Why do rabbits have long teeth? Rabbit teeth: structural features and possible problems. Formation and development of teeth

Rabbit teeth, namely maintaining them in healthy condition, have great importance for the quality of life and health of the pet. It is with dental diseases that the emergence of such pathologies as refusal of food, exhaustion, skin diseases, abscesses in the muzzle area, violation or complete absence of cleaning (self-care), disruption of the process of coprophagia (eating night feces), which leads to inevitable suffering of the animal, weight loss and may result in its death. To prevent this, you need to know the structural features of teeth, diseases associated with them, their treatment and prevention.

Although many sources classify rabbits as rodents, they actually belong to the order Lagomorpha and, despite their great similarities, have some differences. Main fundamental differences are:

• Rabbits have two pairs of upper incisors (rodents have one).
• Large quantity molars, 22 in rabbits (in rodents from 12 to 18).
• All of a rabbit's teeth grow throughout its life, while in most rodents (rats, hamsters, mice), with the exception of herbivores (guinea pigs, chinchillas), only the incisors have such properties.
• Rabbits, like other lagomorphs, most often move their incisors from side to side, as if cutting, and they gnaw only if they have problems with their molars.

Structure

The structure of teeth is determined physiological needs rabbits, they are herbivores, which means they digestive system adapted for cutting and thoroughly grinding (chewing) plant foods. The cutting function is performed by the incisors, and the molars are used to chew food.

Oddly enough, many rabbit breeders will not be able to correctly answer how many teeth a rabbit has; most often the answer will be four, in best case scenario six, although in fact there are 28 of them. Of these, four are upper incisors, two are lower, followed by an edentulous space, which is associated with complete absence fangs. After the toothless zone, molars (premolars and molars) are located, 12 of them are located on the upper jaw (6 on each side) and 10 on the lower jaw.

Structural features

All teeth are subject to heavy stress and wear when eating. roughage, so they have following features:

• To recover, they grow throughout the animal's life (on average by 2.5 mm per week or about 1 cm per month, which corresponds to 8-12 cm per year).
• The enamel coating is located along the entire length of the tooth and provides additional protection.
• Such teeth are called long-crown teeth; they are characterized by the absence of roots.
• In order to prevent excessive growth, teeth must be ground down in accordance with growth, which is ensured by consuming lush green (grass) and roughage (hay), low in calories, high in fiber and silicates.
• The molars grow, just like the incisors, and due to the small opening of the mouth, access to them is difficult. If you suspect their growth, it is better to contact the clinic; it is better for decorative rabbits to undergo periodic examination (in veterinary clinics this is carried out using an auroscope).

Dental diseases

The most common pathologies are:

1. The most common malocclusion occurs (from the Latin “occlusio” - a violation of the correct contact between the teeth of the upper and lower jaw).
2. Excessive growth of the roots of the teeth of the upper jaw, causing disturbances in tear duct or eyeball.
3. Abscesses and suppuration in the oral cavity and in the muzzle area.

Malocclusion

This is a pathology manifested by a violation of the correct contact between the teeth of the upper and lower jaw, as a result of which they cease to grind down normally and the question arises - the rabbit has grown long teeth, what to do? We will consider the answer to this and how to prevent it further.

Causes

Pathology occurs for the following reasons:

IN natural conditions Rabbits eat mainly green food, which has good abrasive (grinding) properties (due to the content of silicates), takes a long time to chew, is rich in fiber and low in calories. All this contributes to uniform grinding of teeth.

It is important to understand that in order to wear down teeth, the chewing process is necessary, and it depends specifically on the food.

For example, the time for eating fresh grass is about 7 minutes, hay - from 5 to 12 minutes, while dry mixed food is consumed by a rabbit in an average of 1.5 - 2 minutes. High-calorie foods cause rapid satiety, which also does not contribute to the duration of the chewing process.

In addition, the grinding of teeth is affected by the content of silicon salts (silicates) in the food, which provide abrasiveness (act like emery). Natural silicates are found in almost all plants (grass, fruits, plant bark and sprouts, vegetables). In this case, part of them is lost during the drying process. If green grass contains almost 2 g of silicon per 1 kg, then hay contains about 700 mg per 1 kg.

If there is a lack of calcium in the diet, disturbances in the formation of bone tissue appear, and therefore the growth of teeth may be impaired - they may begin to grow to the side, become curved, or become chipped.

• Congenital (hereditary) or acquired malocclusion.

Normally, when closing the mouth, the incisors close together like scissors, but with an incorrect bite, the area of ​​their contact decreases or is absent altogether, and eventually they stop grinding down. This situation arises due to the large gap between the upper and lower incisors during closure; it can be either with underbite - when the upper incisors are located far in front of the lower ones, or with overbite - the lower incisors are in front of the upper ones.

Some breeds (the “ram” breed) have a predisposition to malocclusion, which must be taken into account when purchasing animals and breeding.

• As a result of the injury.

In case of jaw injury, as well as in case of improper healing of the fracture, a violation of the closure of the jaws can form, causing improper grinding of the teeth.

• Due to a bacterial infection affecting the root of the tooth.

When the root part of a tooth is damaged, the direction of its growth may change, causing malocclusion.

Signs or symptoms

Malocclusion can develop on both incisors and molars; it can be recognized by the following signs:

1. Deterioration of appetite, sometimes it can persist, but having started to eat, the animal feels pain and stops the process.
2. Weight loss.
3. The rabbit stops combing and cleaning itself.
4. Stopping eating night feces due to incisor problems.
5. The animal gives preference soft food and can completely refuse roughage (including hay).
6. If calcium metabolism is disturbed (unbalanced diet, metabolic disorder), thinning of the enamel coating in some places of the tooth may occur (observed in the form of grooves).
7. The color of the root part of a strongly overgrown tooth changes from pale gray to dark, and the crown acquires a yellowish tint.
8. Disturbance in the processes of swallowing and chewing food; sometimes the chewing process can occur in the absence of food.
9. Intestinal dysfunction and lack of bowel movements.
10. As inflammation develops in the sinuses, constant lacrimation develops.
11. Due to emerging problems with closing the mouth and inflammation of the mucous membrane (more often manifested with malocclusion of the molars, in addition, the animal can injure the tongue on them), drooling appears, the chin becomes wet, and the skin in places where saliva is abundant can become inflamed.
12. The rabbit grinds its teeth, which indicates discomfort and pain.
13. Overgrown teeth can injure the mucous membranes, causing bleeding and inflammation.
14. At strong development inflammation, swelling and abscesses (suppuration in the tissues of an inflamed or injured organ) may appear.

Diagnostics

If the owner can detect problems with the incisors on his own, then if you suspect malocclusion of the molars, it is better to immediately contact a specialist, since access to them is difficult. In the clinic, an examination is carried out using special devices for opening the mouth, an auroscope, and anesthesia may be required to examine the molars. X-ray diagnostics are also performed if necessary.

