Nervous about young Lionhead molar extraction

[simba_dad]

Hi all,this is my first post but I've read some of the threads here over the last few months which have been very helpful.
Our boy Simba is a 1 year old Lionhead with serious dental problems, and he's going into hospital tomorrow for a double molar extraction and I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with a similar situation and can offer some guidance and reassurance.

His problems are molar roots overgrowing up into his eye, which is bulging out and leaking sticky fluid. It's been steadily progressing over the last couple of months but only recently did we pinpoint the problem and find a vet who recommended surgery.
I've been told that his teeth are in a very bad state due to genetic problems and also due to not being able to chew food properly which has compounded the problem. I feel very guilty about that as we just assumed he didn't like hay and so never forced him. It wasn't until he had a serious episode of GI Stasis at Christmas that we started to take his hay intake more seriously and now he's on 90% Alfalfa hay with a few veggies on the side and some pellets in the morning to help him get his weight back up.

We realised something was wrong when his eye started looking different and his third eyelid became visible. Unfortunately the first two vets we took him to thought it was just an infection and so he's had antibiotics in the last 3 weeks. It wasn't until we pushed for an x-ray that his tooth issues became clear. They've grown in very irregularly and extended up to his eye and also down into his jawbone. I understand this is quite a grave situation.
I've also been told that even if this goes well, the situation will be ongoing and he's at risk of abscesses particularly in his jaw.

Despite that Simba is always in good spirits and eating well. Very concerned about his surgery tomorrow though and have very little understanding of what to expect afterwards and how to help his recovery. I'm taking a couple of days off work to nurse him afterwards as his mum is away working right now.

Has anyone undergone a similar situation with a rabbit this young? He's quite young and strong so that should help his chances or recovery?

Thanks in advance.

 

[simba_dad]

Tried to upload a foto of Simba on my phone.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

How did the surgery go? I'm hoping that he is okay, and is back on his paws! One thing I noticed in your post was that he is getting Alfalfa hay. Adult rabbits should be getting unlimited Timothy, Orchard, or Meadow hay, not Alfalfa hay. I suggest swapping him over to Timothy, Orchard, or Meadow hay ASAP.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I think it’s because he got Stasis and lost weight. I hope he’s okay!

 

[simba_dad]

Adult rabbits should be getting unlimited Timothy, Orchard, or Meadow hay, not Alfalfa hay. I suggest swapping him over to Timothy, Orchard, or Meadow hay ASAP.

Hi and thanks for the reply. Simba came through with flying colours. He had a couple of molars taken out and they kept him in the hospital for observation and support overnight but when I collected him the next day he was as if nothing bad ever happened! He was even running around on the vet's table and eating hay. He's a tough little boy. We're very relieved and impressed with his resilience.

On the subject of the hay, it's a bit of a problem for us as we know he shouldn't be on alfalfa but it's the only one we've found that he'll eat, and we've tried lots of types and multiple brands. We're also very conscious of trying to get his weight up after the gi stasis without using fruit or veg as the vet has told us he needs to be almost exclusively on hay from now on. We didn't even try alfalfa until the vet gave it to him after his stasis and we noticed he was munching away on it.

So it's a balance between forcing him onto another hay, and keeping his weight up right now. He's very stubborn, possible because we've spoiled him, but I know we need to force him to eat a full hay diet. At the moment the easiest way to do that seems to get him onto the alfalfa, then onto other more healthy hay types after.

Right now it's a battle of wills as he still thinks that if he holds out we'll crack and give him pellets and treats again!

 

[Pumpkin]

Try doing a mix of Alfalfa and another grass hay and slowly get him off the Alfalfa. He needs more fiber and less protein.