worried about my male rabbit

Question
i have a 3 year old male dwarf rabbit.i have been worried about him for some time.he's been to the vet a few times and the last time they said he had problems with his back teeth.the x-rays they took of his skull confirmed that.however i feel that there may be more to it than that,he used to be active,jumping in and out of his house,running around the room but now he seems to hesitate and seems reluctant to move at all.its as though moving might be hurting him and he wont leave his house at all.i mentioned this to the vet the last time,she felt round his stomach area and though he had lost weight she put it down to purely his dental problems.should i accept that she probably knows best or take him somewhere else for a 2nd opinion.

Answer
Hi Jacqui,

I don't think the vet is trying to give you a fast answer.  Often with teeth problems, they can be painful.  If they are misaligned the teeth keep growing and these needle-sharp points or blades continue upwards or downwards into the gums or tonuge.  Rabbits don't want to chew because it will be painful.  Abscesses can form when these teeth slice their mouths or tongues.

It does follow if he has lost weight, he isn't eating the same.  If he isn't eating the same, he won't have the same energy levels because he isn't getting his normal fuel because it hurts to eat (or whatever the dental problem is).  Same thing happens in people and other animals.  Think how some people are without their morning coffee!

So yes, I believe she could very well be right.  The x-rays confirming the teeth problem certainly can be the primary cause of this.  If he had otherwise been healthy it could very well be this.  Not eating properly is a pretty bad thing for a rabbit.  It spawns a whole host of other problems, including infections, gi stasis, etc.  So even if he has other problems, most likely these other problems developed BECAUSE of the tooth problem.

Now did the vet say she found evidence of anything else?  If there are no infections, intestinal parasites, urinary tract problems, or anything else that is detectable, the lack of proper nutrition intake because of teeth problems is the sole reason for your rabbit's condition.

The bottom line is, the teeth problem most likely is the main problem going on here.  Fix this, and your rabbit will eat more and not be in pain when he tries to eat.  If he does have infections in the mouth or sinuses because of the teeth problems, he will need antibiotics to deal with these as well.  

If you are concerned that not everything is known, you can always get a second opinion, but if you go to someone who doesn't see rabbits often, I would say they are less reliable than a vet who sees them regularly and knows the finer points of rabbit medical care.  If you want to go back to her or do a follow-up call and ask her if she also found mouth infections, you can do so.  

Dwarf rabbits are genetically prone to teeth problems, by the way.  Their flattened faces often cause teeth problems.  

I hope she did tell you that this is a serious problem.  The longer it takes to get the teeth fixed, the weaker your rabbit will get, and the more problems he will potentially develop.  I would suggest starting to give him probiotics now (like acidophilus and lactobacillus) to help make sure his gut bacteria a boost.

Write back anytime.

Lee