Spurs and Sadness

[BarneyBabe]

Hi all.

Has anyone had any positive experiences with dental Spurs?

My lovely dutch was struggling the last few days and after taking him to the vet - was told he had dental Spurs which has led to a nasty ulcer on his tongue.
He’s currently having them shaved down but I’m starting to read horror stories of him needing this every six weeks - I’m afraid I don’t have the money for that, it’s quite expensive.

I love him though and I don’t really want to have to make that choice.
Is there anything I can do to help the teeth wear down? He gets a lot of hay but probably not enough fresh greens and he doesn’t go outside on grass. Would that help?
I understand it might not be a long term solution - I’m just feeling sad.

thanks in advance.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Hay will help wear down his teeth. So will cardboard or wood (untreated). While this may work, you will likely still have to have his teeth trimmed every few months or so. I don’t think greens or grass wear down their teeth. I’m not all too sure though. I’ve never had a rabbit with molar spurs.
Good luck.

 

[Cluckin'Bunny]

Rabbits like to chew on things. I've heard cardboard and blocks of wood help them keep there teeth under control. But someone who have lots of experience will give you ideas as well.

 

[JenGibs]

Lots of hay. They love apple branches, willow branches....things to chew that are hard help. Blocks of wood, wood sticks (careful of treatment or pesticides). I had to have two get teeth trimmed and was told to have them checked every 2 years.....

 

[Diane R]

Hi all.

Has anyone had any positive experiences with dental Spurs?

My lovely dutch was struggling the last few days and after taking him to the vet - was told he had dental Spurs which has led to a nasty ulcer on his tongue.
He’s currently having them shaved down but I’m starting to read horror stories of him needing this every six weeks - I’m afraid I don’t have the money for that, it’s quite expensive.

I love him though and I don’t really want to have to make that choice.
Is there anything I can do to help the teeth wear down? He gets a lot of hay but probably not enough fresh greens and he doesn’t go outside on grass. Would that help?
I understand it might not be a long term solution - I’m just feeling sad.

thanks in advance.

Don't be too pessimistic, it's very rare to have to get molar teeth burred every 6 weeks. The best thing you can do is keep making sure he eats lots and lots of hay. Reduce pellets. Only long stemmed hay and fresh grass help with dental spurs as those are the only foods where they have to move their jaws sideways so that teeth grind against each other.

 

[JBun]

What is your buns exact diet(type and amount of pellets, type of grass hay, and other foods)? How much does your bun weigh?

It's possible with some dietary changes, this could help better control tooth overgrowth and keep them ground down more evenly.

 

[BarneyBabe]

Thanks for all your replies.

He’s a Dutch, 10 months old, he was adopted. He weighs about 2kg. Has unlimited Timothy hay and probably about 60g of Pets at Home rabbit nuggets a day. Is that too much?

I’m ashamed to say he doesn’t get any grass as he can’t go outside here - he probably doesn’t get enough vegetables, I was told by the shop we got him from go not give him any till a year. He gets some.

The vet said at the end it really wasn’t bad and he’s impressed I noticed so early - it was only on one side on the bottom of his mouth.

What changes would you think is best? Thanks so much for you help in advance! Xx

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

60g is quite a lot of pellets. I would half it to about 30g (1/4 cup). It’s okay that he doesn’t get grass. Do you know why they told you to not give him veggies? At ten months, you can slowly introduce veggies. One new veggie at a time.

 

[JBun]

His diet's actually not bad. These are some possible changes I would try.

Switch from timothy to orchard grass hay. I know of someone in the UK that was having to have dentals done every 2 months on her rabbit for quite a while. She switched her rabbit to orchard grass and he went a whole year before needing another dental done. Reason orchard grass works so well is that it is higher in silica, which is what promotes tooth wear(it's abrasive). So I would give that a try.

If you can't get a hold of orchard grass hay or that won't work for whatever reason, I would reduce pellet amounts by half so more hay is consumed and see if that helps.

Or you could do both to better the chances of spurs not developing.

 

[BarneyBabe]

Okay! Thanks so much everyone, I will do all those things. Just to confirm - would this be okay?

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Yeah, that looks good.

 

[Donna Standar]

His diet's actually not bad. These are some possible changes I would try.

Switch from timothy to orchard grass hay. I know of someone in the UK that was having to have dentals done every 2 months on her rabbit for quite a while. She switched her rabbit to orchard grass and he went a whole year before needing another dental done. Reason orchard grass works so well is that it is higher in silica, which is what promotes tooth wear(it's abrasive). So I would give that a try.

If you can't get a hold of orchard grass hay or that won't work for whatever reason, I would reduce pellet amounts by half so more hay is consumed and see if that helps.

Or you could do both to better the chances of spurs not developing.

Hi all.

Has anyone had any positive experiences with dental Spurs?

My lovely dutch was struggling the last few days and after taking him to the vet - was told he had dental Spurs which has led to a nasty ulcer on his tongue.
He’s currently having them shaved down but I’m starting to read horror stories of him needing this every six weeks - I’m afraid I don’t have the money for that, it’s quite expensive.

I love him though and I don’t really want to have to make that choice.
Is there anything I can do to help the teeth wear down? He gets a lot of hay but probably not enough fresh greens and he doesn’t go outside on grass. Would that help?
I understand it might not be a long term solution - I’m just feeling sad.

thanks in advance.