Treatment

1. Excessively overgrown teeth are trimmed using special forceps or an electric mill, sharp corners are sharpened with special files (preferably diamond). If in the case of incisors this is easy to do, then to trim and grind the molars it is necessary to use anesthesia.
2. In a situation with an incorrect bite, it is possible to remove the problematic teeth, since otherwise they would need to be permanently trimmed.
3. In case of inflammation of the mucous membranes, rinsing with furatsilin, treatment with Lugol's solution with glycerin, use of anti-inflammatory drugs ("traumeel", "traumatin", "echinacea compositum", "engistol"), and antibiotic therapy are performed.
4. To normalize metabolism, drugs are used: “catozal”, “gamavit”, “aminovit”.
5. Balanced mineral composition and introduction of green and roughage into the diet.

For both problems with incisors and malocclusion of molars, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic. Trimming your teeth yourself can lead to chips and cracks, mucosal injuries, infection and abscess formation.

Prevention

• Properly selected feeding, balanced in mineral composition and nutritional value.
• Prohibition of breeding animals with malocclusion.
• Rendering qualified assistance animal for injuries and infections of the oral cavity.

Overgrowth of the roots of the teeth

In case of violation mineral metabolism There is a weakening of bone tissue and an increase in the root part of the teeth. If in the lower jaw this is fraught with simple protrusion in the form of tubercles, then with the lengthening of the root part of the teeth of the upper jaw the following can develop:

• Dacryocystitis (development of inflammation in the lacrimal sac).
• Epiphora (constant lacrimation).

Causes

The main reasons are:

1. A diet unbalanced in minerals (insufficient calcium content, imbalance of calcium and phosphorus, often develops with a predominance of wheat, corn flakes and peas in the feed, which the animals themselves like, but leads to the development of pathology).
2. Impaired absorption of calcium (can develop against the background of intestinal inflammation in infectious and invasive diseases - coccidiosis, helminthic infestations and others, metabolic disorders, age-related disorders).

Manifestations

Pathologies are manifested by the following symptoms:

• Formation of tubercles on the lower jaw in the area of ​​the root part of the molars.
• Constant, persistent lacrimation.
• With the development of inflammation, an accumulation of pyogenic microflora occurs and the discharge becomes purulent in nature, conjunctivitis and keratitis may develop.
• Malocclusion develops (incisors and molars).

Diagnosis and treatment

Most in an effective way Diagnosis of the growth of the root part of the teeth is radiography; a violation of mineral metabolism is determined by the results of a biochemical blood test.

For treatment the following are used:

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs (“traumel”, “traumatin”, “echinacea compositum”, “engistol”), with the development of purulent processes, antibiotic therapy is used, eye rinsing with furatsilin solution, eye ointments with antibiotics (“tetracycline eye ointment" and others).
2. Metabolic stimulants (“catozal”, “gamavit”, “cyanophor”) must be used with caution: in animals with impaired renal function, in older animals.
3. Preparations for normalizing intestinal function (“Veracol” and “Liarsin”, “Nux vomica gammacord”, probiotics).
4. If the pathology develops against the background of the underlying disease, therapy is carried out aimed at treating it (anthelminthics, coccidiostatics, you can read more in the corresponding section).
5. Normalization of the diet (introduction of roughage and feed with increased content calcium).

Abscesses and suppurations

Although suppuration is a fairly serious problem, an abscess (the development of purulent inflammation in the tissues, with the formation of a cavity and the participation of anaerobic bacteria) is a much more serious danger. Except inflammatory process, pain reaction, development of intoxication, it can open inside, causing the development of septicemia (blood poisoning), further tissue damage and result in death.

Causes

1. Mechanical damage(injuries from cutting teeth, absorbing sharp objects, bites, scratches, injury to the tongue, gums and cheeks from the sharp edges of overgrown teeth, etc.).
2. Metabolic disorders (causes weakening of the immune system, overgrowth of the roots of the teeth).
3. Age-related changes(violation of mineral metabolism, loss of tooth enamel, development of caries can lead to suppuration in the root part of the tooth and the development of an abscess).

Manifestation

• With shallow localization, swelling appears.
• Pain reaction.
• Salivation.
• Decreased appetite or complete failure from feed.
• A rise in local temperature, and with further development - an increase general temperature bodies.

Treatment

1. Treatment should only be carried out by a specialist.
2. Depending on the depth of localization, local anesthesia (antibiotic-novocaine blockade) or general anesthesia and surgical opening of the abscess is performed.
3. Washing with disinfectant solutions (furacilin), installation of drainage (usually suturing it) and introduction of medicines(“levosin”, “levomikol” and others).
4. A course of antibiotics (Baytril, Enrofloxacin and others) is prescribed.
5. To speed up the healing process, stimulate the body, relieve intoxication, stimulants are used metabolic processes(“catozal”, “gamavit” and others), anti-inflammatory drugs (“traumeel”, “traumatin” and others).
6. Daily treatment is prescribed: washing and applying ointment.
7. The drainage is removed only after complete cleansing, and treatment stops after the cavity is completely filled.
8. After a course of antibiotics (sometimes in parallel with it) for recovery intestinal microflora Probiotics are prescribed.

Features of behavior or why a rabbit grinds its teeth

Separately, I would like to talk about why a rabbit grinds its teeth. This relates to the area of ​​behavioral reactions and does not at all mean that the animal has a problem with its teeth, just as clattering paws does not mean that the problem is in its paws. Depending on the intensity and volume of the squeak, the rabbit can express different emotions:

• A loud, strong creaking is a feeling of discomfort, a feeling of pain.
• Light, quiet creaking or chattering of teeth – relaxation, satisfaction, pleasure.

Careful observation of your pet will help you recognize his body language: lying on his back and side, in a relaxed position - a feeling of peace and security, frozen in a motionless position or running away - frightened, running in circles around his legs - sexual desire. Observation and communication will help you quickly recognize signs of illness, and the sooner treatment is started, the faster recovery will occur.

Prevention of dental diseases

Prevention consists of observing the following rules:

1. Proper feeding(diet balanced in mineral composition, mandatory availability of roughage and succulent feed).
2. Preventing animals with malocclusion from breeding.
3. Prevention of injuries (bites by other animals, overcrowding, sharp objects in cages, etc.).
4. For decorative rabbits, a periodic (every 3-4 months) visit to a veterinarian for examination is recommended.

Treat your pets carefully and carefully, feed them properly, seek help on time and they will always be healthy and cheerful.

vetugolok.ru

| Vet clinic

Dental syndrome in decorative rabbits, as well as in rodents, often manifests itself in the form of impaired wear and changes in the shape of the front teeth - incisors.

Owners contact veterinary clinic with complaints: - “The rabbit’s teeth grow very quickly, they interfere with eating and curl like serpentines” - “My chinchilla does not sharpen her teeth, although there is hay and stone in the cage” - “Why do our guinea pig’s teeth grow so quickly and strangely?” teeth?" In fact, the detailed disease can manifest itself in a variety of ways, but the curvature of the incisors is the most noticeable, since these are the teeth that are clearly visible (some owners sincerely believe that these are the only teeth their pet has at all).

