rabbit jaw

Question
i read one of your answers and wanted to ask you. how do you set a rabbits jaw? setting it is to make it heal properly right?

Answer
Dear Hejie,

Treatment of a rabbit's broken jaw depends on where the break is, and how severe.  For example, a break at the mandibular symphysis (the point between the two lower teeth where the two halves of the jaw meet) could be set by having a veterinary dentist attach the incisors together with dental cement, and having the teeth re-glued as they grow out.

A break anywhere along the long portion of the mandibular bones might be set with pins, or it's possible that it could be stabilized by cementing the teeth and just allowing the muscles to hold it in place.  

A break of the condyloid process is very serious, and may require microsurgery with wiring to repair--if it can be repaired at all.

Any of these procedures must be done by a veterinarian, of course, and preferably a vet who is well-versed in rabbit dentistry and orthopedics.

I hope you never need to worry about it for your bunny!  We've had a couple of broken jaws here, and when they do heal, you still very likely have to deal with dental malocclusion for the rest of the bunny's life.

Hope this helps.

Dana