Questions about Incisor Removal

[Drache]

Hello all.

I am the founder of a small animal rescue in the Houston, Texas area. I have never had rabbits at my rescue before, so I am learning as I go. I am working with the president of the local rabbit rescue to help get all of these animals neutered and into foster or permanent homes.

I recently acquired a rabbit with mallaclusion of the bottom incisors. This buns teeth stick out of her mouth several inches. Luckily they are not obstructing her eating too badly, and they are not growing into her face. Unluckily, this poor bun has had to have it's teeth clipped once a month since it was born. I got in touch with the vet who performed the trimming for the former owner, and found out that they use guillotine style dog nail trimmers for the procedure.

Eek.

I have decided that it is in the buns best interest to have all of it's incisors removed. If this was my personal bunny, I might find a vet to grind it's teeth every 6 weeks, but in order to find it a new home, I need to find a solution that results in the smallest amount of lifelong care. I figure that someone interested in adopting a bunny would be much more interested in a bunny that needs its food chopped small than a bun that needs a 20$ (or more) dental treatment every month. And if I can't find it a new home, it will have to be put down.

I am looking for the opinions and stories of anyone who has had this procedure done on their rabbit. How much did it cost you? Where there any resulting complications? What type of post-op medications did your vet perscribe? What kind of special treatment did your rabbit require afterwards (referring to food size and grooming)? Do you have any regrets about your choice to have your buns teeth removed?

Please note that I am very aware that I may be completely wrong about what I am talking about. I fully admit that I am a complete newbie to the bunny world, so please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken. Also keep in mind that I have already tried to rehome the bunny to an owner who was willing to take the bun to have it's teeth trimmed monthly, with no success. I have not had the bunny looked at a vet yet, but I don't want to go into the clinic not knowing what the options are. I found a vet who will do the removal at the same time as the spaying for 250$-300$ total (including the spay). I am prepared for this cost, but I do not want to invest if the rabbit will require very special treatment for the rest of it's life. I would rather have it humanely put down instead.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Rebecca

Edit: I think it might be important to note that this bun is a longhaired lionhead mix. And also, nothing appears to be wrong with her molars. She is 2 years old and has not had a molar problem, according to her former vet.

 

[naturestee]

:welcome

For starters, this is a thread of good article links and helpful Rabbits Only threads on teeth and tooth problems:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11901&forum_id=10

From what I know, incisor removal is not very common in the States. I have seen more references to it in UK articles. One of our UK members, Northerndancer, had to have the incisors removed on one of her rabbits. Here's a thread where she talks about it. You could try sending her a private message to ask about it.
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6390&forum_id=1&highlight=tooth

Rabbit teeth grow continually. There is some risk that if a little root tissue is left behind during the removal surgery that the tooth may grow back. Only it may not grow straight or in the proper direction.

Like I said, this surgery does not seem to be very common in the US. You should talk to a good rabbit savvy vet (many vets are not) about what options he is comfortable with. If needed, you could have him consult with other rabbit vets or shop around for a vet who is comfortable doing the surgery.

Keep us updated!

 

[naturestee]

I would like to add that there are several members whose vets have taught them how to trim their rabbit's incisors. This isn't too uncommon, and many rabbits live long, happy lives being cared for like this. But it is harder to find a home for a rabbit like this.

 

[Drache]

Thank you very much for your response.

I have noticed that the removal is more common in the UK. I have a rabbit-loving friend who has something like five bunnies who have all had the treatment, and she lives in the UK.

The vet I found in my area who will do the procedure is already on your list of rabbit-savvy vets.

I am just trying to make sure that I am doing the rabbit a favour, instead of making it endre a major surgery, only to have it put down later.

edit: In response to your second post, I am currently setting up a meeting with a lady to help teach me how to use a dremmel tool to grind this buns teeth down on my own. But please let me remind you, this bun is not my personal pet, it is a foster animal. I have to think about helping this rabbit in a way that will make it adoptable. I could just keep the bun, but then I have one less space available for another animal down the road who might be adoptable. Naturally, putting her down is a very last resort. But realistically, constant dental work is not an option. That is why I am looking at the incisor removal. If I find someone who is willing to do the trimming, great, but so far I have had no luck in that department. Please be assured that I will take my time making this decision, and I wont do anything until I am sure I know what is best for Molly.

 

[TinysMom]

Hi! I also live in Texas and I regularly trim some of my rabbits' teeth due to malcolussion. It is very easy to do.

