Dental problems are one of the most common reasons a rabbit is taken to the vets. Rabbits’ teeth grow continuously (about 2-3 mm every week) so they need their teeth checked regularly. Get into the habit of checking your rabbit’s teeth every week so that minor problems aren’t overlooked and then become major problems.

Our vet expert friends at Vetstream have put this blog together to help you identify any dental issues that your rabbit may have and what to do to keep their teeth healthy and problem-free.

Caring for Your Rabbit’s Teeth

You might be relieved to know that you don’t need to brush your bunny’s teeth.... most problems are due to genetic deformities or a bad diet. Hay or grass should be the mainstay of your rabbit’s diet and they should always have hay in their cage to chew on and wear down their teeth.

The weekly dental check is an important part of caring for your rabbit. This should include checking the head and face, the incisor teeth and cheek teeth. Rabbits have 28 teeth in total:

• Two upper incisors and two lower incisors. Just behind the upper incisors lie the ‘peg teeth’ but these small teeth rarely cause problems 
• The upper jaw has six cheek teeth and three molars on each side 
• The lower jaw had two premolars and three molars on each side

Start the dental check with your pet between your knees and facing away from you. Feel around the head and face for any swelling or bulges. If your rabbit flinches, there might be a painful area inside their mouth. The underside of their chin might feel bumpy as this is where their scent gland is.

To check their incisor teeth, gently part their lips back and check that their four large teeth (two top and two bottom) are not loose. Their gums should be pink and healthy. If the teeth don’t meet, your rabbit might have malocclusion (misalignment of the teeth). If the teeth are maloccluded, they won’t wear properly, and the teeth will overgrow (more of this further on).

The cheek teeth (or molars) are further back in the mouth and to check these involves a trip to the vet for a complete dental check with your rabbit under general anaesthesia or heavy sedation. This usually happens on a yearly basis but, in between these checks, you should look out for possible problems.

Check for any signs of tooth pain, periodontal infection and abscesses such as:

• Drooling
• Swelling, pain or inflammation around the jaw and under the chin 
• Bad breath
• Runny eyes (when overgrown upper teeth roots impinge on the nasolacrimal tear duct)
• Grinding of teeth
• Any changes to your rabbit’s appetite (eg stops eating and loses weight or will only eat soft foods)
• Any changes to your rabbit’s behaviour (eg becomes reclusive or bad-tempered)
   

How Can I Prevent Rabbit Teeth Problems?

Prevention is better than cure! Unfortunately most forms of dental disease in rabbits can’t be cured, so prevention is really important. Here are some useful tips for avoiding dental problems:

• Make sure you buy your rabbit from a reputable breeder so you can be sure they won’t suffer from any inherited dental problems. Malocclusion is generally considered to be inherited.
• Make sure you give your rabbit a diet that mimics the diet of a wild rabbit. A high fibre diet that consists of hay, grass, vegetables is ideal and provide rabbit-friendly toys to chew on. Giving your rabbit fibrous and abrasive foods means they have to do lots of chewing which is great for wearing down their teeth.
• Don’t feed sugary treats… as we know, lot of sugar isn’t good for our teeth!
• Keep an eye out for any of the signs of dental problems that we’ve already mentioned and get in touch with your vet if you do notice anything untoward.
• Most importantly, check your rabbit’s teeth every week, more often if they’re prone to dental problems.

What Can I Feed My Rabbit to Protect Their Teeth?

It's good to understand rabbit food and what do rabbits eat. For optimal rabbit dental health, you should give your rabbit an unlimited supply of hay, grass and fresh vegetables like radish tops, broccoli, brussel sprouts, dandelions, spinach, celery. Try and steer clear of foods high in sugar like carrots as they won't necessarily provide the nutritional value your rabbit needs.

Twigs and branches from fruit trees are great too (just make sure they haven’t been sprayed with chemicals). These foods will satisfy your rabbit’s need to chew and wear down their teeth naturally.

My Rabbit Grinds Their Teeth, Should I Be Worried?

Rabbits grind their teeth when they are in pain or are stressed, especially if it’s a loud grinding noise. This may indicate a dental problem that may need veterinary treatment.

What About Teeth Chattering?

Rabbit teeth chattering can mean that your rabbit is in pain or in distress, especially if it’s loud. A soft grinding noise (known as a ‘purr’) means that your rabbit is happy and content.

What Should I Do About Overgrown Rabbit Teeth?

It’s always best to prevent dental problems occurring in the first place. Malocclusion is a common inherited genetic problem in rabbits and affected rabbits should not be used for breeding. However, the condition can also develop due to a bad diet or trauma to the teeth and jaw, eg by pulling their incisor teeth on the cage wire.

The normal length of your rabbit’s teeth is maintained by the wearing action of opposite teeth. Malocclusion can lead to overgrowth of incisors, premolars and molars, and results in difficulty eating and drinking. Painful mouth ulcers can occur if spikes in their teeth develop. Rabbits need an abrasive diet to wear down their teeth so always make sure that they have unlimited amounts of fresh hay and grass. Straw or wicker mats, plaits, baskets, etc are another way to allow your rabbit to chew on something abrasive.

It’s important to check your rabbit’s teeth weekly, checking for any signs of pain and looking out for teeth that have overgrown and don’t meet properly. Never be tempted to use nail clippers, wire cutters, etc at home to reduce the size of overgrown teeth. These are NOT recommended as it can lead to teeth shattering or splintering. Instead make an appointment with your vet to deal with your rabbit’s malocclusion.

How To Treat Overgrown Rabbit Teeth

Your vet will use a dental burr to keep those overgrown incisor teeth under control. Frequent burring of the teeth may be needed - perhaps every 2-3 weeks. Incisor teeth can be removed, and rabbits can manage perfectly well without their incisors. However, the tooth roots are often curled, and this can make the surgery a challenge.

Maloccluded cheek teeth may need regular treatment under anaesthetic to burr off sharp edges. The procedure may need to be performed every 4-6 weeks but can sometimes be left 6-12 months. Cheek teeth can be extracted but the surgery is complicated, and most vets will refer the rabbit to a specialist, which can be expensive.

If you have an Everypaw Rabbit Insurance policy, you should know that the cost of routine and preventative trimming, burring or rasping isn’t covered.
 

When Should I Go the Vet?

Dental problems can be extremely painful. As rabbits are masters at disguising when they are in pain, keep an eye out for the tell-tale signs when you give your rabbit’s a weekly dental check.

While rabbits should have a complete dental check with their vet every year, if you notice any problems, don’t wait until that appointment is due. It’s always best to stop any small dental problems before they become big, painful and costly so book another appointment.

To keep your rabbit’s teeth healthy, it’s important that they have a healthy diet and have regular dental check-ups – both weekly at home and yearly at the vet surgery - to keep their teeth from becoming overgrown and affecting their general health.

Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance

Here at Everypaw, we want to help you keep your bunny in tip top shape. So, when it comes to your rabbit’s care, Everypaw’s Rabbit Insurance could be just the cover to look after your little thumper.

Our Rabbit Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your bunny will be well looked after.

 

Get a quote

 

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis - www.vetstream.com/treat/lapis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.