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Tooth Root Abcess in aging rabbit

Rating: 10
Razi
Razi

My 12 year old rabbit has a tooth root abcess which the vet said would be too expensive and traumatic a surgery to put him through. In January she drained the puss from his cheek and put him on antibiotics. He had terrible diarreah on it but I gave it to him all the way through and cleaned him up everyday. He is old and has other health problems, Arthritis, blindness, etc. She suggested putting him down but I will not do it. He is enjoying his life, eating, drinking etc. But his eye is now excreting the same white substance from the abcess and I am cleaning the eye the best I can with eye solutions. Do you know of anything else I can do for him? If I call her she might suggest putting him down again which I refuse to do - II don't want to put him back on antibiotics because I don't want him to suffer diarreah again - he only weighs 3 pounds.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Cheryl

Symptoms: Dental

One Response to “Tooth Root Abcess in aging rabbit”:

  • Veteran Advisor Matthew says:

    May 01st, 2008 at 03:07 PM

    Dear Cheryl,

    Chances are that antibiotics will not get to the root of this problem anyway. Rabbit abscesses are difficult to clear without cutting the whole thing out at surgery and I think the best way for you to manage this problem is daily cleaning of the abscess. There is a duct that runs from the eye to the nose where tears normally overflow down, called the nasolacrimal duct. As there is pus coming fron Razi's eye it means that the duct is involved; this commonly happens with tooth root abscesses.

    The question to ask is whether you think he is suffering or whether your daily management is enough to help him. Of course surgery is an option. Anaesthesia in rabbits is risky (1 in 72 die under anaesthetic), but just because he is old doesn't necessarily mean he shouldn't have surgery. However many vets would rather not take the risk.

    Best wishes

    Matthew

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