A rabbit’s teeth never stops growing, which is why it is important that they eat hay to constantly trim them down. While pellets and other chew toys can take care of their front teeth, the only way to trim down their molars or back teeth is to eat hay. A rabbit with no or little hay in his/her diet will be more prone in developing overgrown molars, which is very, very painful.

It’s important to note as well that some rabbits may develop overgrown teeth because of genetics – so even a rabbit who constantly eats hay can experience it. Another cause is age, as senior rabbits tend to experience it more than younger rabbits.

Once a rabbit’s teeth has grown too much or develops spurs, it can become very painful for a rabbit. The teeth can cut and damage the tongue, cheeks and gums, which therefore makes the rabbit very unwilling to eat.

Spotting overgrown incisors (front teeth) is relatively easy since they can be noticeable – incisors tend to curve and stick out the rabbit’s mouth when they become too long. On the other hand, checking for overgrown molars is a much more complicated process in which an appointment with a rabbit expert veterinarian is needed.

The first sign that most rabbit parents would notice is that the rabbit is eating less and ignoring his/her hay. Since chewing hay requires heavy use of the molars, it becomes painful for a rabbit to eat them. They usually would only eat their pellets, vegetables and treats, until they eventually find eating those become painful as well and they completely stop eating. Some bun parents would also notice that their little one looks hungry and shows interest but seems to hesitate to eat, which is a sign that he’s wary of eating because of the pain in his mouth.

Other signs to look out for are very small hard poop to no poop at all from not properly eating, and one of the most obvious signs is finding drool on the rabbit’s chin and front paws.

If you think your rabbit might be suffering from overgrown teeth, please contact a rabbit expert veterinarian immediately. We’ve only had dental trims done by Dr. Nielsen Donato of Vets In Practice (LIST OF RABBIT VETS) and so far, everything went smoothly. Your rabbit will undergo a physical check-up after being sedated with gas anesthesia, and if the Doctor sees that there is indeed an overgrowth of teeth, he will proceed with trimming the teeth. All in all, the procedure would cost around P6,000 including consultation fee, antibiotics and pain medications.

A rabbit which went through dental trimming would require aftercare especially with eating. Offer your rabbit his favorite foods including vegetables since this is usually the first food that they eat. Make sure everything is easily available to him – his hay, pellets, vegetables and some treats. It usually takes 1-3 days, depending on the rabbit, to recover and begin eating normally again.

In case you notice that your rabbit has not touched any food in 12 hours, please do assisted feeding. Syringe feed recovery food (1-5mL, depending on how much your rabbit will take) every 1 to 2 hours to keep his gut moving.

In case you notice anything unusual with your rabbit, please don’t hesitate to contact the vet immediately.

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