Why is my 7-year-old rabbit losing weight with an overgrown tooth?

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 is not eating normally should be considered a veterinary emergency. If the GI tract slows or stops, a dangerous buildup of bacteria and toxins could endanger Bun Bun's life. Given his age and weight loss, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian...any veterinarian. If necessary, a specialist can be contacted by phone or online by your vet. Veterinary reference labs may provide consultation services as well. For now, offer as much timothy hay as he will eat. Offer some Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores as well. You may be able to find it in pet stores or in the local vet clinic. Keep Bun Bun warm and as stress free as possible. The link below leads to a list of veterinarians experienced in treating rabbits locate din Wisconsin. http://wisconsinhrs.org/local-vets/

It definitely sounds like something serious is going on with Bun Bun. If his appetite is still good and his stools are normal but he is losing weight I would be concerned with either intestinal parasites or cancer causing him to get a lack of nutrients. This would explain the hairloss as well. I would recommend taking Bun Bun to your veterinarian to be examined. Your vetnwill most likely want to run some blood work and possibly do X-rays as well. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Hello, sorry to hear that your bunny is unwell. There are many causes that can result in loss of appetite, & subsequent weight loss, really too many to discuss here. But diet imbalances, dental problems, infections, hairballs, gastrointestinal blockages, & cancer can all cause weight loss. Your bunny needs a hands on exam with a veterinarian to discover the reason for the weight loss, & hopefully get things turned around quickly. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, Weight loss is common as animals get older, but it’s generally the result of an underlying issue like arthritis, decreased activity, or even diseases like kidney failure, liver disease, or cancer. So while it’s not unexpected to see weight loss in an 8 year old rabbit, I would be worried that Wally may have some degree of arthritis or a disease called Encephalitozoon cuniculi (EC). Both arthritis and EC can cause rabbits to urinate outside the litter box and weight loss. However, the treatment for each of these are very different and they carry different prognoses. There can also be pain associated, and therefore I recommend you take Wally to a veterinarian for an exam, blood work and radiographs (X-ray). Wally may hate leaving the house, but he will likely feel much better once he has some pain control or any other treatments that may be necessary. Good luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Stewie. Bruxism (grinding of the teeth) can be a sign of pain in rabbits, In addition, a decreased appetite is also a sign of pain that is originating somewhere in the body. When a rabbit eats less and has a decrease in defecation, this is termed gastrointestinal stasis. Unfortunately, there are many reasons for GI stasis to occur, including infections, tooth problems, masses, arthritis, etc. Due to the many reasons that GI stasis can occur, I would recommend having Stewie evaluated by a veterinarian. With his history of intermittent diarrhea, your veterinarian will likely want to evaluate the feces, so please bring in a fresh sample, if any is produced. Your veterinarian can also perform a thorough physical examination, and then will likely recommend some diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of the pain and GI stasis if there is not an obvious reason found on physical examination. They can also provide you with pain medications. Please don't give Stewie any human medications at home, as many of these can be harmful to our furry friends. If you are having trouble identifying a veterinarian who is comfortable with rabbits in your area, you can visit the AEMV website for assistance. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Stewie feels better soon.