Loki joins the bad molar club

[naturestee]

Some of you may remember that Loki has had problems with his left eye and that his tear duct was flushed last spring. I had him back at the vet clinic today for the same problem. A different vet saw him this time. She tried to flush his eye but only did a so-so job because I asked her to try without anesthesia (and she'd have to wait for the surgery room). What she did notice was that it looks like one of his molar roots may be pressing against the tear duct. She looked in his mouth and said his molars don't look great, but they're not bad enough to need trimming yet. He may need trimming in the future. She prescribed an eye ointment to see if that would help with the tear duct a little, although it doesn't look infected. He needs to go back in a few weeks to see how he's doing.

She also had a second new vet look at Loki too. I don't know what she specializes in, but she used to work at the Midwest Animal Hospital in Chicago, which is a well known exotics-only vet clinic.

Mind you, she only checked with the naked eye and maybe a quick scope for the teeth (done in back room), so I might be worrying over nothing. She said that an xray would show for sure, but that's something to talk about at the next visit.

And Eve has ear mites. Ugh.

 

[pamnock]

So sorry to hear what you are going through with the bunns

Not sure if you've seen this site http://www.lbah.com/rabbits/malocclusion.htm

has some good photos and info.

Pam

 

[naturestee]

Thanks Pam! I hadn't actually read that one yet. I hope it doesn't come to molar extraction because as I understand it that tends to create more tooth problems in the remaining molars.:?

With luck it will be a long time before he needs any type of dental surgery. He's eating fine and he really likes hay now. I can't help but wonder if this might have been related to his last owner not giving him hay. Loki pretty much refused to eat hay until Mocha bonded with him and showed him how tasty it was.

 

[Pipp]

Awww, poor Loki!

Pipp's only symptom when she gets molars spurs is a watering eye.

And oddly enough I was actually going to post about this today, but she was looking like she needed to go in last week -- the eye watered, she stopped eating everything but pumpkin and grated carrot, the usual deal.

This time I had a little Medicam left over, and seeing as it was a weekend and the vet wasn't open, I gave her some. She started eating again -- no surprise there. But after three low doses or so, I cut her off because I'm worried about her kidneys -- (she never drinks, btw)she seems to strain in her litter box sometimes, and I was thinking it was worse with the Medicam. I started syringe feeding her carrot juice and water (which she just guzzles), and the long litter box sessions stopped and her pee looked healthy, so I think that worked.

But lo and behold, she started eating without the Medicam, and she still is. Go figure! I didn't think spurs could get better on their own. Quite the puzzler!

sas

 

[naturestee]

What do her eyes look like when they start running due to the spurs? And I thought that she tended to eat less or get fussy too? Loki eats everything set in front of him- hay, pellets, greens, hard veggies like carrots and broccolli... and he gets excited about it too.

As for the pain killers, I wonder if Pipp was "bad days" and she doesn't realize that she feels better without pain killers? It's possible.

 

[maherwoman]

Aww, my heart goes out to sweet (and I'm sure mischevious, judging by the name) Loki... I hope things get sorted out soon, and he starts to feel much better!

:bunnydance::bunnydance: Maisie and Flower send a Happy Bunny Dance his way to cheer him up!!