Although rabbits don’t undergo regular dental cleanings the way dogs and cats do, dental health is still an extremely important part of a rabbit’s wellbeing. When dental problems occur, a rabbit might be unable to eat or drink.
For a veterinarian to provide rabbit dental care, it helps to know which dental problems this species is prone to, how to treat them, and how to prevent dental issues with home care and client education.
Which Dental Issues Do Rabbits Develop?
A rabbit’s teeth grow continuously throughout its whole life. As such, tartar isn’t really a problem the way it is in dogs and cats.
An appropriate diet—with the right nutrition and plenty of roughage—plays a crucial role in wearing down the teeth naturally, so that they don’t overgrow.
In fact, many rabbit dental issues are due to husbandry concerns. An inappropriate diet is most common.
Other acquired dental conditions include broken teeth, jaw fractures and other trauma, oral foreign bodies, metabolic bone disease (which can also be nutrition-related, or due to a vitamin D deficiency in indoor rabbits), and any systemic disease that affects a rabbit’s ability to eat and therefore keep their teeth in good shape.
Overgrowth of the teeth can lead to sharp edges, as well as malocclusions that make it difficult or impossible to eat. Infections and abscesses (in which the purulent material turns very thick) can also occur.
While acquired dental problems are very common, congenital issues may also play a role. This may include malformations of the jaws or of the teeth themselves.
Normal Rabbit Dentition
To properly diagnose and treat rabbits, it’s important for a veterinarian to know what is normal for this species.
Rabbits have four maxillary incisors (two large teeth, plus a pair of smaller “peg teeth” directly behind them) and two mandibular incisors. They do not have canine teeth—instead, there is a space called the diastema.
Following the diastema, the cheek teeth are made up of three premolars and three molars on each side of the maxilla, and two premolars and three molars on each side of the mandible.
Since malocclusions are common, it’s also important to know the normal occlusions in a rabbit.
The mandibular incisors occlude just between the two sets of upper incisors.
The mandible is narrower than the maxilla, so the upper cheek teeth are not normally in contact with the lower cheek teeth. Effective chewing of hay and other fibrous foods comes from a grinding motion of the cheek teeth.
Diagnosing Dental Disease in Rabbits
A change in eating patterns is often the first sign of a problem.
Other symptoms may include fecal changes (quantity and appearance), bruxism, drooling, decreased grooming, weight loss or a general decline in condition, and other symptoms localized on the face (swellings, nasal discharge, epiphora, exophthalmos).
A full dental examination is best performed under sedation or general anesthesia. A metal speculum or otoscope cone with good lighting will aid in the visualization of the cheek teeth. An oral endoscopy is an excellent option, if available.
A veterinarian should look for misshapen teeth, sharp edges, malocclusions, and anything else that can interfere with a rabbit’s ability to chew. Also, look for swellings or other abnormalities of the mouth or jaw.
In addition to the physical examination and dental evaluation, skull radiographs can provide crucial information about the extent of the disease and prognosis, which can contribute to making a treatment plan.
Blood work can help rule out other conditions and ensure the rabbit is healthy enough for a dental procedure under anesthesia.
Treating Dental Disease in Rabbits
The teeth must be returned as closely as possible to their original length, alignment, and ability to function.
This means overgrown teeth must be shortened to their normal length, and normal occlusion must be restored. This could be done in one procedure, or via multiple procedures over time for patients with more extensive abnormalities.
Diseased or severely overgrown or malformed teeth may need to be extracted, although extractions of cheek teeth are ideally kept to a minimum.
Additional ailments, such as abscesses, must also be treated—which in rabbits often means surgical resection and antibiotics.
Familiarity and practice are required to perform these procedures, as a rabbit’s mouth is very different from a dog or a cat.
It’s a good idea for general practitioner veterinarians to gain training in rabbit dental care before attempting complex procedures. It’s also crucial to have the right tools for a rabbit’s teeth.
Referral to a specialist is also an option, either after the diagnosis is reached, or at the rabbit’s initial onset to the clinic. But general practitioners with the right training and appropriate tools at their practice may be able to treat some rabbit dental conditions themselves.
Either way, earlier treatment is best, both for the dental prognosis and for the rabbit’s overall health, since their condition can decline quickly if they have difficulty eating. Nutritional support may be needed until the patient is able to eat on their own.
Owner Education Is Necessary to Prevent Recurrence
Remember to talk to the owner about husbandry—including a proper diet with the right balance of nutrients and fibrous materials for tooth health.
Dental treatment is only a short-term solution. Addressing the underlying cause (which is often husbandry-related) is the only way to prevent the issue from happening again.
Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM
