# Rabbits bottom teeth overgrown - rabbit hasn't eaten in 2 days



## goatiegirl (Jan 7, 2013)

I have a year old male bunny (lion lop/rex).
I have noticed the past few days that he hasn't touched his food or hay.
I looked him over this evening and discovered that his bottom teeth are VERY overgrown.
I looked up online that you can clip or grind his teeth down.
I was wondering if anyone here has done this and has any advice to share?

Thanks

Jenny from MI


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

You can use human nail clippers to trim his teeth down, stop immediately when you start to see pink or it gets sensitive. He will struggle, so make sure you have a friend to hold him. Or go the easy but more costly route and have a vet do it for you.

Whatever you do, do it right away so the poor guy can eat again..he must be starving! You could make a mash out of his pellets and wipe it on his tongue, so he gets some nutrition. Is he drinking?

Keep in mind that you'll have to routinely trim his teeth, it's not fun (I know!) But necessary. I would have a vet trim the first time so you can see how it's done...plus then they can give the rabbit supplements and such because he hasn't been eating...Good luck!


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I have not done it, so I can't advise that way, but there is a way you can prevent it from happening again once you get them trimmed down. Be sure to give your bunnies lots of sticks or chunks of wood to chew on. Their teeth grow continually, so they need to chew in order to keep them trimmed down. 

I hope it all works out and your bunny can eat again soon.


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

I have the same problem with my male rabbit and I have the vet file them down. I have given him all kinds of things to chew on and he doesn't so keep having to get it redone.


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## Kiddskids (Sep 16, 2014)

Try giving him apple sticks they love them 


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## dnchck (Mar 24, 2014)

goatiegirl said:


> I have a year old male bunny (lion lop/rex).
> I have noticed the past few days that he hasn't touched his food or hay.
> I looked him over this evening and discovered that his bottom teeth are VERY overgrown.
> I looked up online that you can clip or grind his teeth down.
> ...


Hey My son is a vet tech and he said this. Take a dremel with a this bit
(http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessories/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=107)

This is what we use in our dental drill at work 
https://www.medicalmega.com/medical/ss-white/14832.html?gclid=CIf6hLq_zsICFWdo7AodfjYAUA

and hold the rabbit in a towel Using the dremel and bit you want to cut the bottom teeth strait across so there is about 1/2 inch of tooth remaining. Same with top teeth. so they look like this
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Dental_diseases/Treatment/ok.jpg

You can do it with a pair of dog nail cutters but you risk breaking the teeth. the dremel bit works well. You may want to get him checked by the vet because the back molars do over grow too and make spikes that you cant get while the bunny is awake... You don't want to cut the teeth all the way down you want the top and bottom to align like in the photo above


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Yes, as already posted, you need to get his bottom teeth cut back asap. This kind of malocclusion will lead to him starving to death. Unfortunately, the number one cause is genetic. Other possibilities are trauma...like chewing on wire or even dietary deficiencies . Most important... is now that he has a "hitch in his get along", you will need to stay on top of it. I mean, rabbit teeth never stop growing and he will need regular trimming, no matter what you provide him to chew on. 

A rabbit's normal bite....the top teeth should overlap the bottom teeth. With natural chewing, the top and bottom wear evenly, so this doesn't happen.

I agree with others about letting a Vet show you how... the first time. The Vet will be able to tell if... it's just his incisors or his molars are misaligned also. However, if he is a very tame rabbit, used to being handled, not dehydrated/sickly, and it is just his front teeth, there is no reason you can't trim them yourself. In an emergency situation....I use the dog nail clippers. Yep...they make break/shatter, but the aim is to get the lower teeth shorter than the top teeth. Doesn't have to be perfect just shooting for immediate relief, so he can eat! After the bunny has a bit of time to recover, then I will come back with the dremel grinder. Since this will ultimately... be a regular thing, I like to go slow and get him used to the feel and sound of the dremel. Makes my job a lot easier to wrap him tight in a towel, including his ears....like swaddling a baby, before I go at his mouth. This protects the back, cuts down on the noise, and protects me from the front feet nails! He gets used it, you get used to it, and it's done and over with. 

Good luck. Please keep us posted.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

If you are breeding this rabbit, I would consider culling if it is genetic. No sense passing it along.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I agree that this rabbit should not be bred. As stated, the top teeth should be over the bottom teeth. If they aren't, it's a defect and you wouldn't want it passed along.


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## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Kiddskid apple sticks is that something you can buy at a feed store or are you talking pieces off an apple tree. I would be interested in getting some to try with my rabbit.. No I am not breeding him he is a pet.


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## Kiddskids (Sep 16, 2014)

Both you can buy them or cut them off a tree


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