How the disease develops:

1. A factor arises that leads to malocclusion (occlusion) - the exact coincidence of the contact surfaces of the upper and lower incisors and the development of the so-called. malocclusion. 2. With malocclusion, the incisors stop rubbing/grinding against each other correctly. An important clarification: normally, rabbits’ incisors wear down primarily when the upper ones rub against the lower ones, and not against food components, stones, etc. Taking into account the fact that the incisors of rodents and rabbits grow throughout their lives (1-2 mm per week), disruption of wear leads to overgrowth. Excessive growth causes curvature of the incisors and their exit from the oral cavity (typical for the lower ones) or wrapping in the mouth towards the mucous membrane (upper ones). Often this causes damage to the mucous membrane of the cheeks, lips, tongue, as well as the skin of the lips and nose.

In the process of malocclusion, the living tissues of the growth zone of the roots are also affected, due to which the position of the roots of the teeth in the jaw changes. In such a situation, the incisors lose their main function, capturing large particles of feed and dividing it into small parts. In some cases, overgrown incisors make eating much more difficult or impossible. This often leads to the development of dehydration and exhaustion. Only some animals, in cases where the bite is slightly changed and wear remains, albeit asymmetrical, adapt and live comfortably with deformed incisors.

Options for action in case of incisor wear violation:

1. Regular “biting” of overgrown incisors (the most common procedure). Due to the constant grinding process, the crown of the rabbit incisor does not contain nerve endings. Therefore, this manipulation is painless for the pet. Most often, trimming of incisors is carried out by rabbit owners (less often in veterinary clinics) using a variety of cutting and biting tools (nail clippers, wire cutters, scissors, etc.). The procedure gives a temporary effect, but appearance“stumps” sticking out of a rabbit’s mouth does not cause joy. The disadvantage of this method is high probability splitting, both the crown and the root of the incisor, along, and not across. Those. the tooth simply cracks along its entire length, which leads to injury to the gums and the creation of a channel through which banal microflora from the oral cavity and external environment. The consequence of this process is very difficult to cure infection of the root area, accompanied by purulent inflammation(formation of abscesses), osteomyelitis (melting of the jaw bones), pain syndrome, refusal to eat. In a slightly longer term, these problems lead to the death of the animal.

2. Removing the excess part of the incisor crown using a special tool - a dental cutter. This procedure does not carry the risk of infection of the roots, because When using cutters, the likelihood of splitting the tooth tissue along its length is reduced to almost zero. The disadvantage of this method is, again, its regularity (approximately once every 2–8 weeks), as well as the desirability of using anesthesia (expensive gas or unsafe injection) each time this procedure is performed. In the case of using gas anesthesia, which is safe for rabbits and rodents (which is especially important for regular procedures), the cost of the procedure is relatively high. In case of refusal of anesthesia, one should not forget about the high tendency to stress from fixation and forced manipulation. In addition, the use of a cutting surface rotating at a speed of 5-15 thousand revolutions per minute in the small oral cavity of an animal is unsafe for an immobilized animal and there is a high risk of causing injury.

3. Complete removal of all incisors. An option that is most often not considered for a number of reasons. Nevertheless, this method It makes sense to consider it as the main one, especially for young animals that have no other pathologies other than deformation of the incisors.

Things to consider:

1. Incisors are not the only teeth a rabbit has. Moreover, they are not the main ones in the process of chewing food, being mainly involved in capturing food and dividing it into small parts convenient for chewing.

In total, rabbits have 28 teeth, of which 6 are incisors (two pairs on top and one pair on the bottom), the remaining 22 are molars (cheek) teeth, the existence of which many owners are unaware of. But it is they, like millstones, that perform the function of chewing and grinding roughage. Thus, even if you remove the rabbit’s incisors, which due to deformation are not involved in capturing food, this will not negatively affect the possibility of normal nutrition and will only require the owner to first grind large food (hay, twig food, greens).

2. To perform this dental surgery, the rabbit requires adequate anesthesia and pain relief. In any case, a one-time procedure is better than regular corrections with a milling cutter also “under anesthesia” or stress and complications from “biting” with wire cutters. Removal of incisors is also possible in relatively large rodents (chinchillas, guinea pigs). For other species (rats, hamsters, gerbils), the appropriateness of the procedure is determined individually, because Due to the small size, depth of the roots and fragility of the bones, the operation carries the risk of damage to the tissues of the lower jaw.

3. The operation to remove incisors is relatively short. The surgical stage takes approximately 15-30 minutes.

4. An option when removal of the incisor is necessary without alternative - the formation of an abscess in the root area, because in this situation, it is simply impossible to completely eliminate purulent inflammation without removing the tooth and deep cleaning the wound (opening the abscess and courses of antibiotics give only a temporary effect). 5. A contraindication to surgery may be serious condition patient, chronic diseases (heart and lungs), advanced age, inaccessibility of inhalation anesthesia. 6. During the operation, it is possible “under anesthesia” (i.e., qualitatively) to take x-rays of the skull and conduct an examination of the oral cavity (assess the condition of the molars).

7. It is advisable that after the operation, “recovery from anesthesia” and rehabilitation take place in inpatient department veterinary clinic.

Currently, dentistry for rodents and rabbits is developed in Saratov. This is due to the availability of equipment, primarily for inhalation anesthesia. To increase the living comfort of rabbits and, less commonly, rodents, the right option For the treatment of malocclusion of incisors, their complete removal is considered.

It is dental disease in rabbits and rodents that is the main reason for visiting a veterinary clinic. Violation of grinding of incisors is a clear manifestation of this. Owners of decorative rodents and rabbits should have general idea about the peculiarities of the anatomy of their pets’ teeth, which distinguish them from most other animals.

Veterinarian Kazakov Artem Arkadevich

Veterinarian Tatyana Sergeevna Semirotova

rodentovet.ru

Dental problems in rabbits

Rabbits living at home are exposed to dental diseases several times more often than their counterparts from wildlife. Free representatives gnaw hard pieces of food obtained, so their teeth are regularly ground down and self-cleaning. Pets receive a ready-made diet that does not require long nibbling and chewing - all that remains is to swallow. A lack of solid food causes soft oral tissues and weakening of the tooth structure, leading to unpleasant pathologies. About the most frequent illnesses– we describe in detail below.

How do rodents' teeth work?

Two centuries ago, rabbits were classified as rodents, explaining the decision by the external similarity between the animals. Changes to the general classification were made by the American zoologist William Gidley a little more than a century ago.

He concluded that representatives of the “Lagoraceae” family should be separated into the “Lagomorpha” order, since rabbits differ from rodents in the structure of their teeth and features of skeletal development. Despite the unifying feature - the constant growth of the incisors throughout life - the scientist’s view began to be considered generally accepted.

