Beginning of Malocclusion?

[annabelle00]

I think Dusky might me developing an under bite.... and there always seems to be a brown spot in at the top in-between his bottom teeth....? as seen in the front view pic of his teeth...a bit blurry as I used my phone.
He does have a wet nose quite often nothing in his eyes...

I have decided to take him off the NRM and switch to Oxbow Young rabbit or something else...not sure which one yet...? A lot of the rabbit pellets here are lucerne based

He's just reached 4 months.
He tends to spend most of his time sitting near me while on the computer...so I'll be getting him more chew toys...the pet store near us got some more variety in recently.
He also has a habit of biting at his cage bars...

 

[Sophie's Humble Servant]

Does he eat hay?

 

[annabelle00]

yes he does...eats more pellets though, they might be too high in protein for him so will change it.
would straw be good in regards to fiber? cause he eats that too...would add that in with his hay.

 

[JBun]

You'll want to keep an eye on the teeth to make sure that they don't overgrow, or you may need to get them trimmed. It's possible this happened from chewing on the cage bars. I would suggest lining the cage with 1/2" or smaller wire mesh to prevent any more cage chewing, and it's possible as he continues to grow, that the teeth will straighten out.

You may also want to investigate the cause of the runny nose. If the discharge is clear, it's a possibility it is due to an environmental factor(hay dust, a certain bedding or litter, a particular type of hay, cleaning chemicals). If there is white discharge then it would be a URI and would need antibiotic treatment.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

 

[annabelle00]

You'll want to keep an eye on the teeth to make sure that they don't overgrow, or you may need to get them trimmed. It's possible this happened from chewing on the cage bars. I would suggest lining the cage with 1/2" or smaller wire mesh to prevent any more cage chewing, and it's possible as he continues to grow, that the teeth will straighten out.

You may also want to investigate the cause of the runny nose. If the discharge is clear, it's a possibility it is due to an environmental factor(hay dust, a certain bedding or litter, a particular type of hay, cleaning chemicals). If there is white discharge then it would be a URI and would need antibiotic treatment.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sneezing.html

Thanks! Will take him in next week to get his teeth trimmed if they do start growing too much...and get some mesh too...

I use paper to line the coroplast bottom of his cage and white vinegar/water solution for cleaning...the only hay available here is meadow hay...although I managed to find a small lucerne bale. I haven't heard him sneeze at all.

I might check to see if its the paper first.

While he sleeps I always hear him making some of his teeth noises.

 

[JBun]

If you don't want to do wire mesh, you could just ziptie some pieces of cardboard or posterboard along the bottom part of his cage so he can't get to the bars. He may rip some of it up, but easily replaced. I've also wondered if aluminum fly screen might work as a bunny deterrent, but I don't know if it's durable enough to withstand a determined rabbit. If you do the wire mesh you may want to fold over the outside edges. They can be pretty sharp when you cut out your pieces.

Our buns are such rascals! We have to keep thinking of ways to outsmart them

 

[annabelle00]

Haha yes I was thinking of the cardboard...might be better since it isn't sharp or anything
I also brought up going to the vet...it sort of worked...

I usually put a huge card board to cover the entire front...:s

I've attached the cardboard pieces....will see how it goes

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Thanks! Will take him in next week to get his teeth trimmed if they do start growing too much...and get some mesh too...

I use paper to line the coroplast bottom of his cage and white vinegar/water solution for cleaning...the only hay available here is meadow hay...although I managed to find a small lucerne bale. I haven't heard him sneeze at all.

I might check to see if its the paper first.

While he sleeps I always hear him making some of his teeth noises.

-pictures tell a thousand words,,-with 24/7 grasses available-if she prefers only pellets over the grasses then teeth require investigating..in the mouth is the begining of problems for lagamorphs here is a helpful link http://www.medirabbit.com --watch the day poops for diameter-you may notice them getting smaller/this is a concern..--with all the toys etc. in the pen do you notice anything in particular chewed on.??-fruit tree branchs also make great items to chew up/on same with phone books,etc.though I would try to limit any thing with printers ink--keep water available in a bowl,etc. 24/7,--a high fiber diet--of grasses- is preferred which keep the constantly growing teeth at bay..sincerely james waller :brown-bunny:bunny19:dutch

 

[annabelle00]

-pictures tell a thousand words,,-with 24/7 grasses available-if she prefers only pellets over the grasses then teeth require investigating..in the mouth is the begining of problems for lagamorphs here is a helpful link http://www.medirabbit.com --watch the day poops for diameter-you may notice them getting smaller/this is a concern..--with all the toys etc. in the pen do you notice anything in particular chewed on.??-fruit tree branchs also make great items to chew up/on same with phone books,etc.though I would try to limit any thing with printers ink--keep water available in a bowl,etc. 24/7,--a high fiber diet--of grasses- is preferred which keep the constantly growing teeth at bay..sincerely james waller :brown-bunny:bunny19:dutch

Yes I did notice his poops got bigger...and his previous ones were pretty small.

