Teeth problems?? and tummy problems?? please help!!

Question
I have a 20 month old male house rabbit. He has had a range of illnesses which included pneumonia, which he was give baytrol for.... then a few other chest probs and breathing problems which he was given baytrol for , that was over a year ago. Since then he has had problem with stopping eating, and the vet on 4 occasions thought it was a tummy thing , for which he was given promax and antibiotic injections. Things would clear up just to return again with the time between getting shorter.Each time he was going between 3-7 days without food ,only drinking his critical care formula. He was troubled with a noisy tummy gassy sound, and grinding teeth. Then they wondered if it was a hairball or if he had teeth problems, He was given a anasetic and it was found that one of his back teeth was missing the other had spurs and the 2 at the other side were growing horizontal, into his tounge and cheek. He went into gi status after the anisetic, was given meticalm and after 7 days started eating again. 2 and a half months later he needed his teeth done again, as he had stopped eating...that was 3 weeks ago, again he was given meticalm for 5 days after op...and seemed to be fine, then 3 days ago he has started not wanting to eat, poops soft and sticky,today there has been very little, he is not grinding his teeth, but wont eat without lots of prompting even then hardly anything he is fed on excell nuggets, cabbage, dandilions, and hay, surely he dosent need another op so soon.i am desperate for help, and would very much appreciate your opinion, advise and guidence on this worrying matter as i would hate to think that i am not doing everything possible for him.. many many thanks

Answer
Dear Jacqueline,

It sounds as if you have a vet who really knows what s/he's doing, so stick with that vet!

A bunny with chronic dental problems often will have chronic cecal dysbiosis.  Please read:

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

and

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

It may be that you'll have to really keep up on his teeth for life, and have them filed regularly.  If he's young, it's possible that the teeth will begin to align better if they are constantly filed and kept at a healthy length.  But if they become truly horrible, there is the option of having the problem teeth removed (an absolute last resort).

It soiunds as if you're doing the right thing.  But be sure you ask the vet about intestinal motility drugs (e.g, cisapride; metoclopramide) when he starts to have messy poops, as this is a sign of GI tract slowdown.

I hope this helps. Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana