Rabbits' teeth and important information about them. Dental diseases in decorative rabbits

For successful cultivation animals, the owner must know them " weak spots", prone to illness or requiring special care. In rabbits, these are, among other things, their incisors, which need to be ground down regularly. From this article you will learn about the structure of teeth in rabbits.

Since rabbits eat only plant food, they have two types of teeth - chewing and incisor teeth, but no canines at all. Front upper teeth(incisors) are very large, noticeably larger than the others. They are quite durable, thanks to which the animal can chew solid food: branches, roots and bark of trees, raw vegetables, grains and rough stems. In addition, they grow throughout the rabbit's life at a rate of approximately 8 mm per month.

Number of teeth in a rabbit

Often owners are interested in how many teeth a rabbit has. Due to the nature of the jaw and narrow mouth, this issue sometimes causes confusion. Newborn rabbits have 16 baby teeth. Already in the third week of life, they begin to fall out and be replaced by radical ones. This process ends about a month after birth.

Adult animals have 28 teeth. On upper jaw there are 16 of them. In front in the middle there are 2 large incisors, 2 small ones are located behind them and are almost invisible. On the sides of the incisors there is an empty space - the diastema. Next are the chewing teeth, 6 on each side. They are divided into premolars and molars, but the only difference is anatomical structure- in appearance and purpose they are almost identical. On lower jaw There are 12 teeth: 2 incisors in the middle and 5 chewing ones on each side.

What is important to know about bite

The two upper pairs of incisors form a kind of “cover” for the lower ones, which helps to effectively cut grass and crush food. In nature, rabbits grind down their incisors naturally, because they can chew solid food as much as they want, but pets may have problems.

The animal loses the ability to clean and comb itself (rabbits do this with their incisors). Due to discomfort in the mouth, they begin to chew on their cages and equipment. Teeth that are too long injure the mucous membrane, causing inflammation and suppuration to develop.

Eyes may also be affected: roots upper teeth are starting to put pressure on tear ducts, which leads to frequent tearing. If the problem is not solved in time, the discharge becomes purulent. In addition, the eyes gradually bulge. In advanced cases, only amputation of the eyeball can help.

The incisors can become too long due to a lack of solid food. Most often, this problem occurs in ornamental animals: industrial rabbit food is often produced in the form of high-calorie granules, and the animal quickly becomes full without having time to get sufficient load for teeth. Farm animals fed grass, hay and feed containing grass meal suffer less from this problem.

The cause of poor grinding may be malocclusion, that is, an incorrectly formed bite. This problem can be either congenital or acquired due to jaw injuries. In this case, improper closure of the teeth can also make it difficult to chew food, which leads to exhaustion of the pet.

In case of malocclusion, it is necessary to pay Special attention timely grinding or trimming of the rabbit's teeth. Some owners prefer radical method, that is, removal of problem teeth in a veterinary clinic. In this case, the pet subsequently needs to be given only finely chopped and softer food. In addition, the owner will have to take care of his coat.

Indicators that veterinary help is needed are: profuse salivation, refusal of solid food, lethargy, watery eyes, white or sore gums, swollen face, or obvious pain when touched.

How to grind teeth properly

In order for a rabbit's teeth to wear down naturally, he must receive food containing abrasive particles: grass, hay, twigs, hard grain. You can buy special sticks in pet stores. When collecting branches yourself, make sure that the plant is suitable for rabbits (they have very delicate digestive systems) and that the tree has not been treated with pesticides.

If the incisors do become too long, experienced owners can cut them off with nail clippers and then trim them with a manicure file. However, it is still better to consult a veterinarian to carry out this procedure, since the tooth may crack due to improper treatment. In addition, if an inflammatory process has already begun in the mouth, this procedure will be very painful for the animal.

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Rabbits have incisors (front teeth), which are easy to see, and molars for chewing, which are harder to see. Unlike rodents, lagomorphs have two small tube-shaped incisors under the front pair of teeth. Because a rabbit's teeth grow continuously, its upper and lower teeth must fit together to ensure optimal chewing of food and thus prevent excessive growth. If any of the rabbit's teeth exceed their own optimal sizes, he may have not only problems with chewing, but even a complete cessation of food intake.

