Oh no! Overgrown teeth?!

A discussion on malocclusion:

You may have seen this word before and just skipped over it or you may have seen it explained already but were going to get into what it means, how it happens and what you can do about it today!

What is Malocclusion?

In rabbits it is the imperfect positioning or meeting of the teeth when the jaw is closed, it can be genetic or injury/trauma induced. If you do not know for a 100% undeniable fact that your rabbit has had a traumatic mouth injury or pulls cage wire, always assume that it is genetic. Rabbits teeth grow constantly throughout their life, and chewing is their #1 way to keep their teeth ground down and in check. When the teeth do not meet correctly they cannot wear down evenly, which causes the rabbit issues with eating and drinking; if left untreated the teeth can grow into or out of the mouth, causing injuries or the absolute inability to eat.

So what causes Malocclusion? As stated above malocclusion can be caused by an injury or genetic defect. -Accidents happen around the rabbitry, rabbits can decide some days they do not want to cooperate and even with your best efforts a rabbit may become injured from a fall, possibly breaking or injuring it's teeth and the root system or even the bone beneath them. -Cage pulling is when a rabbit will bite the wire of its enclosure (or its feeder) and then proceed to shake and pull on the object, it is usually out of boredom and can alter the teeths correct growth pattern. -Genetics play a HUGE factor in everything to do with your rabbit, including how their jaws form and they can hide for generations; meaning mom and dad may have perfect teeth but you suddenly have an 8-12 week old grow out with their teeth misaligned.

What can I do about Malocclusion? -If the teeth, root or bone are injured and do not heal properly a misalignment can occur, however for rabbits with injury induced malocclusion all hope is not lost and if you are willing to put in the work to trim their crooked teeth or are willing to pay to have a vet remove them your rabbit can live a relatively normal and happy life. You can trim the teeth at home yourself with wire cutters, nail trimmers or a Dremel tool (if you trust your hand and that rabbit not to wiggle), trims should occur every 3-4 weeks or when the teeth have grown too long, veterinary intervention will likely be costly but can make life a little easier for everyone. Trimming teeth is like trimming hair, there is no feeling in them, so trim them close to the gum line as evenly as possible. -If the teeth are misaligned due to genetics this rabbit could have a wonderful life with a pet only family who are well versed in the special needs this rabbit has and has the time, energy and money to care for it. Rabbits with genetic malocclusion should NOT be bred, the entire line should be test bred to figure out where the mutation came from and contributing rabbits should be culled to a pet home or freezer camp even if their teeth appear to be fine; you should be prepared to cull any and all of the kits from the test breeding as well as any kits that the rabbit responsible has produced prior to finding malocclusion in your herd, that includes any rabbits that appear unaffected.

***Remember, we are breeding for the betterment of the animal no matter what our end goal with them is be it pet, show, or meat. While the above suggested actions may seem harsh and upsetting to some, the reality is that we are responsible for the lives of these animals from day one and we need to do the best we can for them. Trimming a rabbits teeth can be stressful for everyone involved but can be included in monthly grooming routines like checking/cleaning scent glands, trimming toe nails and doing all over health checks. ***

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