Dwarf Lop Front Bottom Teeth

Question
Hi There,
Just wondering if you could tell me why a baby Dwarf Lop Rabbit bottom teeth would cross over each other? The baby is 5 weeks old. Is there anything that I can do to help it? It is eating fine and is one of the chubbiest one in the litter. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Dear Jackie,

Your baby bunny has a congenital dental malocclusion, and it will be a lifelong problem.  She may be able to eat now, but note that such teeth often do not meet properly, and must be trimmed regularly to prevent really bad problems.  Ultimately, when she is old enough, the front teeth (incisors) may need to be surgically removed.  This isn't as horrible as it sounds, and it will improve her quality of life if the teeth are constantly overgrowing.

Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Note that dwarf rabbits and lop rabbits are all very prone to these problems because of their very short faces.  Please ALSO read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

I hope this helps.

Dana