Incorrect bite or abnormal growth teeth can trigger the process of overgrowth of the incisors, which, in turn, can begin to damage the tongue, cheeks and gums. If the lower painters become overgrown, they can form a kind of bridge and “capture” the tongue. Malformed incisor teeth or malocclusion of the incisors will sometimes cause a rabbit's front teeth to be long and protrude from the mouth and grow at an angle to each other. All such dental problems can lead to oral infection, difficulty eating, drooling and weight loss. Rabbit teeth grow at a rate of approximately 1 cm per month, and, if there is no resistance, the rate can reach 1 mm per day.

Why do rabbits' teeth grow incorrectly?

Many reasons can lead to improper growth of teeth at the same time, from an incorrect bite to an insufficient rate of wear. An important factor in tooth overgrowth is a diet with insufficient roughage. Malocclusion can also be hereditary or congenital, especially in dwarf and lop-eared rabbits. Serious illnesses or infections of the teeth can lead to both their abnormal growth and changes in their shape and structure. Trauma or fracture of teeth (especially the front incisors) can change the direction of tooth growth so that it no longer aligns with the opposing lower or upper tooth.

What can be done about abnormal teeth growth?

One of the most important factors correct height teeth is proper diet rabbit, with the help of which he will wear out his teeth in the process of chewing. Overly large teeth need to be reduced or trimmed. This usually needs to be done regularly as a rabbit's teeth grow throughout its life. Previously, veterinarians used ordinary wire cutters to trim teeth, but this often led to damage to both the teeth and gums. Today, veterinarians typically use special dental instruments that allow them to trim a rabbit's teeth completely safely.

If your rabbit regularly experiences dental problems, then a long-term solution may be to remove unnatural upper and lower incisors or molars. This procedure can be quite complex, depending on the condition of the tooth and its location in the mouth. Although this sounds quite harsh, this option may be the best solution problems, especially if the rabbit has chronic dysbiosis.

After any tooth reduction in a rabbit, it is important to change its diet to roughage as quickly as possible to ensure a sufficient rate of tooth wear, as well as to maintain the continuous functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

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

Owners contact 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 the incisors to become bent and come out of alignment. oral cavity(typical for the lower ones) or wrapping it 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, but appearance“stumps” sticking out of a 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 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 of food. 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 general idea about the peculiarities of the anatomy of their pets’ teeth, which distinguish them from most other animals.

Veterinarian Artem Arkadievich Kazakov

Veterinarian Tatyana Sergeevna Semirotova

Kira Stoletova

Breeding rodents will go without complications if you know how a rabbit’s teeth grow and what diseases torment the furry animal. How many teeth does a rabbit have, and how does he clean them?

The structure of a rodent's jaw and dental diseases determine the health of the animal. Dental problems can lead to the death of a furry.

To breed and properly maintain furry animals, the physiological characteristics of the breed should be taken into account. Experienced farmers recommend regularly examining rabbits' teeth to prevent serious pathologies.

Features of rodent teeth

A rabbit's teeth should be strong and strong. The breed of domesticated rodents feeds on hard vegetables and coarse food. If the front incisors of furry animals begin to hurt, such diseases immediately affect the well-being of the pets. Animals become lethargic, weaken, quickly lose weight and eventually die. Your rabbit's teeth need to be examined every few weeks so as not to miss the development of dangerous diseases.

The teeth of a rabbit are different from those found in other rodent breeds. Scientists highlight separate species lagomorphs, which are similar to rodents, but the structure of their skull is significantly different. Rabbits have teeth different size, which is due to the lifestyle of the furry rodent. The pet is growing, and as it grows, the 2 front incisors become larger. This is the primary chewing mechanism that allows hares to feed on hard vegetables.

A rabbit's teeth are divided into a pair of incisors and root teeth, which rodents use to crush solid food. The reason why hares have longer incisors is very simple: they are used for quickly chewing nutritious vegetables.

Furry animals have a total of 26 teeth, unlike rodents with 18 incisors located on their jaws. In young animals, chewing teeth and incisors grow quickly; in just a couple of months, the hare has a full-fledged dentition.

After the main teeth have grown in, bone growth continues. This development of the skeletal system does not bring about particularly noticeable changes. U ornamental breeds, specially bred for home breeding, the dentition is significantly smaller than that of their relatives living in natural environment. The reason for the deformation of the jaw is as follows: as a result of crossing, breeds of a smaller size and with a weaker immune system. U decorative species Dental diseases occur quite often, and it is also necessary to treat such animals.

