molar extraction experience ?

[PamsWarren]

Hi all.

I have an 8yo Jersey Wooly who has two lower molars (one on each side) with overgrown tooth roots (they are starting to grow into the jaw). She is currently on pain meds (buprenorphine and metacam) and antibiotics (Chloremphenicol) + syringe food, sub-q’s, cisapride, etc. Has anyone ever had a molar extraction surgery done on their rabbit and if so, what was the outcome ? If you are in the Toronto area, please let me know which clinic did the surgery.

Thanks.

Pam & Chia

 

[tonyshuman]

This story of Stella is really helpful
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Stella/Stella.htm

Your bun is a bit on the older side, so I would think it would depend on how good an anesthesia candidate she is, along with how well she will tolerate the pain of extraction. Some bunnies do not recover well from extractions and require days of force feeding. Good pain meds in the post-op days are critical--ideally something narcotic. I know we have members who have had this done with their bunnies, though, so they will be able to give more detailed info.

 

[Maureen Las]

I had a multiple molar extractions done over the lifetime of my Holland lop, Beau, who had severe malocclusion and infected tooth roots ( but he was much younger than your bun). Most of the molars were taken out by an animal dentist with exotic animal experience and my bun did well.
I visited a vet (once) studying dentistry who decided to pull 5 molars at one time.This was a horrific experience for Beau who spent several extremely miserable months in recovery.

Beau could not eat hay or normal food or veggies; he liked apple banana critical care which he ate for years . he also was on injectable bicillin for most of his life because of gum infections.

I would do a lot of research on veterinarians and when you find a qualified one let the vet make the decision. I wouldn't have molars pulled by anyone other than the very cream of the crop.

 

[PamsWarren]

Thanks, Angieluv and Tonyshuman. Very helpful. I've not yet read Stella's story, but I will.

I've briefly discussed molar extraction with my vet - he is very experienced with rabbits, but said he would not do the surgery. I have an acquaintance who has been pushing for me to have the molar extracted. My initial reaction after the brief conversation with my vet was no, but I am afraid that Chia doesn't have much of a chance otherwise. Caught between a rock and hard place, I guess.

Her pain seems to have gotten worse since the diagnosis, and I'm having to syringe feed her 2x per day. I don't know if pen-g would be a better antibiotic choice - from what my vet said, pen-g would be more likely to be effective against any infection, but we both feel it would put Chia off of her food. Of course, she's not eating anyway, so maybe it wouldn't matter. She typically tolerates chloremphenicol well.

 

[Maureen Las]

Chloramphenical is a great antibiotic, particularly for deep infections because it passes through the blood/brain barrier, however, it does have a reputation for "loss of appetite"

Injectable penicillin doesn't cause GI upsets if dosed correctly. Injectable Penicillin can be paired with another drug like Zithromax (azithromycin) to really impact the infection. (Learned that from a wildlife rehabber who once was a mod on this site)

My rabbit had no issues with poor appetite from injectable bicillin.

Pipp has a vet who uses oral chloramphenical paired with injectable benzathine penicillin ; she lives in Canada where bicillin is not available.

I would look at quality of life rather than length of life and possibly explore other antibiotics.

 

[PamsWarren]

<<Chloramphenical is a great antibiotic, particularly for deep infections because it passes through the blood/brain barrier, however, it does have a reputation for "loss of appetite".>>

My rabbits have always tolerated this antibiotic well, and Chia has been on it before with no ill effects, so I don't think it is causing her to not eat.

<<Injectable penicillin doesn't cause GI upsets if dosed correctly. Injectable Penicillin can be paired with another drug like Zithromax (azithromycin) to really impact the infection.>>

I've not had good luck with use of Zithromax in buns, but I will ask my vet.

Chia is dreadfully difficult to inject, which was one of the biggest factors in choosing Chloremphenicol over pen-g. Her gut also seems to be more sensitive than other buns I've had, but I'm willing to try the pen-g.

<<Pipp has a vet who uses oral chloramphenical paired with injectable benzathine penicillin ; she lives in Canada where bicillin is not available.>>

I've not had any ill rabbits in a while, but we used to be able to get Duplocillin, which I thought was 'bicillin'. If available, I think I would prefer it to pen-g procaine so that I would not have to inject her every day.

<<I would look at quality of life rather than length of life and possibly explore other antibiotics.>>

From what I've read and heard, I agree with that. I just need to get her to eat a bit on her own so that I don't have to syringe feed 2x per day. It has become very stressful for me to watch her try to eat. She has become very very slow to eat from a sryinge - it almost seems to me that it has become difficult for her. I suspect she hurts, although she is no longer grinding her teeth.

We gave her sub-q's last night and this morn she was perkier than usual. There was also more food missing than I think Jinx (her bonded mate) would eat on his own (he, too, has been ill). So maybe she actually did eat something other than a few bites of hay.

If someone could explain the relationship between the overgrown molar roots and the reason for the antibiotic, that'd be great. I mean, my vet obviously suspects infection, but Chia does not have an abscess. Is it because the tooth roots are growing into her jaw ? I know that my vet explained it to me, but I don't remember what he said. Too much information in too short of a period of time, I guess.

Thanks again.

 

[JBun]

It's explained somewhat in this article.

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