Molar Problems

[Usagi_Chan]

Usagi is a Netherland Dwarf. He is about a year and a half old. I've only had him since mid-january of this year (but he OWNS my heart ) To my knowledge he has not had any teeth problems in the past.

Recently I noticed Usagi was not eating as much as before and he seemed reclusive. His binkies also disappeared and finally I noticed his chin was very wet. He also extended his face washings to include under his chin. I called a local vet who specializes in exotics, which includes bunnies.

The vet found what I suspected, problems in his molars. They trimmed his molars yesterday and he seems quite a bit better. The vet said his front teeth were fine so perhaps he doesn't have the genetic problem that many dwarfs have. Usagi's chin is no longer wet. He's eating and he did a binkie a bit ago. He also allowed me to hold him which is quite rare. He's better,thankfully.

I'm quite happy that Usagi is better but I'm also $152poorer. If this is a one-time thing then that's ok.However I live on a fixed income (disability) so it will really strainthe budget if I need to do this very often. The vet told me that I should bring him in every three months to be looked at and to have a trim if needed.

I've read here about people trimming the incisors. Molars,being further back in the mouth, would be a lot harder to do. Is it possible? If so, how. What experience do you have with bunnies with molar problems, I mean, is it likely that I'll have to have this done very often?

How about diet or toys? Would certain dietary items or playthings help? If so, what foods or playthings?

Thanks

Usagi_Chan

 

[aurora369]

I know that SAS has a dwarf, Pipp, who suffers from molar spurs. Hopefully she'll come by with some good advice.

Hay is a big part in helping grind down the spurs. Does Usagi eat much hay? Firmer veggies can also help.

What kind of a diet is he getting?

Unfortunately, beyond diet, there is not much else you can do for home treatment.

Do you think there's any way you can work out a deal with the vet? Maybe forgo the initial visit and just come in when the symptons get bad for a trim? It's worth it to bring up your concerns with them and see if they can work anything out for you.

--Dawn

 

[Usagi_Chan]

When I got him the previous owner gave me hay and a mixed food that had oats, pellets and many other ingredients. I also got compressed hay cubes from the previous owner. I fed him hay and that mixture until it ran out a week or two ago. I then bought timothy hay pellets to replace that mix and tried that on him because from what I've read timothy hay is best for rabbits. He seemed to be unimpressed with the new pellets because he seemed to like the oats from the previous mixture. I thought that he was eating less because he didn't like the new pellets. So I bought another package of the mixture, thinking that was why he wasn't eating good. With 20/20 hindsight I suspect it was that the molar spurs were getting intolerable and that's why he was eating less and less.

If that's true, as I suspect it is, I should go back to the timothy pellets, hay and keep everything else low. I'll probably givethe mixture as an occasional treat.

However, at the moment I am keeping his diet soft with fresh veggies until he recouperates, 3-4 days or so. I do keep hay in his cage at all times and I'm continuing that. The timothy pellets are also available so I should be able to see when he goes back to hay and pellets.

Now knowing the signs of a tooth problem, I really don't intend to keep appointments every 3 months but, rather, I'll watch for signs that he's having a problem then make an appointment.

Usagi_Chan

 

[Pipp]

Does he eat a lot of hay?

The mixture doesn't sound that healthy (what's the brand?) but don't switch food suddenly, always ease them into something new.The new food should start off comprising 1/5 of the diet and slowly increase it. That said, if he's been eating the mix, probably not a bad idea to keep mixing a littlein with the pellets regardless. Not great for his digestion, but the variety of shapes and textures will help the molars.

I give Pipp a HUGE variety of veggies with all sorts of shapes and textures, expecially 'hard' veggies like kale,chard, cabbage,broccoli and cauliflower, mixed with bok choy, lettuce, italian parsely, carrot tops and a bit of carrot. (You have to slowly introduce each veggie, too, to make sure they don't give him gas).

Pipp's spurs didn't show up until she was almost 1 1/2 years old, too,and now I'm wondering if it wasn't a diet change that preceeded it. She got them again six months later, and againtwo months later -- at which point the vet said shehad a deformity and would need regular trimming.Sure enough, within two months, she had them again -- except that it was the Julylong weekend and I couldn't get her to thevet.

