Rabbits Need Dental Care Too!

Did you know that a rabbit's teeth grow continuously throughout its life?  The front teeth are aligned so that all of the teeth are worn down as the rabbit chews.  The chisel-shaped incisors cut food into short pieces, while the flat surface of the molars grind it into pieces fine enough to be swallowed.   

One common problem that we see in rabbits is overgrown teeth, a condition caused by misalignment of the upper and lower jaw, inadequate fiber in the diet, or old age. 

If your rabbit has a tooth problem, you may notice one or more of the following:

• Weight loss
• Runny eyes
• Drooling and wet chin
• Inability or refusal to eat
• Bad breath
• Face rubbing
• Tooth grinding

When a rabbit has a misalignment, the incisors grow into 'tusks' that will either protrude from the mouth or curl back into the mouth.  The rabbit will have great difficulty eating and grooming.  Some vets will clip or file the teeth regularly, but this can be stressful to the rabbit if done while the rabbit is conscious.  Clipping the teeth can also cause micro-fractures that travel down the tooth below the gum line and can lead to bacterial infection.  The better choice is to give the rabbit a general anaesthetic and remove the incisors completely.  The rabbit will still be able to grasp food with its lips and tongue and grind food with its molars.  You will have to chop up fresh food into small pieces, but you can feed hay and pellets as normal.

Another problem that rabbits encounter are molar spurs.  Molar spurs can occur in any rabbit (with or without malocclusion of the incisors).  They form when uneven wear leaves sharp points on the molars, which cut the tongue and cheeks.  The spurs are very painful and the rabbit will stop eating.  Lack of food intake can in turn lead to a life-threatening condition in which the intestines stop working.  To remove molar spurs, the rabbit will need a general anaesthetic so that the teeth can be filed down.  This procedure will have to be repeated every few months.

What can you do to help to keep your rabbit's teeth in good shape?  Take your rabbit to the vet every 12 months for a health and weight check.  Offer a varied diet, such as pellets, vegetables, unlimited hay, and fresh grass.  Avoid pellet-only and meusli-type diets because rabbits will just pick out the bits that they like and leave the rest, thus predisposing it to tooth and intestinal problems.  You should also provide your rabbit with branches and twigs to chew on.  Apple, willow, and maple branches are safe to use, but they have to be dried for 3 months before you give them to your rabbit.  Old telephone books and cardboard are also fun for a rabbit to shred.