My rabbit can't eat. What's stuck in its mouth or on its teeth?

Thanks for reaching out about Thumper and including photos. By the description and swelling on the right side of the face, a dental abscess is highly suspicious. The dental disease is making it difficult for Thumper to eat, therefore loosing weight. A veterinary visit is recommended, the sooner the better. Rarely do antibiotics solve this problem, might requiring some surgery or tooth extraction. Good luck.

I am also worried about Chiku. Rabbits will often decrease their food intake with oral (mouth) problems. Over grown teeth can trap the tongue and also cause ulcers or wounds in the mouth. Of course, other problems could be going on as well. I would encourage you to take him to a veterinarian. They will be able to help determine if it is his mouth giving him problems or something else. I hope he improves soon. Thanks for using Pet Coach.

Poor Stanley ! There is nothing you can do at home to help his overgrown teeth. You should have him checked over at the Vets where his teeth will also be trimmed. His diet will probably need to be revised, to make sure he eats enough fibre and hay and little treats or rich in carbohydrates pellets.

It's hard to tell from photo, but that looks like some superficial skin hanging down from the surface of the jawline. If this is the case, there is likely an open wound. The skin that is hanging either needs to be trimmed off or it needs to be sutured back into place. This should be done by a professional to ensure the best outcome, and to allow you to obtain oral antibiotics and pain medication. When rabbits aren't feeling well, they can often stop eating which is a recipe for disaster unfortunately. I would have Totoro checked out some time soon to be examined.

Carefully check his teeth to see if they are overgrown or misaligned. If his front teeth are fine, have him examined by your veterinarian to check his cheek teeth. These teeth need regular trimming to prevent sharp points from developing. These points can cause discomfort and may affect appetite.

A rabbit that will not eat should be considered a veterinary emergency. Anorexia in rabbits can slow down or stop the gut which can lead to a dangerous build-up of bacteria and gas. This can be deadly. It is critical to have Thumper examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits to get him eating as soon as possible and to diagnose the reason for his loss of appetite. Keep timothy hay and water available at all times. You can soak some pellets in an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage to make a mash which may make eating easier also.

The fact that he is eating is encouraging, but this appears to be a problem of gastric stasis. This can happen due to hair blockages, but can also be caused by many other conditions such as dehydration, lack of adequate fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or stress. The feeding of pineapple and other fruits has been attempted in the past to break down hair in the stomach, but unfortunately this and other treatments have not proven to be very effective. Considering that this has a potential to turn into an emergency, I recommend taking JJangdol to the vet tomorrow. They will be able to help identify the cause of this and provide the most effective treatment. For now, it's best to make sure that he is not having any stressors, is able to move around as much as possible, and gets plenty of water. Having a water bowl rather than a sipper bottle has been shown to increase water intake. You should also feed fresh grass, high-quality hay soaked in water, or Oxbow pellets with some water added as the majority of his diet. If at any time JJangdol stops eating and/or starts to act very depressed, then this is an emergency and he should go to the vet as soon as possible. I hope that helps and he gets better soon.