Hi everyone, I’m very anxious and kind of depression since past few months.
I'm looking for some advice or experiences from people who have dealt with dental issues in rabbits.
My rabbit is 7 years old and weighs about 2.05 kg. Around January 16, I took him to the vet because he had stopped eating Timothy hay. The vet examined him and found overgrown molar spurs, so he had his teeth trimmed under anesthesia.
After the procedure, he briefly improved and ate a little hay for a few days, but he never returned to eating hay normally. Over time he started eating less and less hay, and now he has completely stopped eating hay.
Currently:
He still eats vegetables (methi, coriander, etc.)
He eats Oxbow Timothy hay pellets
He drinks water
He still produces poop, though sometimes the size varies
Weight is around 2.05 kg
However, recently I’ve noticed something worrying:
He has started grinding his teeth loudly, and I can clearly hear it sometimes when he’s resting or after trying to chew something.
The vet previously mentioned that he also has a cavity in one of the molars, and that treating it surgically could risk jaw fracture or complications, so the recommendation was to manage with diet.
We have tried:
Softer hay / meadow hay
Hand-feeding hay
Pellet mash
Chopped greens
Herbal pain support (Himpyrin)
Previously short courses of meloxicam
But he still refuses hay entirely and the loud grinding has me concerned that he might still be in pain.
Has anyone experienced something similar with rabbits with cavities or chronic dental disease?
I would really appreciate advice on:
Managing rabbits that can’t eat hay anymore
Whether loud tooth grinding usually means pain
Other diet options to maintain fiber intake
Pain management approaches vets have used in similar cases
Thank you for any help or experiences you can share.
by Suspicious_Chef3549