If you can not find a home for this rabbit (I breed lionheads) - I will give it a home. I have a friend who lives outside of Houston and we will be meeting in Seguin in mid-March.

If you can't afford to neuter the rabbit - and you don't want her bred by a breeder - I won't breed her - and I will neuter her this summer when I can afford it. My vet won't charge that much to neuter her.

Please feel free to check my profile to read some of my threads and posts. As I said, I am a breeder of purebred lionheads - but I also LOVE them. My rabbits get playtime regularly (especially my does get exercise more often).

I forget what my husband uses to clip our rabbits' teeth - we've tried the dremmel way but that doesn't work as well for us as the rabbits get really scared. However, our rabbits that need the trimming are so used to it now - that some of them just lay there and open their mouths.

Peg

 

[Drache]

:shock:

I am amazed.

I already have the money to get this bun spayed, and since I am being helped by the local rabbit rescue, I must have it spayed before I adopt it out anyways. The former owner donated the 50$ for the spay. So that is covered. She will be spayed before adoption.

If you are really interested in this bun, I will let you decide what should be done about the teeth. I am prepared to do the removal if you want, but if you'd rather just continue with the monthly clipping, I salute you. That is 250$ I could use for many other animals. She will definatly need to be clipped before mid-march, so I will just go ahead and have her clipped for now.

Tonight when I get home I will take some pictures of Molly and post them here. Other than the wonky teeth and a few hair mattes, she is healthy and very friendly. She is not nearly as skittish as the other two rabbits I have had in my rescue.

Thanks so much!

If you want to contact me privately, email me at [email protected]. If you want to contact me on the phone, please email me to get the number.

 

[TinysMom]

Drache wrote:

:shock:

I am amazed.

I already have the money to get this bun spayed, and since I am being helped by the local rabbit rescue, I must have it spayed before I adopt it out anyways. The former owner donated the 50$ for the spay. So that is covered. She will be spayed before adoption.

Spaying her is fine for me. I'm happy with that. Now I have a question that you may need to think about and talk to the former owner about. I can do things either way - ok?

I have some bunnies that live as "free roam" bunnies in my bedroom. I also have rabbits in cages.

Once she is spayed - and once she has passed quarrantine here - I would like to try and let her be a "free roam" rabbit in the bedroom with my other does. My girls like to hang out with Tiny (my Flemish Giant) and they have their own little "community" or "warren".

Yesterday - they accepted a new doe into their warren....(Sport was having playtime and found her way in there - now if I try to retrieve her - Miss Bea - the headbunny - tries to chase me out and Sport sits there and looks at me like, "Why would I return to the rabbitry when I can play here?").

Anyway - there is a good chance she would get accepted by the does and could be free-roaming in the bedroom....OR....I can cage her. Would you and the former owner (if possible) decide what you prefer? Either way is fine with me.

My husband and I will be the ones trimming her teeth....we have a day every week where we check the teeth of certain rabbits that have malcolussion. (We didn't know our mane buck had the gene for this - along with a doe- till their litter was 3 months old....so we no longer breed them and we keep these babies to give them a life).

Peg

 

[Drache]

Has anyone told you that you are an angel? I was so worried that I would have to put this bun down.

As far as freeranging vs. caging, I will let you decide. You know your rabbits better than I ever will, and you obviously know what you are doing, so I have no buisness telling you what will be best. This bun has never been housed with another bun, and that might be cause for concern, but she is currently housed in a cage right next to our other bun and has never shown any aggression. The only stipulation I have is that she not be housed outside in a hutch like so many rabbits end up. But I have the suspicion that this will not be her fate.

The former owner has left the decision of choosing an owner up to me. His only stipulation was that the bun end up as a pet instead of snake food or pit bull bait. I think me that he will be delighted that this bun has found such a caring home. I have been on the phone with him all day about the possibility of euthanasia.

Since the spay and the tooth problem is covered and I have not had to request funds from the local bunny rescue, I will not be charging you an adoption fee. But there will be a contract you will have to sign. It isn't a big deal. It's mostly just to keep a record of our animals. The most important part is that if you decide you do not want her any more, you have to return her to me.

 

[naturestee]

:bunnydance:Yay, Peg!:bunnydance:

I was hoping you'd see this!

:woohoo

 

[TinysMom]

naturestee wrote:

:bunnydance:Yay, Peg!:bunnydance:

I was hoping you'd see this!

