Wet and dirty chin and cheeks

[AllieBUNderland]

Hi guys. I've been lurking around a few rabbit forums for a long time but I've never actually signed up or figured out how to use them, so I apologize if I'm doing this wrong.

Long post incoming because I write a lot. Basic symptoms:
- Wet cheeks and chin, started today
- No smell
- No redness or infection
- Front teeth look normal
- Eating drinking pooping fine
- Running around eating treats

This afternoon, I noticed my rabbit Alice has a wet and dirty cheek. I thought she just got water on her (she's a messy eater and drinker sometimes) so I left to go to the store, but when I came back the wetness spread. It's all under her chin and both cheeks. Pics attached at the end. It doesn't smell or anything so I assumed it was either water or drool.

I'm worried that she's either been reinfected with pasteurella (she was treated in December) or she has molar spurs. Although, she seems to be eating and drinking fine as of now and she isn't sneezing or snuffling like she was when she was sick. So it could be something else entirely.

Of course, this is only over one day, but I'm a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to my rabbits - I worry a lot about teeth (and health in general anyway) because I lost my last rabbit to tooth issues. But if you guys have anything you suggest I look out for over the next couple days that would be great. I'll be talking to my animal science teachers about it for advice too.

I'm sorry the pics are so blurry, my phone camera is weird and my brother isn't that good of a photographer. I'll try to get clearer pictures (and updates) tomorrow.
The first picture shows the side view taken after I got home (there was more wet on her other cheek), and the second shows the underside taken before we left - the wet spot extended to under her neck flap. Skin wasn't red or anything, just damp, yellowy brown fur.

 

[JBun]

With this just happening, redness and irritation won't usually happen unless the skin stays consistently wet for a long enough period. I would try and dry it as much as possible without overly stressing her, then see it it just happens after drinking and may just be she got her chin wet in her water dish.

But if it's happening after eating or all of the time, and especially if the damp fur has food particles in it, if there's odd chewing behavior, dropping food from the mouth, selective eating, and/or reduced appetite, these all point to a likely dental issue.

The simplest dental cause would be a piece of hay or food stuck in the back teeth. But if not that, most likely is molar spurs causing mouth irritation or ulcers, and this requires a vet to burr down those sharp points under sedation.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Teeth
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Malocclusion
(CONTAINS MEDICAL RELATED PHOTOS)
https://lbah.com/rabbit/rabbit-teeth-conditions/
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/

 

[AllieBUNderland]

UPDATE;
Forgot to get pictures this morning and I'm at class now, but this morning the spot was larger, on both her cheeks and on her chin. She seemed energetic as ever and ate and drank as usual, everything seemed normal except for the wet parts. (I haven't been able to directly monitor her actual eating yet though.) Though Alice is notoriously good at hiding her illnesses, being a rabbit and all - she will hide it until she's too physically exhausted to hide it anymore (Source: December pasteurella infection).

I talked to the teacher and she suggested it might be an abcess inside or outside her mouth that was draining. I didn't notice anything outside of her mouth, but wasn't able to check inside her mouth further than her front teeth/tongue/lips (as expected). It also didn't smell but I'm not sure if it's supposed to or not.

I also talked to a classmate who breeds rabbits, and she said it could be another respiratory infection, judging by the stained fur on her nose - while that'd been there since she was sick the first time, come to think of it, I did notice occasional snuffling and a bit of a runny nose; no sneezing or heavy, deep, loud snuffling like when she was sick the first time. I wasn't sure if it was because of the weather or the unusually dusty bale of hay we had gotten or like, some sort of permanent side effect from the pasteurella. I don't think that's normal though.

No matter what it is, the teachers suggested I call the vet anyway. I plan to do that when I get home in two hours, because a blizzard is coming later tonight and I'd rather have an appointment booked beforehand (we might even be able to come in tonight before the snow), just in case something happens. I don't know what, just best to plan ahead.

The teacher messaged the vet already but hasn't gotten a reply yet. They're such amazing people there. Super busy, but I can see why they have so many clients. They're so friendly and generous.

I'll keep updating on here. Thank you JBun for the advice as well

 

[AllieBUNderland]

UPDATE 2;

So. Got home and all the wet dried up, it just left dirty fur underneath (which I'll try to spot clean) but she cleaned off the surface herself. Still active and eating, she didn't drink a lot though so I might try giving her some veggies. Earlier she was grinding her teeth a lot but she seems to be a little calmer. She's loafing on my circle chair right now.

No snuffling so far, and her nose isn't running at all, although it looks a little dirty so I haven't *completely* ruled out a respiratory infection. She ate a ton of hay and all her pellets, and she doesn't seem to act abnormal when she eats. I also don't want to completely rule out molar spurs but I feel like it might be unlikely.

My teacher is saying the most probable cause is an abcess somewhere that drained, seeing as the wet dried up instead of being constantly wet (unlike if she was drooling from spurs or infection). I still can't see/feel anything outside on her face but I haven't looked extremely thoroughly yet. She suggested that I try a warm compress to make her more comfortable and maybe drain it again, because it wouldn't hurt to try if it *wasn't* an abcess.

I called the vet and wasn't able to make an appointment now, but I basically have one reserved for Thursday afternoon (when the rabbit vet is in). Again, will continue to update over the week.

Here's some pictures of where it all dried up on her face.

 

[Mom to Minx]

UPDATE 2;

So. Got home and all the wet dried up, it just left dirty fur underneath (which I'll try to spot clean) but she cleaned off the surface herself. Still active and eating, she didn't drink a lot though so I might try giving her some veggies. Earlier she was grinding her teeth a lot but she seems to be a little calmer. She's loafing on my circle chair right now.

No snuffling so far, and her nose isn't running at all, although it looks a little dirty so I haven't *completely* ruled out a respiratory infection. She ate a ton of hay and all her pellets, and she doesn't seem to act abnormal when she eats. I also don't want to completely rule out molar spurs but I feel like it might be unlikely.

My teacher is saying the most probable cause is an abcess somewhere that drained, seeing as the wet dried up instead of being constantly wet (unlike if she was drooling from spurs or infection). I still can't see/feel anything outside on her face but I haven't looked extremely thoroughly yet. She suggested that I try a warm compress to make her more comfortable and maybe drain it again, because it wouldn't hurt to try if it *wasn't* an abcess.

I called the vet and wasn't able to make an appointment now, but I basically have one reserved for Thursday afternoon (when the rabbit vet is in). Again, will continue to update over the week.

Here's some pictures of where it all dried up on her face.

Aww…she looks so sweet. Praying the worst is behind you and that she is doing well and happy and hoppie