The key differences that fundamentally separate the two species are the structure of the teeth. There are four signs in total:

1. Rabbits have two pairs of incisors on the upper jaw, but only one in rodents.
2. Lagomorphs have 28 teeth, rodents have a maximum of 18.
3. A rabbit's entire set of teeth is characterized by constant growth throughout its life. In rodents (from hamsters to rats), only the incisors grow. An exception is the guinea pig or chinchilla.
4. The teeth of lagomorphs function like scissors: their incisors move laterally, allowing them to “cut” food. If a rabbit begins to chew food without moving its incisors, this indicates problems with the animal’s molars.

The peculiar structure and arrangement of the teeth is associated with the physiology of the herbivorous nature of rabbits, to which their digestive system is adapted - to cut with incisors, and to thoroughly grind food with molars.

Often, even experienced breeders make mistakes when answering the question about the number of teeth of their dogs: some say there are four, others say there are about six. Let's see where and how all 28 teeth are placed. So:

• 4 teeth are the upper incisors;
• 2 teeth – lower incisors;
• 12 molars - 6 on the upper jaw;
• 10 molars - 5 on the lower jaw.

It is noteworthy that the few incisors leave behind a diastema or toothless space, and the molars begin to grow a little deeper. Therefore, visually we see only the front teeth of rabbits, which makes us mistaken about their number.

Characteristic features of rabbit teeth

Milk teeth begin to form at the fetal stage, and animals acquire a full set by the end of the first month of life. Teeth are the main tool of rabbits, so they are constantly exposed to high stress. Interesting Facts:

• By continuously cutting and grinding food, teeth are quickly worn down and restored equally quickly (on average, their growth is 10 cm per year).
• The outer side of the incisors is covered with a dense layer of enamel, and the inner side is covered with a thinner one. This allows teeth to sharpen naturally, preventing overgrowth.
• It's more difficult with molars. They are prone to overgrowth due to constant chewing, and access to them is often difficult. At the first suspicion of excessive growth, breeders should contact a veterinarian.

If the help of a specialist is important with molars, then you can handle the correction of the incisors yourself with ordinary forceps. There are no nerve endings in the rabbit's front teeth, so the process is absolutely painless for the animal.

What are the types of dental diseases in rabbits?

Atypical behavior of animals, such as refusing to eat or brushing their fur, is often associated with problem teeth, which leads breeders to a veterinary examination. Common cause a rabbit diet filled with grain feed is used - this is wheat, dried peas and other similar crops.

Such foods are poor in calcium and vitamins D, which causes an imbalance. By diluting the feed with the necessary additives, useful material rarely enter the body: rabbits select tasty grains from food, leaving vitamin supplements in the uneaten remainder.

The result is weak bone tissue and poor quality teeth, which provokes inflammation and the development of unpleasant symptoms. Most often, rabbits are susceptible to three pathologies:

1. Malocclusion is a disease in which the jaw stops closing.
2. Abscesses or purulent inflammations in the jaw area.
3. Excessive growth of the root system of the teeth, leading to eye diseases.

Each of the conditions is extremely painful for rabbits, and in some cases leads to fatal outcome. The ability to recognize the first signs will help to cope with the disease faster and with less losses to the health of animals.

Malocclusion: from causes to treatment methods

This disease occurs as a result of poor grinding of the incisors and leads to disruption of contact between the lower and upper jaw - the rabbit cannot close it. There are three reasons for the development of malocclusion, so we will talk about each separately.

1. Poor diet and improper selection of food. The typical diet of a rabbit living in the wild is fresh grass, leaves and stems. Thanks to such food, teeth wear down naturally and evenly, since the “green” diet is very rich minerals and chews for a long time, and low calorie content does not allow you to quickly get enough, so you have to chew more often.

For clarity: it will take at least 7 minutes to eat fresh grass, and at least 12 to chew hay. A diet consisting of grains will require a maximum of 2 minutes and will lead to satiety much earlier. Due to the rapid saturation, the chewing process itself is reduced several times, and chewing is the key to healthy teeth for a rabbit.

1. Malocclusion. Pathology can be either congenital or acquired. IN in good condition the incisors close freely, resembling closed scissors. In case of a malocclusion, the closure area is significantly reduced or completely absent, which eliminates grinding.

There are two reasons: the teeth are too close and leave almost no space, or the incisors of the upper jaw extend far beyond the incisors of the lower jaw. Incomplete closure can be the result of injury and improper healing of the bones at the fracture site, and this leads to poor grinding.

1. Infection at the root of the tooth. Bacterial activity affects the roots, causing teeth to grow in the wrong direction.

Symptoms of malocclusion

All teeth are susceptible to the disease, including even the most distant molars. We list the main symptoms that should alert breeders:

• choosing soft foods, ignoring hard ones;
• poor appetite or complete refusal to eat;
• sudden weight loss due to forced fasting;
• reluctance to brush and comb the fur, to wash;
• teeth lose their whiteness, acquiring a yellow tint;
• bowel function deteriorates, leading to a lack of feces;
• teeth grinding and constant tearing appear;
• the mucous membrane bleeds (in the active stage of inflammation).

The last symptom of the disease provokes the development of abscesses and requires immediate help. Suppuration in the tissues of the oral cavity leads to painful damage to their structure, creating a high threat to the life of the rabbit.

Primary diagnosis and treatment method

You can determine the pathology of the incisors yourself, since the front teeth are accessible for visual inspection. The opposite situation is with the molars: the teeth are located deep in the cavity, so professional intervention is necessary. In most cases, veterinarians resort to anesthesia to diagnose malocclusion, since opening the mouth with special instruments is accompanied by severe pain.

After confirmation of the diagnosis, a period of treatment begins, which falls into several stages:

1. The teeth are trimmed with a special knife (electric cutter), the corners are filed with files (anesthesia is used when treating molars). If the bite is incorrect, the problematic teeth are removed or regular trimming is performed.
2. Washed oral cavity furatsilin solution to relieve inflammation, treated with a mixture of glycerin and lugol, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed (for example, “Travmatin”, “Traumel” and a number of others).
3. To restore operation gastrointestinal tract"Gamavit" or "Aminovit" is prescribed. These drugs have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora and normalize metabolism.
4. On final stage Fresh grass, leaves or hay, and roughage varieties are added to the rabbits' diet.

To prevent malocclusion, it is enough to follow a balanced diet: food should be rich in minerals and nutritious.

Suppuration and abscesses

Even minor damage to the mucous membrane can lead to suppuration in the oral cavity. It all depends on the immunity of the individual rabbit: in some the wounds heal quickly, in others an abscess forms. These are external formations that require antibacterial treatment, but do not pose a fatal danger.

Against, internal education or abscesses are extremely dangerous. Inflammation in the tissues of the body leads to pain and general intoxication of the body. In an advanced state, there is a threat of abscess rupture: caught in circulatory system pus infects the blood and causes damage to internal tissues (even death).