The structure of the lower and upper jaw

The physiological characteristics of rabbits determine the structure of their skull. Herbivores need strong incisors that can withstand heavy loads. Digestive system easily overetched plant foods, but the task of the dentition of furry animals is to crush vegetables. Grinded and “cut” food is quickly digested and gives hares a lot of energy. Only a specialist can remove the teeth of domesticated rodents and only in cases where there is no other solution to the problem. The absence of at least 1 tooth creates a large load on the remaining incisors.

The structure of the skull of rodents allows them to “cut” food with their incisors and break up food with the help of their root teeth. IN winter time For years, domesticated rabbits eat only dry food and hay, which the root row of teeth can easily cope with. Incisor trimming is carried out several times a year and only as directed by a veterinarian.

Photo of furry animals shows how long rabbits' teeth can grow. Even small breeds have massive jaws. It is very important, regardless of the lifestyle of rodents, to monitor the health of their oral cavity. Baby teeth (lower and upper) fall out very quickly, but the removal of healthy and permanent incisors is a big problem that should be prevented in every possible way. The teeth are trimmed with a milling cutter or other tools available on the farmer’s farm. Carrying out such procedures at home can result in damage and deformation of the animal’s jaw.

Even experienced rabbit breeders disagree on how many teeth a rabbit has in its mouth.

The lower and upper jaws of the animal are difficult to examine completely, so data on the number of incisors and root teeth differ. Adult furry rodents have 22 teeth, but sometimes there are breeds with a full row of 28 incisors and roots. The two rows above and below consist of 2 strong incisors. After the incisors, hares have no teeth. This space in the mouth is called “edentulous” and it helps crushed food enter the esophagus more quickly. The rabbit does not have fangs, like other animals.

Rabbit root teeth:

• premolars;
• molars.

Rabbits have 12 upper molars, which are supported by 10 teeth in the lower row.

You can easily count the number of teeth in furry animals: 26 strong teeth that help to quickly grind even the hardest food. During growth, small rodents quickly adapt to hard vegetables. Green complementary food makes up only a third of animal feed in the summer and is practically absent in the winter.

Every animal that comes into the farmer's yard needs constant inspection and proper maintenance. Proper care of furry rodents will ensure that the animal's meat is safe and suitable for human consumption.

Rabbit dental diseases

The heavy load on the teeth due to hard and dry food leads to the fact that the incisors wear out, and the root teeth become weak and begin to hurt. Frequent pathologies that are found in rodents of different ages, are:

1. Malocclusion. Such pathologies arise due to improper bite of the rodent. Fluffy grows, and along with muscle mass increases skeletal system. Incorrect diet of young animals or previous diseases in early age may lead to malocclusion. As a result, the upper and lower jaws do not close together. Malocclusion prevents rodents from gaining weight and makes them weak.
2. Deformation of the root part of the dentition. Another problem is related to malocclusion, leads to serious consequences for the health of the rodent. Because the roots of the teeth are too large, the rabbit's incisors become crooked, hence the grinding. Improper load on the entire dentition leads to diseases with tear ducts. The consequences of such deformation are disruption of work eyeballs. More often, the teeth of a small decorative rabbit suffer from this.
3. Abscesses. The most dangerous to the health and life of these rodents are suppuration and severe inflammatory processes in the oral cavity of a rodent. Under no circumstances should you cut teeth while there is pus in the animal’s mouth. For a rabbit, such a procedure is very stressful and unbearable pain. There are several ways to solve the problem, including drug treatment. Special preparations, which are prescribed by veterinarians, are needed for proper cleaning of the dentition.

The fauna is amazing in its diversity of species. Domestic and ornamental rodents are a special breed. These are quite dangerous animals, even predators, which are distinguished by their vitality and lively character. It is not difficult to teach these fluffies to live at home if you provide the rodents with the necessary care. Crooked incisors (rabbit teeth sometimes bend) can cause the death of a furry rabbit. If a farmer hears a rabbit grinding its teeth, then the animals should be examined before severe symptoms of the disease appear. Disease, painful in the jaws, provokes exhaustion of the rabbit’s body, and can cause big problems.

What to do if rodents sharpen their teeth or have obvious problems? Creaking, cracks in the teeth (the rabbit has broken an incisor, molar or molar) are the first signs of the disease. You should not self-medicate, because rash actions can cost a person all his furry hair. Only a specialist can help.

Diagnostics of the oral cavity in rabbits

How many times a year should rabbits’ oral cavity be examined? Is it necessary to remove a diseased tooth?