My male bun, has had to have his teeth trimmed every four weeks, he refuses to eat hay, chew wood, etc. I noticed him drooling and his appetite slowed. Took him back to the vet,( 3 weeks ago) they put him out and trimmed a large spur that was poking his tongue, also noticed his teeth were all uneven, he called them piano teeth. He trimmed them all even, pulled a molar. It was loose, floating he said. My total cost was 68.00. And that included meds.
I adopted him the end of October and was told he was 2 years old. Vet told me his teeth looked like he was an older rabbit...so I'm not sure really of his age. He has done really well since. Chewing wood now, eats everything I give him...but still won't chew hay. I'm hoping he doesn't need full dental for a good 6 months anyway... or longer. Good luck, hopefully it's not too often, to have that done

 

[Jasminebunny]

Thanks for all your replies.

He’s a Dutch, 10 months old, he was adopted. He weighs about 2kg. Has unlimited Timothy hay and probably about 60g of Pets at Home rabbit nuggets a day. Is that too much?

I’m ashamed to say he doesn’t get any grass as he can’t go outside here - he probably doesn’t get enough vegetables, I was told by the shop we got him from go not give him any till a year. He gets some.

The vet said at the end it really wasn’t bad and he’s impressed I noticed so early - it was only on one side on the bottom of his mouth.

What changes would you think is best? Thanks so much for you help in advance! Xx

Pets at home rabbit nuggets are really bad , they have additives and stuff ( i'm pretty sure..)
I'd probably change nuggets , because of that .

Mine eat sumpreme selective naturals grain free , so you might find your bun likes them .
You can get them at amazon .
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Pe...s&sprefix=supreme+science+sel,pets,146&sr=1-7https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/science-selective-rabbit-3kg-(online-only)

 

[Jasminebunny]

Other than that , sounds great .
I know nothing about tooth spurs , so other people can help you with that .

Good
luck!

 

[Diane R]

Okay! Thanks so much everyone, I will do all those things. Just to confirm - would this be okay? View attachment 46684View attachment 46684View attachment 46684

Any grass hays they eat a lot of are good.

 

[BunBun71]

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[zuppa]

If he will eat lots of hay he will wear them down naturally, maybe he will still need some dental work but not that often. So just try to make him eat more hay. I have 2 year old rabbit myself, also adopted and he was on grain pellets plus lots of grain+dairy snacks. When I adopted him he had blockage and was bloating, it was really bad so I had to change his pellets immediately to plain ones and he didn't like them also wasn't really interested in hay. We had very difficult couple weeks but after that his stomach is fine and he never had any problem as his diet is good. Bu he doesn't eat much hay and after about two months I've noticed his front bottom teeth were a bit overgrown not much but I was very unhappy about it but was busy and just offered him different types of hay and made some knots from hay and stuffed toys with hay etc, then I saw he'd eat hay when it is like knotted, not loose but wrapped around something so I just keep giving him knots and braids made of hay and just after next week I was so surprised to see his teeth were back to normal I didn't expect that honestly was preparing myself for going to vets and trimming them. I just make braids and knots of hay for him, coarse hay and it works.

 

[Donna Standar]

If he will eat lots of hay he will wear them down naturally, maybe he will still need some dental work but not that often. So just try to make him eat more hay. I have 2 year old rabbit myself, also adopted and he was on grain pellets plus lots of grain+dairy snacks. When I adopted him he had blockage and was bloating, it was really bad so I had to change his pellets immediately to plain ones and he didn't like them also wasn't really interested in hay. We had very difficult couple weeks but after that his stomach is fine and he never had any problem as his diet is good. Bu he doesn't eat much hay and after about two months I've noticed his front bottom teeth were a bit overgrown not much but I was very unhappy about it but was busy and just offered him different types of hay and made some knots from hay and stuffed toys with hay etc, then I saw he'd eat hay when it is like knotted, not loose but wrapped around something so I just keep giving him knots and braids made of hay and just after next week I was so surprised to see his teeth were back to normal I didn't expect that honestly was preparing myself for going to vets and trimming them. I just make braids and knots of hay for him, coarse hay and it works.

That's a great idea, I'm going to try that

 

[BarneyBabe]

Hi guys.
Thanks for all your advice. I’ve tried really hard to do all the things you’ve suggested - he loves orchard hay.

11 weeks later, he’s started to not finish his pellets again, which I know is a warning sign. He’s not in any pain like last time.

the only thing is - I’ve checked his front teeth and one is longer than the other (I’ve not noticed this before) Would that prevent him eating pellets? Or would not eating pellets definitely be a sign or molar spurs?

I’m hoping it’s front teeth and I really pray his molars aren’t playing up. He was checked three weeks ago and molars we’re ‘large but fine’.

I will take him to the vets, but they’re just opening up again so have to wait a little while to get an appointment. The vet also said that given then nature, his quality of life would be very low to keep going back for GA every 10 weeks. I just don’t want to think about that so need to prepare myself.

hope that makes some sense xx

 

[Diane R]

Hi guys.
Thanks for all your advice. I’ve tried really hard to do all the things you’ve suggested - he loves orchard hay.

11 weeks later, he’s started to not finish his pellets again, which I know is a warning sign. He’s not in any pain like last time.

the only thing is - I’ve checked his front teeth and one is longer than the other (I’ve not noticed this before) Would that prevent him eating pellets? Or would not eating pellets definitely be a sign or molar spurs?

I’m hoping it’s front teeth and I really pray his molars aren’t playing up. He was checked three weeks ago and molars we’re ‘large but fine’.

I will take him to the vets, but they’re just opening up again so have to wait a little while to get an appointment. The vet also said that given then nature, his quality of life would be very low to keep going back for GA every 10 weeks. I just don’t want to think about that so need to prepare myself.

hope that makes some sense xx

Great he is eating the orchard hay! Well done! Is your vet on the RWAF vet list? If not, consider taking him to a good rabbit vet. Here is the list: Rabbit Friendly Vet List