:woohoo

You mean you knew I'm a sucker for a rabbit that needs a home? Particularly a lionhead?

I've always wanted to be able to adopt a "shelter" bunny and help out the rabbit overpopulation some. However, my nearest shelter is over 3 hours one way.

I will go with whatever is best for the rabbit - she'll go through quarrantine first and then I will give her a chance to be free-roaming with her cage in the room in case she feels she needs to retreat into it. If she prefers a cage - she can be caged - but if she's like most of my girls...I have a feeling she'll want to be free-roaming. Right now "Meathead" (aka Shopgirl) is enjoying some playtime and I keep telilng her, "You really should go back to your cage soon..." but she loves her freedom so much.

The only way the rabbit will be returned will be if I get sick with a major illness or die. In that case - I have already started a list for Art of breeders who are interested in certain rabbits and instructions for the rabbits if he doesn't want to keep up with them. I did have a home lined up for Tiny - but that has fallen through (not that I want Art to rehome him). Art & Tiny have started bonding anyway though.

So - your contact information will go into my bunny file for Art's sake or my kids' sake in case the rabbit ever needs to be rehomed.

But when we get a rabbit - we believe it is a "lifetime commitment" and even when I breed - I'm prepared to keep any rabbits that don't have a home right off....

Peg

 

[Drache]

Fabulous!

I will make an appointment for her spay tomorrow, and we can start working out a transport schedule.

I just got let out of class (ew, college) so if you want to give me a call, that's great.

Kathy (local bun rescue president) had told me to just have her put down.

HAH! Molly wins.

 

[naturestee]

Peg- Yup! :whistling

 

[TinysMom]

naturestee wrote:

Peg- Yup! :whistling

I just emailed Art with her story....I'm dying to find out his response.

Another option I may do is to neuter my two little bucks (they're very young and gentle) and then bond them with her in a bigger cage and let them live like Harry and Hyacinth will. I want to wait and meet the bunny and decide what is best for her and what she would prefer.

Peg

 

[Maureen Las]

Tinysmom you are wonderful!!!!!! and Drache you are also wonderful in taking such time with the little bun rather than have her euthanized. This is a story that I thinkis going to end well for this little bunny. This is a role model for shelter staff!

 

[Drache]

peg, whatever you choose to do, I'm sure it will work out fine.

Here are some pictures of her. This is after I had to hack off some of her hair because of all the matts. She had a lot more of the long hair on the top.

I trimmed most of the fur off around her private parts because it was all caked with feces. I considered giving her a bath but her hair is so fine and whispy I was afraid I might make it yucky. Especially since she can't groom herself with those nasty teeth. Her fur reminds me a lot of a chinchillas.

There is also a close-up of her teeth. Eek.

 

[naturestee]

:shock: The poor thing! I thought her teeth had been trimmed by the last owner? If they were keeping up with the appointments, then that vet was not doing his job!

 

[TinysMom]

Oh my - she is beautiful!

I just showed Art her teeth - and he was like, "Wow...that's not bad at all - we can keep them trimmed very easily!".

By the way - there is no way I'd breed her anyway if she carries the gene for malcolussion.

Art says he's fine with me getting her - and all he says is that I need to figure out where she's going (cage or free roaming) and if she gets a cage - if she'll be bonded with a neutered buck or live alone. I think we're going to wait and let her decide on that part...

I love her coloring. If she doesn't have a name - I'm looking at names that mean "bringer of joy" or "joyful one" or "hope" or something like that.

Peg

 

[TinysMom]

Well - I think her new name is going to be "Lesley" which is a Celtic/Gaelic name for "Grey Fortress". Of course, I will need to wait for sure until I meet her....

...but I've been thinking about her coloring (grey) and when I saw this name - I don't know - I felt like she must have a lot of strength to live with a situation like this. (Scotty has teeth like this - only she breaks them herself which still amazes me - every time I go to check her (weekly) she's either just broken them or they're not long enough to need trimming).

I'm so excited now - I wish I had her NOW....I just wanna hold her and cuddle her and give her some love.

Peg

 

[Drache]

Well her name was/is Molly. And she does respond to it. But maybe she is just responding to my voice. I'm not sure. I'm not used to bunny language just yet.

I will make her spay appointment tomorrow morning.

 

[Drache]

Oh, and the vet told me that her teeth were last clipped on 1/12/06