Igave her some left over pain meds (Metacam) from her previous surgery and that got her eating again. I really made an effort to feed her the varried veggies, including the hard ones (she won't eat hay if her life depends on it), and expected her to stop eating again anytime, at which point I would have taken her in for the trim. But she kept eating. The spur had obviously broken off and the diet kept them from reforming.

She didn't get hermolar spurs back until a couple of weeks ago when I got sick and didn't feed her properly, she missed her salad and just got pellets. She ended up witha problem with her digestive tract, stopped eating altogether,and her molar spurs came back within days. She's now back on her heavy veggie diet, we'll see if they stay away.

I also feed her a mix of two or three different brands oftimothy pellets, again the different shapes and textures help the teeth. If you have a bunny that eats hay, different kinds of hay (oat hay, too, if you can get it) and grasses should help-- including grass from the lawn (although hand-picked and pesticide-free, not from the lawnmower). The cat grass youbuy in trays also helps.

Mosthouse bunny sites tell you never to feed your bunny seeds because of potential blockages and the high carb content can cause obesity and mess with the bacterial balance in the gut, but I really think this needs more research.I do believe most of the UK mixes include seeds, as does Russell Rabbit food (considered crap, but not exactlydeadly?)

Pipp is a carb junkie -when I give her a grass tray, she eats the seeds, not the grass --butshe's very sensitive to the high carbs, she easily gets a bacterial balance-related 'poopy butt' from too many oats.Buta few seeds in moderationwould help her teeth. (And I can't imagine bunnies in the wild noteating seeds).

Other things to consider -- fruit tree branches. Pipp can't be bothered, but my six other bunnies just LOVE chewing the bark, one would think that wouldhelp the molars as well.

Pipp's first appointment was $160, but after that, it was just $90because she didn't need the exam, I just booked her directly for surgery. If you get symptoms like the wet chin, you should be able to see that she's due and do the same.

(Unless you can make them go away). :goodluck

Lettuce know how he's doing!



sas

 

[rabb1tmad]

Wow, I didn't realise spurs could grow back that quick. At our last check up the vet said Starsky's back teeth are misaligned and that he had slight spurs - they're not bothering him at the mo. He said he was not quite atthe surgery stage yet-he's 3 in July so we've gone a long way before them springing up. Your tips will come in useful for me too

 

[Usagi_Chan]

Usagi's eating like a little piggy now He's not as reclusive and seems to enjoy being petted.

The mixture is Kaytee Fiesta:http://www.kaytee.com/products/mammals/?pid=42655&aid=all&pcid=1
That's a good thought... that the variety of shapes could help the molars. It does have chunks of various colors and sizes.

Pipp looks almost identical to Usagi. I suspect Usagi is a purebred Netherland Dwarf but I have no proof or papers.

I was given Metacam also for pain. I'll probably give him one more dose tomorrow but I think he''s now back to normal. It probably is a good idea to save the remainder in case it is needed later.

I think Usagi will eat hay. He did when I first got him. I do keep hay in his litter box at all times so it is there if and when he goes back to eating hay.

Yesterday I got parsley and cilantro which he likes. Today I tried cabbage and he likes that. I'm not much of a vegetarian so getting small enough quantities of veggies is not easy.

I also would expect wild bunnies to eat some seeds, especially in winter when food is more scarce so I guess seeds should not be that evil, in moderation at least.

I want to get some branches but I live on 9th floor of an apartment building. That makes harvesting of branches a little hard. I know wild bunnies eat bark in the winter especially.

Thanks for the idea on direct surgery. $47 of the $152 that it cost was examination so that would bring the cost down to about $100.I'm also fortunate enought to live in a major city and there is more than one exotic animal vet here. It wouldn't hurt to shop around.

Usagi_Chan

 

[Pipp]

The Kaytee Fiesta is definitely junk food, butin very small amounts it will provide all the shapes and seeds you need, he shouldn't get any additional, obesity is a problem,too.

You do have to balance off the digestive tract health, even a tiny handful of oats has sent Pipp into a life-threatening situation. And if something else ever pops up that will slowdown the GI tract, without a good supply of high fibre, he's more prone to stasis.

Kaytee Timothy Complete is a good brand of timothy pellets.

You can always find a friendly market that will bag up their leftover veggies for you, especially throw-aways like carrot tops, beet greens and celery leaves. I shop at the places that support my bunnies that way. I'm a regular produce dumpster diver!

Hope this helps! Nose pats and hugs from Pipp!



sas