Timely diagnosis and prevention of diseases will prevent serious illnesses. Veterinarians say that farmers need to polish their rabbits' teeth. Such actions are taken if the rodent chatters with its incisors or behaves aggressively. Too large incisors need to be trimmed, otherwise the animal may injure itself. Special medicinal mixture will help you clean your rabbits teeth regularly. It is applied to special wooden blocks made from soft wood.

How to trim a rabbit's teeth at home - malocclusion.

Fangs in rabbits or malocclusion

How to care for decorative rabbits

What to do if pus begins to secrete in the rodent’s mouth? Only a specialist who is familiar with the structural features of the skull of rabbits should clean the oral cavity of secretions or treat inflammation. Cleaning out pus without treating the underlying cause of the disease is ineffective and even life-threatening for rodents.

Dental problems in rabbits, as well as in some species of rodents ( Guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus) are very common and can greatly worsen the pet’s quality of life, so we asked an exotic animal specialist about this pathology.

Tell us a little about rabbit teeth, why is this such a pressing problem?

In total, the decorative rabbit has 28 teeth: 4 incisors on the upper jaw, 2 on the lower jaw and 22 cheek teeth. Usually we can clearly see the incisors (front teeth), but the cheek teeth need to be examined using special equipment at a doctor’s appointment. Unlike the teeth of cats, dogs and humans, rabbits’ teeth continue to grow throughout their lives, and accordingly, throughout their lives, their teeth must be worn down; this wear is carried out by teeth moving apart from each other when eating roughage (hay, grass). Due to the presence of this physiological feature Dental problems in lagomorphs arise very often, because if the growth or wear of teeth is disrupted, the functioning of the oral cavity will be imperfect, which means that eating will be difficult, which can even lead to the death of the animal.

Photo 1. Rabbit cheek teeth (endoscopic view)

Very roughly, 2 groups of dental problems can be distinguished - congenital / hereditary (most often manifested in the form of shortening of the upper jaw, leading to improper closure of the incisors - congenital disocclusion (malocclusion) of the incisors) and acquired (most often - improper growth and closure of the cheek teeth, leading to the formation of sharp “hooks” that injure the cheeks and tongue or abscesses in the head area - acquired dental disease).

Photo 2. “Hook” causing ulceration of the lateral surface of the tongue

How do dental diseases manifest in rabbits?

Problems with incisors are usually clearly visible - need to be lifted upper lip and examine the teeth; in a healthy animal, the lower incisors are located slightly behind the upper ones, resting simultaneously on the large and small upper incisors, the teeth are white, the enamel is smooth, without striations. In case of illness, the incisors will irregular shape, the lower incisors do not close with the upper ones, but often grow beyond the vestibule of the oral cavity, while the upper teeth bend inside the mouth and can injure the mucous membrane. A rabbit with incisor disocclusion cannot fully bite off pieces of food, but at the same time hay or small fragments of food are captured by the lips. More often congenital pathologies incisor teeth appear during the first year of a rabbit's life.

Photo 3. Healthy incisors of a rabbit. Note the presence of small incisors on the upper jaw.

If problems with the cheek teeth develop, the rabbit is unable to adequately chew solid food, and changes may occur. taste preferences, most often the rabbit simply refuses to eat hay; he can sit in front of the bowl for a long time, choose food, but in fact eat little. If the problem lasts long enough, the animal loses weight and bowel movements are impaired (sparse, scanty stools). If the “hooks” injure soft fabrics mouth, ulcers form on the cheeks and sides of the tongue, this is very painful condition accompanied by refusal to eat, profuse drooling. Sometimes they bring us rabbits with complaints of hair coming out in the area of ​​the lower jaw, neck and forelimbs, but in a large percentage of cases this is a secondary dermatological problem associated with salivation; it is possible to restore the skin and fur of such animals only after eliminating problems in the mouth cavities. Problems with cheek teeth are more likely to develop in animals over 3 years of age, but this is not strict rule, which has a large number of exceptions.

What diagnostics may be needed?

To begin with, a face-to-face examination. Only based on what you tell us and what your animal will look like can you create a diagnostic and treatment plan for a specific patient. If dental pathology is suspected, an examination of the oral cavity under sedation and an extraoral x-ray are required. When late stages dental disease (abscesses, osteomyelitis, empyema of the alveolar bulla, etc.) a computed tomography scan of the skull is required for planning surgical intervention. Unfortunately, with a simple examination of the oral cavity, you can miss a large number of pathologies, not to mention the fact that the doctor sees only the teeth rising above the gum, and what happens to the reserve crowns (analogous to the “root” in dogs and cats) can only be understood by performing an x-ray or CT scan.

