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DENTAL DISORDERS
It is easy to understand how rapidly dental
problems develop, when tooth growth rates are in the order of 2 to 3mm per week. Although
dental techniques have advanced significantly in the last few years, cures are still not
common so it is essential to think in terms of prevention.
Factors Affecting Dental Health:
| 1. |
Physical - continuously growing open-rooted,
growth rate |
| 2. |
Dietary habit - herbivore
- Low energy density, high fibre diet
- Grinding and abrasion - fibre and plant silicates (opaline)
|
| 3. |
Diet - correct levels and balance of nutrients
- Vitamins and minerals (vitamins A+D, calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium)
- Sugars and Starch - dental caries leading to cavities on the
surface
|
| 4. |
Dysphagia - difficulty in eating, inappropriate
eating action |
| 5. |
Genetic disposition - more common in dwarfs
(brachycephalism) and lop-eared breeds |
| 6. |
Injury - fractures / dislocations of teeth and
lower jaw |
| 7. |
Disease / Infection / Toxic compounds |
|
Early Indicators of Disorder / Disease:
| 1. |
Loss of condition - weight loss, unkempt /
matted / dirty coat |
| 2. |
Behavioural changes - depression, isolation,
tooth grinding (pain), reluctance to be touched |
| 3. |
Appetite - reduced or anorectic, differentiate
from dysphagia, difficulty / inability to eat |
| 4. |
Faeces - change in size, quantity, absence of
faeces, or caecotrophs adhering to fur around anus and perineal fold |
| 5. |
Head - asymmetry, deformity, swelling
(periapical), wounds, facial abscesses, prognathism |
| 6. |
Eyes and Nose - exopthalmia, epiphoria,
discharge, epistaxis, rhinitis |
| 7. |
Mouth - ptyalism, halitosis, stomatitis,
gingivitis, ulceration of lip, cheek, tongue, palate |
| 8. |
Teeth - visibly long, broken or displaced,
discoloured |
|
Preventative Measures:
| 1. |
Feed a complete and balanced diet, such as Russel
Rabbit, avoiding sugary foods and treats |
| 2. |
Ensure that it has a low energy, high fibre
diet, (coarse fibres, alfalfa, hay, dried grass) |
| 3. |
Allow access to grass and provide the occasional
fresh vegetable |
| 4. |
Provide dental exercise - safe materials to chew
on e.g. hay, twigs of non-toxic trees |
| 5. |
Record weight weekly - continuous gradual weight
loss or any dramatic changes are significant |
| 6. |
Examine the front incisors weekly, and take to
the vets at the first sign of trouble |
| 7. |
Ensure the rabbit has regular and thorough
dental checks |
| 8. |
Neuter rabbits with suspected genetic problems |
NUTRITION
Calcium deficiency is often mistakenly blamed for dental disorders (poor mineralisation,
discolouration, horizontal ribbing). In rabbits, calcium absorption is not well regulated
and appears to be proportional to dietary calcium levels. Thus calcium absorption is
highly efficient, and true calcium deficiency is extremely rare. Vitamins A and D,
Phosphorus and Magnesium are also required for tooth and bone formation, and so the
general nutritional status of the animal should be viewed as more important than calcium
status alone. Whilst poor nutrition may be a factor for poor tooth quality, it may be
secondary to infections (periodontal disease, caries), hormonal imbalances, trauma and
exposure to toxic compounds.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
| Halitosis |
Bad breath |
| Stomatitis |
Inflammation of the oral mucus
membranes |
| Gingivitis |
Inflammation of the gingiva |
| Ptyalism |
Excessive salivation (slobbers) |
| Rhinitis |
Inflammation of the nasal mucous
membranes |
| Epistaxis |
Bleeding from the nose (nosebleed) |
| Exopthalmia |
Protrusion of the eyeballs in their
sockets (bulging eyes) |
| Epiphora |
Watering of the eye (watery eye) |
| Dysphagia |
Difficulty in eating and swallowing |
| Prognathism |
One jaw markedly larger than the
other (protruding jaw) |
| Brachycephalism |
Shortness of the skull |
References
| Crossley, D.A.
(1995). Clinical aspects of lagomorph anatomy: the rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus). J. Vet.
Dent. 12: 137 - 140. Crossley, D.A. (1996). Rabbit Dentistry. Proceedings of the Midwest Exotic
Pet Seminars, Chicago, March 1997.
Harcourt-Brown, F.M. (1997). Diagnosis of
dental disease in pet rabbits. In practice 19: 407-421.
Harcourt-Brown, F.M. (1998). Pet Rabbits: Some
common clinical problems. Waltham Focus 8: 6-13.
Michaeli, Y., Hirschfeld, Z. and Weinreb, M.M.
(1980). The cheek teeth of the rabbit: morphology, histology and development. Acta Anat.
106: 223-239
Okerman, L. (1998). Disease of Domestic
Rabbits. 2nd Edition. Blackwell Science, Oxon, UK. |
Popesku, P. Rajtove,
V. and Horak. J. (1992). A Colour Atlas of the Anatomy of Small Animal Laboratory Animals.
Volume 1: Rabbit and Guinea Pig. Wolfe Publishing Ltd. London, UK. Richardson V, (2000). Rabbits - Health, Husbandry and Diseases. 1st Edition.
Blackwell Science, Oxon, UK.
Handbook of Rodent and Rabbit Medicine. 1st
Edition. Eds. K. Laber-Laird, M. Swindle, and P. Flecknell. Pergamon, Oxford, UK.
Turner, T. (1996). The Incidence of Dental
Problems in Pet Rabbits. BVDA Journal Issue 4, Winter 1996. pp 4-5.
Wiggs, B and Lobprise, H (1995). In: BSAVA
Manual of Small Animal Dentistry. Eds Crossley and Penman. pp 68-91 BSAVA Cheltenham, UK. |
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