There are several reasons for this:

1. Mechanical tissue damage (unsuccessful tooth cutting, non-healing wound on the tongue, gum, etc.).
2. Impaired metabolism due to weakened immunity, overgrowth of tooth roots.
3. Abrasion of enamel and dental caries due to age-related changes.

The first signs of an abscess manifest themselves in the form of swelling in places where pus accumulates, pain and profuse salivation. Body temperature rises sharply, accompanied by poor appetite or refusal to eat. If symptoms are detected, it is necessary to exclude self-medication and consult a doctor as soon as possible: an abscess requires surgical intervention followed by antibiotic-based therapy.

The problem of tooth root enlargement

An unbalanced diet for a rabbit leads to a lack of minerals, which ultimately reduces the quality of bone tissue and provokes the growth of tooth roots. When the roots of the lower jaw teeth grow, the consequence will be an unaesthetic appearance of the rabbit’s gums (characteristic bulges form on them). The growth of the roots of the upper teeth is fraught with the development of diseases: dacryocystitis (this is inflammation in the lacrimal sac) or epiphora (which is constant lacrimation).

The causes of the disease lie in the diet of rabbits. There are two of them:

1. Imbalance in the animal's diet. The predominance of grains and peas in the feed results in a lack of calcium, as well as a violation of the calcium-phosphorus balance.
2. The body does not absorb calcium. The disorder is a consequence of inflammation in the intestines, which is provoked by infection or invasive diseases (worms, impaired metabolism, or a consequence of the rabbit’s age).

First signs and method of treatment

Symptoms of the disease are easy to recognize in the first stages if you carefully observe the animal’s condition. The following manifestations should alert you:

• in the area of ​​the roots on the lower jaw, convex areas similar to tubercles appear;
• the rabbit's eyes are constantly watering;
• purulent discharge appears in the corners of the eyes;
• malocclusion begins to develop.

To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to take an X-ray of the jaw and conduct a blood test for biochemistry, which will help determine the balance of minerals in the rabbit’s body. After all procedures, anti-inflammatory drugs and eye treatment with furatsilin solution are prescribed. In case of a complex course of the disease (with the development purulent formations) rabbits are prescribed an antibiotic.

Treatment is supplemented with drugs like Verakol or Liarsin, which help normalize intestinal function. Completes the fight against the disease balanced diet: Rabbits are started to be fed roughage, which is rich in calcium.

Teeth grinding: what bothers a rabbit?

Sudden grinding or chattering of teeth is standard behavior of the animal and is not a possible pathology. This is exactly the same as if a rabbit stood up on its hind legs and “hit the table with its fist”: through gnashing of teeth, it simply expresses its emotions. But it wouldn’t hurt to pay attention to their intensity and volume.

So, what does the rabbit “talk” about:

• a loud sound with strong pressing of teeth can mean physical disharmony or signal pain;
• slight creaking or soft chattering of teeth conveys a state of relaxation and pleasure.

If you carefully observe the animal and remember several meanings from the body language, the breeder will always know how his ward feels. For example, when a rabbit feels complete peace and security, it lies on its back or side, and in a state of fright, it freezes or tries to run away.

Do not forget that the ability to observe the behavior of rabbits brings not only an understanding of it internal sensations, but allows you to notice the first symptoms of his ill health and prevent the development of diseases.

Finally: prevention of dental diseases

The healthy condition of rabbit teeth, which are characterized by constant growth, directly depends on balanced nutrition. The diet of lagomorphs requires food rich in minerals. Treat your rabbit to rough (and preferably juicy) food, because it is the main factor in maintaining dental health.

It is important to remember other rules, including:

1. Ensure a minimum of injuries. This means avoiding crowding in cages and eliminating contact with sharp objects.
2. Monitor the relationships of the “residents”, avoiding possible fights and bites.
3. Prevent breeding rabbits with birth defect jaws (bad bite).

And most importantly, do not forget to periodically conduct a veterinary examination. Decorative breeds it is necessary to see a doctor every 3-4 months, rabbits meat breeds 2 vaccinations per year are sufficient.

This video explains how to trim a rabbit's teeth at home.

fermadacha.ru

Rabbit's dental problems

The rabbit has grown teeth and hooks. Malocclusion.

A rabbit's teeth grow throughout its life. For example, the upper incisors grow 2 mm every week. Sometimes (and quite often in decorative rabbits) the teeth begin to grow incorrectly, injuring the rabbit’s oral cavity.

There are several reasons for improper tooth growth:

Heredity or genetic predisposition, selection (from parents/grandparents with similar problems or when creating a certain breed of decorative rabbits, for example, rams with a small round head) - not proper nutrition(for example, the rabbit eats too little hay, the teeth are not worn down)

Jaw injuries (jaw shifts, teeth grind down incorrectly)

Dental diseases - malocclusion

With malocclusion, the teeth do not wear down properly, forming sharp ends (hooks) that injure the tongue, cheeks and gums of the rabbit: wounds and ulcers form. The rabbit experiences pain when trying to chew. Because of the pain, he refuses to eat and may become inactive.

Malocclusion is incurable. The incisors can be sharpened, and the hooks on the molars can also be sharpened. But once they appear, they will appear again and again. It is in your power to provide your rabbit with conditions under which grinding will be necessary as little as possible: proper nutrition and regular inspection at the veterinarian.

Hereditary malocclusion - chronic illness, requiring treatment from the appearance of the first symptom until the end of the animal’s life.

Cause of malocclusion from poor nutrition- lack of calcium in the rabbit's diet and insufficient amount of hay. Often, rabbit owners feed them with ready-made grain mixtures or mixed feed, with which the rabbits become full very quickly, which means they do not eat hay and grass. A lack of calcium causes weakening of the bone tissue that supports the teeth. Teeth, moving, lose their normal position, grind down incorrectly - malocclusion occurs.

Early weaning of baby rabbits from the mother rabbit and early cessation of milk feeding also provokes insufficient formation of bone tissue and the occurrence of dental problems (it is believed that the baby rabbit should feed on the mother's milk for at least 1.5 months).

Malocclusion of incisors

Usually this disease manifests itself already in the first months of a rabbit’s life. This flaw can be easily seen with the naked eye by lifting the baby rabbit’s upper lip.

Normal bite and length of teeth

With malocclusion of the incisors, the rabbit does not have time to grind down the growing teeth. The rabbit cannot eat and has difficulty with hygiene and eating caecotrophs. A problem with the incisors often leads to a problem with the molars.

Malocclusion of incisors

It is almost impossible to return the incisors to their normal position. This means that they will have to be sharpened from time to time (from once every two weeks to once every few months).

Grinding is done by a veterinarian using a special cutter. The incisors are ground to normal length. The procedure is usually performed without anesthesia.

Some rabbit owners trim their incisors with clippers. This is cheap, but dangerous for the rabbit itself: if the circumcision is unsuccessful, the tooth can break, exposing the dental pulp. And this is fraught with serious infection (pulpitis).

