QuestionI have an English rabbit..and I was wondering, can I feed her Iams dog treats to
wear down her teeth?
AnswerDear Roberta,
Dog treats are not appropriate for a rabbit, as they are too high in protein for a strict herbivore. Please see:
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html
They also won't help wear down her teeth. A rabbit's teeth wear against each other as she chews, and the best foods to promote the side-to-side grinding motion critical to good molar health is fresh grass or grass hay. Pellets promote up and down chewing, which isn't as good for keeping molar spurs at bay.
If your rabbits front teeth (or molars) are overgrowing and forming tusks, the problem is not dietary, but developmental. Your bunny has a malocclusion, and no amount of hard food will fix crooked teeth. They will need to be filed down, or permanently removed. Please read:
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html
for complete information, and find a good rabbit vet here:
www.rabbit.org/vets
I hope this helps.
Dana