Very often, dental disease is not the only health problem in an animal; with the development of complications such as rabbit GI syndrome, liver lipidosis, blood tests, x-rays and ultrasound may be needed abdominal cavity. Everything is very individual and depends on the specific clinical case.

Photo 4. CT scan and 3D reconstruction of a rabbit skull with terminal stage acquired dental disease.

My rabbit's incisors are not growing properly, we trim them at home every month with a nail clipper. Is there any way to slow down their growth so that you have to trim them less often?

No, growth cannot be slowed down. Moreover, you cannot trim with a nail clipper. Treatment of choice for congenital incisor disocclusion is their complete removal. Rabbits tolerate this operation well and continue to live like healthy animals, capturing food with their lips. If it is impossible to remove teeth (for example, the impossibility of anesthesia for some objective reasons), regular corrections are carried out using a diamond disc or bur. In this case, it is impossible to open the pulp chamber and it is necessary to give the incisors a shape close to the physiological one. The more often we trim our teeth, the faster they grow, and the longer they have to be left, due to the risk of opening the chamber. It turns out to be a vicious circle.

Photo 5. Congenital disocclusion of incisors in a rabbit

How is cheek teeth corrected?

If “hooks” form, they must be removed, and all cheek teeth must be adjusted in length and shape, giving them a shape as close as possible to healthy. To do this, burs are used, while the rabbit is in a special fixing machine. If x-rays show signs of periapical infection, removal of the affected teeth is required. The procedure takes place under general anesthesia; usually the rabbit stays in the clinic for about 2-3 hours and is sent home fully awake.

Unfortunately, acquired dental disease in rabbits is a chronic, progressive condition in which complete cure is unlikely, and all efforts veterinarians and the animal owner are aimed at ensuring good quality rabbit's life In this case, regular corrections of the cheek teeth are required at a certain frequency (average interval 3-6 months, sometimes more often).

Is anesthesia dangerous for a rabbit? Is it possible to perform procedures under anesthesia for older animals?

Undoubtedly, anesthesia risks exist. But performing the procedure without anesthesia carries even greater risks (long-term fixation with open mouth stress of dependent animals, work in the oral cavity with rapidly rotating burs, etc.). Before the procedure, the rabbit must be examined and, if necessary, prescribed additional diagnostics(blood tests, ultrasound of the heart). We use the safest options for anesthesia, most often inhalation anesthesia, less often injection. In general, in the vast majority of cases, anesthesia is normal and does not cause much harm to health. Age is not a contraindication to general anesthesia, but if we suspect in an aged animal, for example, renal failure, then we recommend blood tests and stabilization of the condition before anesthesia.

If my rabbit requires regular dental adjustments under anesthesia, is it harmful? I heard that frequent anesthesia can shorten life expectancy.

No, the drugs we use do not accumulate in the animal’s body, and each new anesthesia is perceived by us as the first. There are animals that go for dental correction under anesthesia very long time(over 5 years) 1 time per month, and the rabbits feel very good.

Has my rabbit suddenly developed a lump on his head? What could it be?

The 2 main diagnoses in this situation are odontogenic (teeth-related) abscess or neoplasm. Abscesses occur hundreds of times more often, are the last stage of dental disease and require surgical treatment and long-term antibiotic therapy. Due to the peculiarities of inflammation in rabbits, simple opening of the abscess followed by washing the cavity is usually ineffective and is accompanied by a high risk of recurrence. For successful treatment abscesses in the head area, in most cases, it is necessary to remove the teeth that caused inflammation, remove the abscess capsule and all dead tissue, followed by marsupialization (stitching) of the wound.

Photo 6. Odontogenic abscess lower jaw of a rabbit

How can you prevent the development of dental pathologies?

The basis for the prevention of dental disease is proper maintenance and feeding of the rabbit. It must be remembered that rabbits are strictly herbivores; the basis of their diet is hay, which should always be freely available and should make up about 80% of the animal’s diet. Contrary to popular belief about mineral stones, animal teeth do not wear down and their presence or absence does not in any way affect the wearability of cheek teeth. It is also worth bringing the animal for examination to a veterinary clinic at least once every 6 months, so as not to miss the earlier onset of the disease.