunny's teeth are causing concern.

These front teeth can easily be ground down at the vet clinic using specialised dental equipment. 

In some cases, all front teeth are removed if malloclusion is severe (pictured right).  Rabbits can live quite happily without front teeth but their diet does need adjustment.  If you have a rabbit that has to have their front teeth removed, please contact us for some advice on feeding your bunny after surgery.

NEVER clip rabbit's teeth!!!  They will split and cause long term dental problems and pain.

One of the most common problem with rabbits are teeth problems.  If ever your bunny looks uncomfortable eating their food or you feel any lumps & bumps around the jaw, please take them to an experienced rabbit vet to check their teeth
This is our Ginger's molar spur that was cutting into the side of his mouth. 
Pictured above is our Molly's mouth ulcer.  It was very painful for her.
This is an extreme case of an abscess.  If ever you notice any lumps or bumps around your bunny's jaw, please see a rabbit vet for a checkup
Dental Disease photos from Medirabbit.  For more information on dental disease, please visit the Medirabbit website

You may need to syringe feed your bunny with Critical Care.  The best one for rabbits is the apple/banana.

The Melbourne Rabbit Clinic sells Critical Care or you can buy it online from Oxbow Australia.

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