The veterinarian may decide to remove the incisors if there is too much grinding and rapid regrowth that is causing injury to the rabbit's mouth. This procedure can prevent the formation of malocclusion of molars. The rabbit quickly adapts to the absence of incisors.

Removal of incisors is performed under anesthesia. Before removal, the veterinarian must take an x-ray and select anesthesia. Naturally, the veterinarian must have relevant experience in removing a rabbit's incisors. The operation is performed only when indicated.

Malocclusion of molars

Malocclusion of molars is most often caused by poor nutrition, based on industrial feed mixtures containing grain, corn, bread, pastries, and too nutritious vegetables and fruits. With this type of nutrition, the rabbit does not chew enough, which means it does not wear down its teeth. Also, such a diet does not contain enough calcium (minimum - 0.44%, normal - 0.9-1%): teeth that are not sufficiently supported bone tissue, change their position.

Shifting, the continuously growing molars close incorrectly, which means they are not ground down enough and incorrectly, forming sharp hooks that tear the tongue, gums and cheeks of the rabbit. The rabbit stops eating in pain and may die from hunger and gastrointestinal problems.

Photo of malocclusion of molars (fr)

Grinding of teeth should be facilitated by the consumption of food with coarse fibers and, of course, hay. But correcting the diet cannot completely solve the problem of malocclusion, which means that the rabbit will need teeth grinding throughout its life (the frequency varies from person to person).

Rabbits with malocclusion need to have their heads x-rayed every 6-12 months to rule out the presence of hooks that are invisible during examination, root growth, and abscesses.

Symptoms

Sometimes malocclusion is asymptomatic - difficulty chewing and swallowing - chewing movements (without food) - refusal of food, while interest in food remains: the rabbit tries to eat, but, feeling pain, does not take food into its mouth. Later - absence of feces, weight loss - wet chin (from pain the rabbit cannot swallow saliva), later wet dermatitis (skin irritation on the chin and chest from constant contact with saliva)

Avoiding solid foods, including hay

Examination of molars is impossible without special equipment. It is impossible to determine the presence or absence of hooks by touch or simply by looking into the rabbit's mouth.

Rabbit dental examination

Hook sharpening is done by a veterinarian. Grinding takes place under general anesthesia: the hooks are sharpened, teeth that are too long are filed down. Individual molars may be removed if they become decayed and their roots become infected.

Some time after turning, the hooks are formed again. The frequency also depends on nutrition: by ensuring proper nutrition and effective chewing, you can significantly reduce the frequency of hook sharpening.

Tools for examining and grinding rabbit teeth:

Article on the krolik.pp forum Photos from the Google search engine were used

In decorative rabbits, as well as in rodents, it often manifests itself in the form of a violation of wear and changes in the shape of the front teeth - incisors.

Owners contact the veterinary clinic with complaints:
- “A rabbit’s teeth grow very quickly, they interfere with eating and curl like serpentines.”
- “My chinchilla does not sharpen its teeth, although there is hay and stone in the cage,”
- “Why does our guinea pig grow teeth so quickly and strangely?”
In fact, the detailed disease can manifest itself in a variety of ways, but the curvature of the incisors is the most noticeable, since these are the teeth that are clearly visible (some owners sincerely believe that these are the only teeth their pet has at all).
How the disease develops:
1. A factor arises that leads to malocclusion (occlusion) - the exact coincidence of the contact surfaces of the upper and lower incisors and the development of the so-called. malocclusion.
2. With malocclusion, the incisors stop rubbing/grinding against each other correctly. An important clarification: normally, rabbits’ incisors wear down primarily when the upper ones rub against the lower ones, and not against food components, stones, etc. Taking into account the fact that the incisors of rodents and rabbits grow throughout their lives (1-2 mm per week), disruption of wear leads to overgrowth. Excessive growth causes curvature of the incisors and their exit from the oral cavity (typical for the lower ones) or wrapping in the mouth towards the mucous membrane (upper ones). Often this causes damage to the mucous membrane of the cheeks, lips, tongue, as well as the skin of the lips and nose.
In the process of malocclusion, the living tissues of the growth zone of the roots are also affected, due to which the position of the roots of the teeth in the jaw changes. In such a situation, the incisors lose their main function, capturing large particles of feed and dividing it into small parts. In some cases, overgrown incisors make eating much more difficult or impossible. This often leads to the development of dehydration and exhaustion. Only some animals, in cases where the bite is slightly changed and wear remains, albeit asymmetrical, adapt and live comfortably with deformed incisors.
Options for action in case of incisor wear violation:

1. Regular “biting” of overgrown incisors (the most common procedure).
Due to the constant grinding process, the crown of a rabbit's incisor does not contain nerve endings. Therefore, this manipulation is painless for the pet. Most often, trimming of incisors is carried out by rabbit owners (less often in veterinary clinics) using a variety of cutting and biting tools (nail clippers, wire cutters, scissors, etc.). The procedure gives a temporary effect, and the appearance of “stumps” sticking out of the rabbit’s mouth does not cause joy. The disadvantage of this method is the high probability of splitting both the crown and the root of the incisor along, and not across. Those. the tooth simply cracks along its entire length, which leads to injury to the gums and the creation of a channel through which banal microflora from the oral cavity and the external environment can penetrate into the tissue of the tooth and lower jaw. The consequence of this process is a very difficult to treat infection of the root area, accompanied by purulent inflammation (formation of abscesses), osteomyelitis (melting of the jaw bones), pain, and refusal to eat. In a slightly longer term, these problems lead to the death of the animal.

It is dental disease in rabbits and rodents that is the main reason for visiting a veterinary clinic. Violation of grinding of incisors is a clear manifestation of this. Owners of decorative rodents and rabbits should have a general understanding of the anatomy of their pets’ teeth, which distinguishes them from most other animals.

Veterinarian Artem Arkadievich Kazakov

Veterinarian Tatyana Sergeevna Semirotova

In nature, rabbits constantly chew on something, thereby taking care of their teeth. Indeed, in the lives of lagomorphs they play a very important role important role. At home, especially if the rabbit is kept in a cage, the owner must take care of its teeth. To do this, he needs to know not only how many teeth the rabbit has, but also their features in order to ensure proper care behind them and avoid bite problems.

At the end of the 19th century, these animals were classified as rodents. But at the beginning of the 20th century, Gidley scientists expressed the opinion that representatives of the hare family, namely rabbits, have mainly external similarities with rodents, so they should be separated into a separate order. This view is still generally accepted today. Lagomorphs, for example, differ from rodents in the absence of fangs; they also differ in other skeletal features. Among the common characteristics of representatives of these orders is the constant growth of the incisors.

Number of teeth and their location

Sometimes novice rabbit breeders have no idea about the number of teeth a rabbit has. They naively believe that such a small animal has no more than four, or at best six. This misconception is quite understandable, since many people know rabbits exclusively from cartoons, in which they always have two large teeth, protruding forward. Whereas in fact, an adult rabbit has much more, as many as 28, of which six are incisors, ten are false and twelve are molars. Most of them are located in the back of the mouth, where they are not easy to see, so some people don’t even know about their existence.

