Loss of appetite

Question
I have a dwarf rex female rabbit and she isn't eating like she normally does.  She will eat some, but not all of the treats we leave for her but wont touch her pellets.  She also has diarrhea and smells very bad.  She isn't around other animals and we usually keep her in a enclosed balcony.  But I live in Texas and we have crazy weather, hot days and cold night, so we brought her inside.  Do you think she has some sort of infection and that is why she is not eating?  Also, under her chin, the area is red and she is constantly licking it.  I think it might be dermatitis.  Is there anything we can give her to stop the irritation?  

Thank you,
Vanessa  

Answer
Hi Vanessa,

from what you describe, I believe your rabbit has a dental problem.  I believe from the symptoms is that one or more of her teeth is growing out of alignment and is cutting into her gums, and causing her to bleed and drool a bit (the red you see under her chin).  She is eating only a little bit because it is too painful to eat more.

Vanessa, this is an extremely serious problem, but it is one that can be corrected by a vet by grinding the offending teeth back down.  However, once dental problems like this occur, depending on how bad they are, you may periodically need to go back in and get the teeth ground down again.

My advice, Vanessa, is to as soon as physically possible, like tomorrow, get to your rabbit vet and have them check her teeth, because this is a textbook case of a teeth problem.  Don't wait, as she is starting to be a little weaker from eating less and being in pain (stressful).  You don't want to wait either because open wounds in the mouth can also become infected and then you have an even bigger problem besides the teeth.

If you need to find a good rabbit vet, go to:

www.rabbit.org/care/vets.html

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet in your area.

Please write back if necessary, and also let me know how it goes.  Please don't wait, get her in as soon as you physically can.  This is a very painful thing for a rabbit to be in, plus she's hungry even though she wants to eat but it's too painful.

Lee