HELP-older Rabbit molar extraction

[Christiania Edstrom]

Hi!

I urgently need help and insight. My rabbit is going to be 7 in January. He recently had a nystagmus and head tilt due to an ear infection. He still has the head tilt but the nystagmus is gone.
At that same exam, they noticed he had teeth problems. After an X-ray and exam under anesthesia (they had to do this as they stated they couldn’t just do sedation), the vet said that he needed 3 molars removed, as they were loose and infected. He would have to be under general anesthesia anywhere from 1-2 hours. The vet said there was no guarantee this would take his pain away, it would just likely help. He will need ongoing dental exams under anesthesia every few months for the rest of his life.
He isn’t eating hay or pellets and even with critical care every 6 hours he has lost a 1/3 of a pound. He will still eat carrots, celery and greens.
Do you think it’s worth it to have the molars extracted? I don’t want to prolong his life if he is only going to suffer. How did your older rabbits do after removing multiple molars?

 

[Mariam+Theo]

You need to blend up the hay and pellets because he needs to eat them. I think that you should remove the molars, but if you don't he will be suffering for as long as he lives.Even if it doesn't take the pain away, it will still help. My rabbit has never gone through that so I don't speak from experience.

 

[Lauryn]

Hi,

I know this post is from November but I wanted to ask whether you went ahead with the extraction and how your rabbit coped with the recovery? My 5 and a half year old lop went to an exotics vet yesterday and she said all his bottom left teeth were loose and she’s removed them. I’m so worried about him, will he be okay without these?

Thanks for any experience or advice.