Having clarified the question of the number of teeth, it is quite reasonable to ask, how are they located? On the upper and lower jaws they are located symmetrically. There are 16 of them only at the top, and slightly less than 12 at the bottom due to the absence of small incisors and fewer false molars (premolars). On each side of the upper jaw there is one large and small incisor, followed by a diastema - a toothless space, which is associated with the absence of fangs. After it there are three false teeth and three molars. On each side of the lower jaw there is 1 large incisor, 2 premolars and 3 molars.

In decorative and dwarf rabbits, the number of teeth does not differ.

When do the first teeth appear, and at what age do they change?

Rabbits are born blind, deaf, without hair, but with ten molars and six incisors. Milk teeth are almost the first thing that begins to form in the fetus in the third week in the womb. After birth, a baby rabbit with baby teeth lives for another two to three weeks, then they begin to be replaced by permanent ones. The period of replacement and eruption of missing teeth does not last long, and already at the end of the first month of life of the rabbits, their number reaches 28.

Important features and interesting facts

One of the features of rabbit teeth is a special anatomical structure dental system. The large upper incisors protrude strongly forward, covering the poorly developed second pair of them so that it remains invisible. It is the two upper pairs that form the bite, creating a kind of “lid” covering the lower incisors. This jaw structure helps rabbits effectively “cut” small plants that they feed on in their natural habitat.

The incisors are protected by a durable layer of enamel. On the inside it is much thinner and less durable, which allows the teeth to sharpen themselves. To ensure the restoration of the incisors, their growth (on average 1 cm per month) does not stop throughout the rabbit’s life. Timely grinding is facilitated, in particular, by chewing grass and roughage (hay), which contain microscopic biogenic silicates that have an abrasive effect and act like emery on the tooth surface.

Molars grow in the same way as incisors. It is important to remember that it is not the hardness of the food that wears down a rabbit’s teeth, but the chewing process itself.

If necessary, if any arises, correct the “smile” decorative rabbit You can use a regular nail file. Due to the absence of a root system and nerve endings in incisors, sharpening is painless. As already mentioned, a rabbit does not have fangs, so the incisors and molars are separated by a toothless space (up to 3 cm). This place is considered the safest for the owner's fingers when examining the jaw of a furry pet. By the way, some rabbit breeders give an injection in a toothless area when administering medicine to the animal.

With premolars and molars the situation is more complicated; if their growth is suspected, only a veterinarian can help.

As you can see, caring for a rabbit's incisors is simple, but requires attention. Knowledgeable rabbit breeders say that problems with rabbit teeth are easier to prevent than to cure.

In order to raise healthy rabbits, you need to know some nuances related to their physiology and anatomy. In this article we will talk about the teeth of fluffy animals - the peculiarities of their structure, how important it is to keep them in good condition and what can happen if you do not take care of the oral cavity of rabbits that live at home.

Features of the structure of teeth

The teeth of long-eared animals are very strong and grow throughout their lives. In the wild, it is enough for animals to simply maintain them in a healthy state on their own with the help of properly selected rough food, but in captivity this can be difficult to achieve, so dental care falls on the pet’s owners.

Important! Rabbits are often mistakenly classified as rodents precisely because of the structure of their jaws, but in fact, furry rabbits belong to the order Lagomorpha.

In adult rabbits

The jaw of rabbits is different in that the animals have very powerful incisors (4 on top and 2 on the bottom), which grow throughout the fluffy’s life. The incisors are followed by a 2–3 cm empty space, which is formed due to the absence of canines, and then the molars. In total, adult animals have 28 teeth, 6 incisors and 22 chewing (molars).

They are located unevenly, 16 of them are located on the upper jaw, and 12 on the lower jaw. The animals' incisors are pushed forward, their front walls are covered with enamel, but there is no enamel on the back side, this helps the teeth wear down more and be sharp, and the rabbits, accordingly, can eat solid food.

Chewing teeth in rabbits are divided into root and pre-root; they are necessary for animals to grind and chew coarse plant foods.

In young animals

Baby rabbits' milk teeth are formed in utero, and they are born with 16 teeth. During the first month of life, or more precisely from the 18th day, they fall out and are replaced by permanent ones, thus, young animals already have 28 teeth per month.

Dental diseases

Animals may develop health problems due to poor nutrition and oral care. Let's look at the main diseases of rabbits that can arise for this reason.

Did you know? The name Spain comes from the ancient Phoenician word "Gi-spanim", which means "coast of rabbits".

Malocclusion

Malocclusion, that is, improper closing of the jaws, is called malocclusion, which can be congenital or acquired. If the disease is not inherited, then it can develop in an animal for several reasons, namely:

1. Wrong diet. In order for an eared dog’s teeth to remain healthy, it needs to chew food for a long time and thoroughly, and therefore what the pet eats is of great importance. Fresh grass and hay are excellent food for these animals, which they spend about 5–10 minutes chewing. During this time, their teeth are evenly ground down. But dry and high-calorie foods should be avoided, as they do not require prolonged chewing and contribute to rapid saturation. With food, the pet should receive enough silicon salts (silicates), which are also necessary for uniform grinding of bone processes. Silicates are found in sufficient quantities in grass, vegetables, fruits and tree bark.
2. As a result of jaw injury.
3. After suffering a bacterial infection in the oral cavity.

You can determine that your pet has malocclusion by the following symptoms:

• decreased appetite;
• the pet does not comb or clean its fur;
• does not eat night feces;
• the rabbit refuses its favorite solid food, even hay and grass;
• the animal’s teeth turn yellow and darken at the roots;
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and, as a result, lack of stool;
• bleeding and inflammation in the oral cavity;
• severe drooling, wet fur around the mouth;
• the animal begins to grind its teeth;
• reduction in animal body weight;
• weakness and lethargy.

Video: malocclusion in a rabbit, teeth trimming

If malocclusion is confirmed, it is necessary to take action and help the animal. First of all, you should wash the inflamed mucous membranes, if any, and treat them with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Then, depending on the severity of the situation, the teeth are trimmed with special forceps or filed with a file.
Using pliers to trim a rabbit's teeth

Abscesses and suppurations

Due to an incorrect bite, too rough food, injuries, very sharp or long teeth, wounds form in the rabbit’s mouth, which can begin to fester, and if connected anaerobic bacteria, then, as a result, an abscess may develop, which poses a great danger to the health of the eared ear.

Did you know? While eating, a rabbit makes more than 120 jaw movements in 60 seconds.

An abscess is scary because it causes pain, intoxication, and internal rupture pus can enter the animal’s circulatory system and lead to its death. Therefore, it is extremely important to know the main symptoms of this disease in rabbits in order to diagnose it in time and begin immediate treatment of the disease, these include:

1. Profuse salivation.
2. Swelling.
3. Decreased appetite and refusal to eat.
4. Increased body temperature.

If you have the slightest suspicion that your rabbit has an abscess, you should contact a veterinary clinic; only a specialist can make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. This problem cannot be solved without surgery, properly selected antibiotics, and then probiotics to normalize the intestinal microflora.

