Extraction is something I would not have considered for any of my rabbits, but after talking to Dr. Brown, I learned that this is the best solution for some rabbits with malocclusion. Dr. Brown does not perform the surgery for owner convenience or for behavior problems, such as furniture chewing, but rather for the best interest of the animal and when the chances of better health are greatly improved. Part Two discusses procedures used when surgery is not a viable option, such as for very old, disabled or severely compromised animals. Rabbits are quite prone to disease of the teeth. There are a number of causes of dental disease, and I would like to discuss a surgical treatment for disease of the incisors.
Rabbits have six incisors, or front teeth, four on the top and two on the bottom.
The second set of upper incisors, called peg teeth, are hidden right behind the set that you can see easily when you look in the mouth. These teeth are used primarily for grabbing food and cutting it. The rest of the rabbit's teeth are located in the back on either side of the mouth. These molars are used for grinding the food. All of the teeth grow continuously throughout the rabbit's life, and are kept worn down by the action of chewing and grinding of tooth against tooth.