Prevent dental problems in rabbits
Rabbits have open-rooted teeth that grow continuously throughout their life. The dental formula for a rabbit is I2/1 (incisors up\down), C0/0 (canines up\down), P3/2 (premolars up\down), and M3/3 (molars up\down), for a total of 28 teeth. Rabbit teeth are cylindrical and have a natural curve as they grow. To maintain the correct crown length and occlusal pattern they need a diet rich in fiber. The wear of the teeth depends on the abrasiveness of the diet and on the time they spend chewing. For these reasons, cereal mix diets or a diet consisting only of pelleted food are not advisable.
Rabbits fed cereal mix tend to select mostly sweet parts such as cornflakes and do not eat enough fiber while rabbits fed only or mainly pelleted food swallow too quickly and do not spend enough time chewing. Long term, these rabbits may develop dental disease due to the uneven wear of upper and lower dental teeth and changes of the occlusal plane that lead to the development of dental spurs and ulceration of the soft tissues.
Dental disease (malocclusion) is one of the most common and often over-diagnosed presentations in pet rabbits. Malocclusion due to congenital abnormalities of the jaw, especially in dwarf rabbit breeds, or due to acquired causes such as poor diet, uneven wear of the teeth, trauma, and infections. The main clinical signs of dental disease are reduced or absent appetite and faecal output, wet chin due to hypersalivation, signs of pain such as teeth grinding and poor coat quality due to the inability of grooming themselves. A presumptive diagnosis can be made by your veterinarian during history and physical examination, however, a definitive diagnosis should be made only after intraoral examination and radiographic examination if required. This not only will confirm the suspicion of malocclusion but also will give a better idea of the severity of the presentation and which treatment would be more (most) appropriate.
In senior rabbits, dental disease is caused by some degree of osteoporosis and demineralization of the skull. This can cause movements of the teeth within the sockets. The tooth may change position and inclination, modifying the occlusal plane and developing spurs. However, in old rabbits, the teeth tend to grow less quickly and in rare cases, they can stop growing completely. This makes it possible to maintain some balance inside the mouth, even when dental disease is present and teeth are crooked, which would not be possible in younger rabbits. Also, overgrown tooth roots tend to either calcify or be absorbed.
During the routine physical examination it might be possible to see some changes within the mouth, however, unless the rabbit presents with obvious clinical signs associated with dental disease such as hypersalivation, anorexia, tooth spikes, and mouth ulcerations, dental treatment is not advised. It is possible to prevent dental problems by offering a healthy diet rich in fibre.
Written by Dr. David Arnau Perez, ABVC Veterinarian