After surgery, the animal will need rehabilitation, which includes eliminating inflammation, healing and eliminating drainage after the wounds have completely healed.

Possible dental problems in a rabbit

In addition to the above problems with root processes in the oral cavity, other problems can occur due to improper growth and positioning of teeth.

Why does he grind his teeth?

Grinding and knocking of the jaws do not always indicate that the pet has health problems, but it is still necessary to listen to such moments. If a rabbit grinds its teeth very loudly, it may mean that it is in pain and discomfort, but at the same time its behavior will change, it will become lethargic and lose its appetite.

Such behavior pet should not go unnoticed by the owner; the animal should be immediately shown to a veterinarian.

But if the little ear is in a great mood, maintains its curiosity and appetite, but at the same time quietly grinds its teeth, there is no need to worry, this is only a manifestation of feelings and emotions and only means that the pet is calm and satisfied.

In this article we will find out how many teeth a rabbit has. We will also analyze the structural features of its jaws and talk about the diseases that most often torment the animal. When an animal’s incisors or molars begin to hurt, it refuses to eat, dermatological diseases, abscesses in the muzzle area. These pathologies can cause weight loss and even death. In order for your little ear to grow up healthy, it is worth regularly examining the oral cavity and not forgetting about preventive measures.

The structure of the dental system of rabbits

The structure of the dental system of animals is determined by physiology. Since rabbits eat only plant food, it is finally crushed and ground in the stomach and intestines. The number of teeth in adults is 28, and they are intended for preparatory work.

Fluffies have 22 molars - molars (12 located above and 10 below), 2 pairs of incisors - on the upper jaw, one pair of incisors - on the lower jaw. Rabbits have a toothless cavity, which anatomically arises from the absence of fangs.

An animal's teeth begin to grow from the first days of life. In a week their length reaches 2.5 mm (approximately 9-12 cm per year). The enamel covers the entire length of the process, performing a protective function. The rabbit breeder's access to the baby rabbit's molars is difficult due to the small opening of the mouth, so it is difficult to detect their growth in a timely manner.

The structure of teeth in decorative pets

In a decorative rabbit dental system no different from their wild counterparts. Rabbit breeders should monitor the condition of their incisors at least once every six months. To prevent active growth, long teeth need to be ground down in accordance with the intensity of their growth.

Grinding is ensured when the animal consumes roughage, for example, hay, branches. Juicy grass crops also do an excellent job of this task, plus they contain fiber and silicates.

If a rabbit is not sick with anything, it not only gnaws food with its front incisors, but also uses its lateral teeth to crush the food. Therefore, you should not think that there are too many of them.

If you suspect dental disease, you should take the animal to the veterinarian. The doctor examines the furry cat using an auroscope and makes a reliable diagnosis.

The doctor can diagnose malocclusion (the disease is characterized by a violation of the correct connection between the teeth of both jaws), the appearance purulent exudate and abscesses in the mouth or face. Intense root growth is often found in rabbits; it can cause problems in the eyes or nasolacrimal duct.

Malocclusion is the most common disease

If an animal has abnormal growth teeth, they do not have time to grind down, injure the oral cavity and cause pain to the rabbit, we can talk about malocclusion. If a rabbit breeder suspects this disease in an animal, you should immediately contact a specialist. The veterinarian examines the oral cavity using sterile equipment. Sometimes the animal is given anesthesia for this purpose. For staging accurate diagnosis The doctor may need an x-ray of both jaws.

There are two types of malocclusion in rabbits: congenital and acquired. If the animal is completely healthy, the incisors will close when the mouth is closed. If the bite is incorrect, gaps will appear between them, as a result of which they will not grind down.

The distance between them occurs when there is an undershot ( upper teeth localized in front of the lower ones) and overbite (the lower incisors are located in front of the upper ones).

Fold-eared sheep rabbits have a hereditary predisposition to malocclusion.

Main causes of disease in animals

The veterinarian will not be able to prescribe an effective therapeutic course if he does not find out the cause of the malocclusion. The most common factors influencing the occurrence of the disease are:

• poor nutrition:
• injury;
• metabolic disorder;
• bacterial infection affecting the roots;
• heredity.

If you don't give it to the rabbit coarse fiber, grinding will not occur naturally. As a result, the fluffy will develop serious problems with teeth. Fattening an animal with store-bought food that contains little fiber increases the risk of dental disease.

If the jaw bones become misaligned or do not heal properly after an injury, there is a high chance of a change in the bite. In this case, the teeth will wear down very poorly.

In order for 28 teeth to grow healthy, it is worth feeding the animal with foods with a sufficient amount of calcium. If the substance is poorly absorbed, they weaken and the habitual act of chewing is disrupted. Bacterial infection can cause malocclusion.

A rabbit's teeth will wear down intensively if the food contains silicon salts (silicates), which provide abrasiveness.

Symptoms of the disease

Not only incisors, but also molars are susceptible to malocclusion. The main symptoms of the disease are: immediate weight loss, reluctance to eat. The animal may start eating and then suddenly stop. There is no desire to cleanse and comb, there is no bowel movement, which is associated with dysfunction digestive tract. The animal can imitate chewing food.

Also a symptom of the pathology is the cessation of eating night food. feces. The problem is due to the fact that the fluffy's incisors hurt very badly, and he cannot do anything about the pain. Another sign of malocclusion is that young animals prefer soft food and completely refuse to eat hay and rough food.

Other symptoms include: lacrimation, drooling, inflammation on the muzzle, injuries to the mucous membranes, grinding of the incisors, the appearance of abscesses, suppuration, and swelling. Thinning of the enamel layer and discoloration of the tooth also indicate dental disease.

Trimming teeth for malocclusion

Since malocclusion in rabbits cannot be cured, your veterinarian may trim the teeth to their normal size. It is not recommended to trim yourself, as such a procedure can further harm your pet. The only correct solution is to visit a specialist.

Before the procedure, the doctor must wash his hands, use disposable medical gloves, and disinfect instruments. The rabbit is given anesthesia and is secured with straps. This can be done by an assistant or the owner himself.

The doctor pushes the rabbit's lips away with his fingers. Long incisors are first filed with a drill or a special file. Then their parts are cut off with sterile scissors or nippers.

If part of the tooth breaks off during manipulation, correction is carried out with a special file. The doctor will tell the rabbit breeder what to do if soft tissues are damaged during teeth shortening. Worth using antiseptic for processing. The animal will not be hurt during the manipulation. You need to see a doctor for examination and prevention 1-2 times a month.

You will learn a lot of interesting things if you read our article “How does a rabbit differ from a hare.”

If we answered your questions, please like. Share the article on social networks.

Tell us in the comments what dental diseases your pet has suffered from.