He has chewed his willow twigs and willow balls...and his cage...I took out his pellets for the day and gave him plenty of hay, straw and grass. Measured out his pellets at night. his teeth do look a bit better...
Kinda misses his pellets..but is eating well.

He's still biting the bars though, found another place to chew...fixed that.

His front teeth make this weird grating noise while he tries to chew a stalk of hay or grass or clothes...like a pitchy skid

Bottom overlaps just a bit...

 

[annabelle00]

There's a red dot on those squishy looking pink things in his mouth now :s (...please don't be an abscess xs )
there aren't vets open now

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

There's a red dot on those squishy looking pink things in his mouth now :s (...please don't be an abscess xs )
there aren't vets open now

--chewing on metal bars could be a dental problem,ie.chipped teeth,etc.-perhaps this is a way of relieving pain,-does she grind her teeth.??- inflammation of the gums-with a red dot-could require an exam and proper antbiotic,,-offer a third of a cup of pellets a day-with grasses to make sure she gets her vitamins and necessary fiber,,--if poops got bigger this is good but sounds like she needs an exam by an exotic dvm,--sincerely james waller :hug1:inlove::bunny22:

 

[annabelle00]

When I give him pellets the redness comes back but when I give him fresh greens it kind of goes...I've given him lots of fresh grass and a cup of salad with hay and straw. I will take him in for a check up tomorrow.

 

[annabelle00]

Is there any way to prevent it from getting infected? The vets are all closed tomorrow.

I looked it up and it could be an ulcer...?

 

[JBun]

If there isn't a swollen lump, it could just be some irritation of the skin. If could be the chewing action used for eating pellets is causing it, or just irritating it more. It won't hurt to not have pellets for a few days if that seems to help decrease the amount of irritation, until you can get into the vet. If all chewing makes it worse, you could always do some syringe feeding to help minimize it. You can even make a pellet mash that will require minimal chewing.

 

[annabelle00]

I made a pellet mash and he's been eating it himself...there isn't much redness now...it had turned into a light yellow white dot and is now gone back to a sort of normal color. Doesn't look swollen...looks like something has been pushing into it (teeth)
His incisors are still overlapping with the bottom over the top.

 

[annabelle00]

Took him to the vet...she said nothing much to worry about and prescribed some baytril for a week 0.6ml twice a day. No probiotics needed as it was just a week. This was to prevent an infection, his runny nose and some white stuff that was in his teeth. She said he had some drool but before his wet nose kept rubbing on the sides of his box which sorta smudged it everywhere and he just licked it up when we got there...:s

The skin over the sore has gone to a white colour...similar to when we bite our lip. There is a little damage to the skin. He doesn't bite the bars anymore since I put the cardboard and extended his cage.

 

[annabelle00]

When I got him from the pet store there wasn't any wet nose...and they keep the bunny in shavings...not sure if it's pine or aspen.

 

[JBun]

I'm glad everything was ok. I think these buns just like to worry us sometimes Did the vet say anything about his teeth?

 

[annabelle00]

She said as long as he keeps up with his hay and chews they will wear down on their own as they aren't too overgrown...
Dusky kept chewing on the otoscope so didn't get to see his back ones properly..didn't find any spurs on anything which is good....The thing is even though I keep fresh hay in his hay manger he won't eat much but if I put it all over the floor of his cage or in a big pile on the cage floor he will...:s Getting a new pumice chew was pretty helpful

Also it might be the hay that's irritating him or his cage might be too far in the corner of my room...gonna move it and see whether it gets better.

Figure things like this are best found out earlier than later :s

 

[annabelle00]

His bottom teeth have evened out and are now touching the end of his top! Yay!
Although his poops have shrunk and he's refusing the baytril with fruit mush...I might give him the probiotics after all...?