Broken Tooth

[Genipher]

This morning I noticed our Netherland Dwarf buck had one bottom tooth broken. Well, I say "broken" but that might not be the correct word. It looks like one of his bottom teeth was worn down, but the other wasn't.

I'm wondering if this is a normal occurrence. Should I be concerned? Will he have problems eating, now that his bottom teeth are, in a sense, lopsided?

He seems just as happy and healthy otherwise. I can't figure out how he managed to mess up his teeth. There's nothing "bad" for him to chew on...

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Baymule]

A rabbits teeth must be even and wear evenly. I have seen teeth that did not meet curl up and stick out of the rabbits mouth. They cannot eat with teeth like that. There is an easy solution for it. It takes two people. One holds the rabbit firmly, upside down. The other takes a pair of wire cutters and cuts the long tooth. It will make a crunch sound, the rabbit won't like it, but the teeth must be even. Cut the long tooth to the same length as the tooth next to it. Keep a check on it to make sure that the teeth grow and wear evenly. Cutting the tooth is not as bad as it sounds, it is over quick.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Do what @Baymule said, and to avoid this incident again, feed your rabbit tons of hay and twigs. They keep the teeth work evenly.

 

[Genipher]

Now I just need to find our wire clippers...Does it hurt them at all?

He often gets an alfalfa cube, oats, and straw to munch on, along with carrots (when we have them). In the future I can give him some twigs from our apple tree to help with even wear down.

I'm kinda at a loss as to how this actually happened. It's so strange.

 

[Genipher]

All right. As it has been said, it has been done!

And hopefully we'll never have to do it again. Between his wiggling, biting, and trying to avoid cutting his lower gums, it was quite the ordeal for hubby and I to trim the longer tooth!
Now he seems to be trying to adjust the way he eats. I watched him nibbling an apple leaf and he wasn't getting very far on it, poor guy.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Make sure that he gets enough water, and give him softer food(like vegges) to eat. He will feel better soon.

 

[Baymule]

Just keep an eye on him, glad you were brave and got the job done. Give yourself and your husband a pat on the back. Rabbits like to chew. You can give him willow twigs if you think he's feeling bad, willow is where aspirin originated from. The white bark layer under the outside bark contains salicylic acid which is aspirin. Good to know if you are out in the woods and get a headache, LOL. Blackberry leaves are also good, full of nutrients and they will help stop diarrhea.

 

[Genipher]

Hmm. I've got blackberry leaves. I'll see if he'll eat that. I gave him a carrot today but he didn't eat much of it.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Carrots are a little bit hard, and rabbits don't like them much anyways. Try clover, dandelion greens, maple leaves, and blackberry leaves, like @Baymule said.