PLease help me if you can! I got my rabbit max a few weeks ago from a coworker who had not cared for him properly. He has the same root problem with his molars as shown in the malocussion xrays- beginning to force a fracture in the lower jaw and the beginnings of abcess, as well as excessive tearing oin one eye bc of pressure. Currently he is on pain med. I took him to the vet to have the teeth filed and the above is what was revealed by the xray. My Dr did not feel comfortable going on with the molar filing and said he probly wouldnt live much longer. I love my Dr, but want to be sure I've covered all options- he didnt feel good about a dental extraction on all the molars that would need to be pulled, and while knew of other drs, didnt think he would make it long after surgery (if he made it through at all)
Cost is somehwhat of an issue, but I am willing to do my best to help him. He is a good cuddle bunny and still has lots of energy and likes to play. If i have options other than pain meds until euthansia time.....PLEASE PLEASE help me in the right direction! I live in High Point NC and am heartbroken and wondering if I'm doing the right thing by planning his future euthanasia. Thanks for your time.
2007-02-05 07:03:07 · 7 answers · asked by Peekaboo 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I am SO sorry! I know it's really not the answer you want, but I've raised rabbits for many, many years - and there's really not much you can do at this point. It's gone too far. Your poor bunny is probably in a lot of pain right now, and probably the very best thing for it is euthanasia... I've had to do it before too, and I know how hard it is! my prayers go out to you!
2007-02-05 07:10:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can fix your rabbit much cheaper and make it so he is not in pain.
Go buy a pair of wire cutters or baby pig teeth clippers at a co-op. Either or will work. Flip him over. Pull his lips back from above by forming an upside down V with your fingers then cut his curling teeth back to about normal length or about 3/8 of an inch.
You'll need to do this a couple times a month. Rabbit teeth grow about a half inch per month. The teeth butting are probably causing the infection. Have the abscess lanced and drained. Then have a vet give you some injectible antibiotic and have him show you how to give your rabbit a subcutaneous injection. That's basically an injection behind the neck under the hide. The antibiotic injections and lancing the abscess will take care of the infection. And by keeping his teeth trimmed regularly he should not get an infection back.
Instead of costing hundreds or thousands, it's only costed a few bucks.
The maloclussion will never go away and you'll always have to keep trimming till the day he dies. But he will no longer be in pain, he will stop getting infections, and he will be a nice healthy rabbit.
2007-02-06 14:24:50 · answer #2 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, it is going to require a little money. First, you need to take your rabbit to a "small animal" vet. Maybe even like an exotic animal care. There is surgery that can be done. Check to see if you can make payments. Many times, they will let you. Rabbits teeth grow constantly. They need wood toys or wooden items to chew. All the time. If you can find someone to cut, file and take the spurs off of the teeth, then you can usually manage them with a lot of TLC. It will require you keep a check on them. Always give them something to chew on. I just had my chinchilla's teeth done. It costed me about 900.00 dollars, but he is completely fine now. Good luck.
2007-02-06 00:52:45 · answer #3 · answered by cathy c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe your vet is right, but maybe not. I would definitely get another opinion. If you don't, you'll never know if you did the "right" thing. My puli (Hungarian sheepdog) got pancreatitis & was very, very ill. The vet gave medication & said to roll the pills in a ball of LIVER SAUSAGE. I put that in caps, because I later learned that's the worst thing I could have done. Bottom line, I wound up carrying him on a pillow (he weighed 60 pounds) since everything in his body was failing, & yes. Euthanasia. Years later, my kitty got pancreatitis, & it was then (different vet!) I learned when they have this, they should ONLY be fed with an IV. I fed & medicated her through a catheter; my kitchen looked like a hospital room, & the $ cost? In excess of $3,000. I scraped & borrowed. But she survived & is well & happy & I love her more than anything in the world. Had I gotten a second opinion with my puli, it wouldn't have had to end that way. I didn't mean to digress, just to point out that the vet can be so WRONG, & since you love your bunny, I hope you'll get another opinion. When you say he has "lots of energy & likes to play" I'm truly encouraged. I can't tell you how my heart goes out to you--so please, at least see someone else, & BE SURE to check their credentials thoroughly. The same vet wo treated my puli, later performed surgery on one of my cats, without permission, no pre-op or transfusions available, & sent her home with me in shock, & substantial loss of blood. He was taking off the rest of the day! I called all around & rushed her to another vet, but she had already died. I wrote a letter to the editor of a local paper, & was amazed at the phone calls I got. Everyone had started out really trusting this guy, but what horrors behind the scenes. He's still practicing. If you look up the record of a vet, it won't show you "complaints," only if there's been a judgement against him/her. You need references, too. I want you to save your bunny! I love him, & I don't even know him! I strongly suspect I'd be capable of rob-cheat-steal if necessary, for my kitty. (But never at her expense of long term suffering, which is something else we have to evaulate.) I didn't expect to ramble so long; it's only because I care very much. I wish you'd email me so I won't be "worrying." Very, very best to you & bunny...
2007-02-05 15:53:06 · answer #4 · answered by Valac Gypsy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my pre vet class had a simalar problem with our rabbit. she choose to put her down. the risk of the surgury is very great, rabbits are one of the hardest animals to do surgury on becuase they do not do well with anathesia(sp?) the fact that the tooth is in grown into the jaw is really bad, and even if you just filed it down it would grow back. the abcess with only create more problems. if i were you i would euthanise him, he will only suffer if you try to keep him alive, and the surgury will be an almost for sure death sentence. i know it's hard but i think it's the correct dicison, he is just lucky to have a new owner who cared this much about him.........so give him one last gift of a peacful painfree death.
2007-02-05 16:14:15 · answer #5 · answered by Olivia W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to another vet just to get one more opinion. you never know and this will cement your mind that you did everything you could for your bunny without spending a million dollars and letting him suffer, who knows though another opinion may have other ideas.
2007-02-05 15:08:24 · answer #6 · answered by katie d 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
best option, put the oor wee thing to sleep & report your co-worker for abuse/neglect. get a healthy rabbit kitten & start from scratch. sorry. i'd dearly love to recommend otherwise,
2007-02-05 19:00:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